NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE: SMR) and nuclear fuel supplier Framatome have expanded a long-running partnership to manufacture fuel for the next generation of small modular reactors in the United States and Europe.
The two companies announced the expansion on Tuesday as demand grows for reliable baseload electricity. The companies said the agreement extends their exclusive fuel manufacturing relationship first established in 2015.
Framatome will now prepare both European and North American facilities to fabricate fuel for NuScale’s small modular reactor program. Meanwhile, the company will qualify its fuel fabrication facility in Richland, Washington, to manufacture fuel assemblies for U.S. projects.
The move aims to support NuScale’s global deployment strategy for its small modular reactor technology. Additionally, Framatome’s European plants will produce fuel assemblies for customers planning SMR installations across Europe.
NuScale designed its reactor around a small modular configuration called the NuScale Power Module. The reactor belongs to the Generation III+ class and relies on established pressurized water reactor technology.
The fuel design draws on Framatome’s long-running PWR fuel systems already operating in nuclear plants worldwide. Consequently, the companies say the technology benefits from decades of operational experience and safety data.
Framatome previously secured the contract to fabricate fuel assemblies for NuScale’s U.S. customers in 2015. However, the company has now received formal notice to qualify the Richland facility for the newer NuFUEL-HTP2 design.
The notice directs Framatome to begin preparing the plant for manufacturing readiness. Additionally, the facility must produce at least 444 fuel assemblies for NuScale’s first U.S. customer.
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NuScale execs emphasize importance of stable supply chains
The companies expect those deliveries to begin around 2030 as SMR projects progress toward construction. Meanwhile, nuclear developers worldwide continue exploring smaller reactors to meet rising electricity demand.
Framatome executives said the expansion reflects growing interest in dependable nuclear fuel supply chains. Furthermore, the company believes its North American and European manufacturing footprint strengthens global reactor deployment efforts.
Lionel Gaiffe, Framatome’s senior executive vice president for fuel, said the company will rely on its established engineering and manufacturing expertise. He explained that both continents’ production sites will support reliable fuel delivery for NuScale customers.
Gaiffe added that the partnership aims to help advance next-generation nuclear energy systems. Consequently, the company expects the agreement to support long-term development of advanced reactor technology.
NuScale executives also emphasized the importance of stable supply chains for reactor deployment. Carl Fisher, the company’s chief operating officer, said the expanded agreement strengthens a decade-long collaboration with Framatome.
He explained that the companies must meet manufacturing and supply milestones to keep SMR projects on schedule. Additionally, the new arrangement supports preparation for future reactor deployments around the world.
The NuFUEL-HTP2 design builds on Framatome’s existing HTP fuel and spacer grid technology. The system aims to balance low hydraulic resistance with strong structural performance inside reactor cores.
Engineers also designed the fuel assemblies to withstand demanding seismic conditions. Consequently, the design aims to maintain reliable performance inside NuScale’s compact reactor configuration.
Framatome has already delivered more than 20,000 HTP fuel assemblies to pressurized water reactors worldwide. These systems currently operate across 11 countries.
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NuScale reactor design first to be certified
The company operates long-established manufacturing facilities on both sides of the Atlantic. Meanwhile, its North American fuel fabrication operations have accumulated more than 55 years of technical experience.
Its European manufacturing network has developed similar expertise over more than five decades. Additionally, those plants now prepare to support the emerging market for modular nuclear reactors.
The Richland facility represents a critical component of that strategy. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission granted the site the industry’s first 40-year nuclear fuel fabrication license renewal in 2009.
Framatome plans to modify that license as part of its advanced fuel management program. Furthermore, the upgrade would allow the facility to fabricate fuel enriched above five per cent uranium-235.
NuScale founded its company in 2007 to develop modular nuclear technology for a range of energy applications. Its reactor design became the first small modular reactor certified by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Each NuScale module can generate about 77 megawatts of electricity or roughly 250 megawatts of thermal energy. Additionally, operators can combine multiple modules to create power plants producing up to 924 megawatts.
Developers see the reactors as potential power sources for electricity grids and industrial facilities. Meanwhile, planners also consider them for desalination, hydrogen production and district heating systems.
Utilities and technology firms increasingly examine modular reactors as reliable energy sources. Consequently, suppliers such as NuScale and Framatome are preparing manufacturing capacity to support the emerging market.
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