EXPERIENCE FEEDBACK FROM THE TRANSPORTATION OF FRAMATOME FUEL ASSEMBLIES

Framatome, the foremost world.nuclear fuel manufacturer, has for 25 years been delivering fuel elements from its three (3) factories (Dessel, Romans, Pierrelatte) to the various sites in France and abroad (Germany, Sweden, Belgium, China, Korea, South Africa, Switzerland). During this period, Framatome has built up experience and expenise in fuel element transponation by road, rail and sea. In this field , the range of constraints is very wide : • safety and environmental protection constraints, • constraints arising from the control and protection of nuclear materials, • contractual and financial constraints, • media watchdogs. Through the experience feedback from the transponation of FRAMATOME assemblies, this paper addresses all the phases in the transponation of fresh fuel assemblies.