OKBM along with JSC MSZ and Bochvar VNIINM have developed an advanced fuel assembly (AFA) for PWR-1000 reactor.

Along with higher fuel utilization efficiency the AFA design provides high geometrical stability at high fuel burnup that meets the requirements of prospective fuel cycles.

AFA has undergone the full cycle of pre-reactor tests. A set of experimental investigations at OKBM thermal-physical test facility was performed using an AFA experimental model that allowed validating thermal-technical reliability of the assembly and its safety under emergency operating conditions. A four-year cycle of AFA reactor tests in pilot-commercial operation mode at Kalininskaya NPP Unit 1 (2002) was completed successfully to validate AFA design parameters.

Considerable AFA advantage in terms of geometrical stability allows implementation of economically efficient fuel cycles making complete use of fuel element potential (~60 MW·days/kgU burnup), i.e. four- and five-year fuel cycles in PWR-1000 with ~300 eff.days fuel life.

Good reactor test results and potential of further FA technology and design upgrade permit to consider AFA as competitive nuclear fuel at the domestic and traditional foreign markets.