Press Release
Completion of the transportation of new fuel for Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station Unit 4
October 14, 2020
Chubu Electric Power Co.,Inc.
Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. is pleased to announce the completion of the transportation of new fuel for Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station Unit 4 (BWR with the rated power output of 1.137 million kW).
1 Transportation date
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
2 Transportation section
From the site of Global Nuclear Fuel Japan (Yokosuka, Kanagawa) to the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station
3 Transportation volume
144 new fuel assemblies (uranium fuel) (9x9 fuel assemblies, Type A)
(72 transportation containers)
4 Transportation method
Ground transportation (8 trucks)
Attachment
Attachment1
Reference
Reasons for transportation
Global Nuclear Fuel Japan, which manufactures and stores new fuel for Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station Units 4 and 5, requested early transportation of new fuel for reasons including smooth updating of the company's plant to comply with the New Regulatory Requirements. The latest transportation of new fuel to Unit 4 was carried out in response.
9×9 fuel assemblies
9×9 fuel assemblies are available in Type A and Type B, designed and manufactured by different companies. They have different design and shape but have equivalent fuel performance.
The table below shows the specifications of a Type A fuel assembly, transported this time (for Unit 4):
| Header |
9×9 fuel assembly (Type A) |
|---|---|
|
Fuel rod array |
9 rows 9 columns |
|
Number of fuel rods |
74 |
|
Maximum burnup |
55GWd/t |
|
Average enrichment |
Approx. 3.8wt% |
|
Number of water rods (Note 1) |
2 (tubes) |
(Note 1) Empty tubes placed alongside fuel rods in the center of a fuel assembly. Water is passed through these tubes to optimize output within a fuel assembly and affix the axial direction of the fuel assembly's support grid (spacer).
Overview of transportation containers used in the latest transportation
|
Type (and number of containers used in the transportation) |
RAJ-II Type transportation container (72) |
|---|---|
|
Owner of the transportation containers |
Global Nuclear Fuel Japan |
|
Material |
Stainless steel |
|
Weight of a transportation container (Note 2) |
Approx. 930kg |
|
Full length |
Approx. 507cm |
|
Full width |
Approx. 73cm |
|
Height |
Approx. 74cm |
(Note 2) Weight: Not containing fuel assemblies
The transportation container is designed to withstand tough conditions stipulated in government's technical standards, e.g. being dropped from the height of 9 meters and left in the temperature of 800°C for 30 minutes.
Past transportation of new fuel
A total of 14,941 new fuel assemblies for Hamaoka Unit 1- Unit 5 have been transported in 103 trips, including those in the latest transportation.
(Breakdown)
|
Unit |
Number of transportation trips (times) |
Number of fuel assemblies transported (assemblies) |
|---|---|---|
|
Unit1 |
28 |
2,390 |
|
Unit2 |
29 |
3,659 |
|
Unit3 |
26 |
4,208 |
|
Unit4 |
18(Note3) |
3,244(Note3) |
|
Unit5 |
8 |
1,584 |
|
Total |
109(104)(Note4) |
15,085 |
(Note 3) Including the transportation of MOX fuel (once, 28 assemblies)
(Note 4) The total number of times fuel was transported to the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station comes to 104 as some transportation operations were for multiple units, i.e. Units 1 and 2, Units 1 and 3, Units 1 and 4 (twice) and Units 2 and 5.