Studsvik And Fennovoima To Cooperate On Core management Software For VVERs

13 Nov (NucNet): Studsvik and Fennovoima Oy have signed an agreement to cooperate on the final stages of the development of Studsvik’s core management system 5 (CMS5) nuclear fuel analysis software for VVER-type pressurised water nuclear power plants. The two companies said in a statement on 13 November 2017 that a new version of the CMS5 software will be specific to the hexagonal-shaped nuclear fuel assemblies in VVER-1000 and VVER-1200 nuclear power plants designed by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The software is already widely used by the operators of some 200 nuclear power plants that operate with the square-shaped fuel assemblies based on reactor designs that originated in the US, the statement said. Fennovoima, which is building the Hanhikivi-1 VVER-1200 nuclear power unit in northern Finland, will support Studsvik in completing the CMS5-VVER verification and validation. Hanhikivi-1 is scheduled to begin commercial operation in 2024. Fennovoima said that adapting the CMS5 software for VVER type reactors will make the latest technology in nuclear fuel analysis available for planning and operating Hanhikivi-1 effectively and economically. Development of the software will allow operators to to manage the entire nuclear fuel lifecycle from fuel and reactor performance optimisation through to the ultimate disposal of used nuclear fuel.