Russian firm advances Gen-V nuclear fuel loading for closed fuel cycle

Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has initiated the pilot operation of fifth-generation (Gen-V) nuclear fuel assemblies, designated TVS-5, by loading them into the VVER-1200 reactor core at the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Manufactured by the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant, these fuel bundles are designed for fully automated fabrication, enabling industrial-scale production critical for advancing a closed nuclear fuel cycle. The pilot phase will span three 18-month fuel cycles, using a regular enriched uranium dioxide fuel matrix under strict regulatory oversight by Rostechnadzor. This development marks a significant milestone in Russia’s strategic shift toward a dual-component nuclear power system that integrates thermal and fast neutron reactors with a closed fuel cycle. The closed cycle aims to reuse spent nuclear fuel by reprocessing uranium and plutonium, thereby improving resource efficiency and sustainability in nuclear power generation. Rosatom emphasizes that the TVS-5 fuel design and its automated manufacturing process are essential steps toward enabling the