Rosatom supplies VVER-1200 nuclear fuel to China for the first time

The Fuel Division of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom has delivered nuclear fuel for the initial core loading of the VVER-1200 reactor at Unit 7 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in China.

The shipment includes the initial core load and several reserve fuel assemblies. The fuel was manufactured at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant in Russia and delivered under a contract covering fuel supply for Units 7 and 8 of the Tianwan NPP. Both units are currently under construction and are based on Russian-designed Generation III+ VVER-1200 reactors.

This marks Rosatom’s first experience supplying nuclear fuel for VVER-1200 reactors to China. Previously, Rosatom supplied fuel only for four operating VVER-1000 reactors at the Tianwan NPP. In addition, fabrication of VVER-1000 fuel assemblies was localized at the Yibin fuel plant in Sichuan Province under a TVEL license. Localization of fuel manufacturing for VVER-1200 reactors is now underway at the same facility.

Overall, four new VVER-1200 reactors are under construction in China. These include Units 7 and 8 of the Tianwan NPP, as well as Units 3 and 4 of the Xudapu Nuclear Power Plant in Liaoning Province, northeast China.

“The first shipment of nuclear fuel for a VVER-1200 reactor opens a new chapter in the history of our cooperation with our Chinese partners,” said Oleg Grigoriev, Senior Vice President for Commerce and International Business at TVEL, Rosatom’s Fuel Division. “In 2026, we plan to supply three more initial cores for the Tianwan and Xudapu NPP units, which will represent a record-high volume of nuclear fuel shipments within a single year.”

He added, “Our partnership with the CNNC Group continues to develop dynamically and covers several areas, including localization of fuel fabrication, fuel supply for fast neutron reactors, and other strategic areas of cooperation.”

In parallel, Rosatom is implementing the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project in Bangladesh, which consists of two power units equipped with VVER-1200 reactors.