ČEZ Receives Approval for New Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel at Temelín

The Czech energy company ČEZ will be permitted to use nuclear fuel supplied by the US company Westinghouse at the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant. The new fuel assemblies are to be loaded into the reactor of unit one for the first time later this year.

The Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety (SÚJB) has authorised the energy company ČEZ to use the new US nuclear fuel. It is scheduled to be loaded during the planned shutdown of Temelín’s first reactor unit at the end of 2026.

According to ČEZ, the approval followed several years of preparations, testing and safety analyses. Over a period of almost two years, experts examined, among other things, the fuel’s behaviour during normal operation, its compatibility with the reactor, and the requirements for its handling and storage.

“This is another important step towards strengthening the Czech Republic’s energy security and diversifying nuclear fuel suppliers,” said Daniel Beneš, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of the ČEZ Group. He added that the company also maintains strategic fuel reserves at both Czech nuclear power plants.

Photo: Temelín | ČEZ

ČEZ has been working for several years to reduce its dependence on individual suppliers. In addition to Westinghouse, which has already delivered its first fuel assemblies for the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant, the company also has a contract with the French company Framatome for Temelín.

The Westinghouse fuel assemblies have already arrived at the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant site. Following their acceptance, they underwent a series of inspections to verify their technical condition and compliance with safety requirements.

The fuel is not entirely new to Temelín. In recent years, the power plant has already tested several Westinghouse fuel assemblies in the reactor under real operating conditions. Other nuclear power plants with comparable reactor types also use fuel produced by the US manufacturer.

Photo: Temelín | ČEZ

“We plan to load the new fuel for the first time later this year during the scheduled shutdown of unit one at Temelín,” said Bohdan Zronek, a member of the ČEZ Board of Directors and head of the Nuclear Energy Division. At the same time, the approval process for the fuel assemblies at Dukovany is being prepared.

In addition to diversifying its suppliers, ČEZ is gradually transitioning the operation of its nuclear power plants to longer fuel cycles. A 16-month cycle has been in place at Dukovany since 2024. Temelín is expected to complete its transition to an 18-month cycle this year. The longer operating periods between shutdowns are intended to increase electricity generation and the efficiency of the plants.

According to the company, the Temelín and Dukovany nuclear power plants currently cover around 40 per cent of the Czech Republic’s electricity consumption. Since the beginning of the year, Temelín has generated a total of 11.5 terawatt-hours of electricity. According to ČEZ, the two plants together prevent the emission of around 20 million tonnes of CO₂ annually.