The overall objective of MIRA is to establish the technical, experimental, regulatory and industrial basis for a European manufactured alternative VVR-M2 fuel assembly for the Budapest and Kyiv research reactors. The project will develop a mature and manufacturable fuel assembly design, supported by multidisciplinary analyses and representative out-of-pile testing, and will prepare the subsequent route towards fuelled lead test assembly manufacturing, irradiation, licensing and industrial deployment.

The vision of the MIRA project is to secure, in the medium- and long-term sovereign supply of nuclear fuel for post-Soviet type research reactors operating in Europe. In this context, the project aims to enable the first deliveries of fuel assemblies fully manufactured within Europe and based exclusively on sovereign European technologies, for use in the three VVR-M reactors located in Europe. MIRA will pave the way for future qualification of the fuel assembly design prior to irradiation, and it will define the evidence-based licensing and irradiation programs. It also engages state-of-the-art test facilities and a sustainable multi-national network of expertise and knowledge as well as assessing the impact of the new fuel designs on the current manufacturing facilities and sub-suppliers.

MIRA combines analytical and experimental activities for the development of an alternative fuel assembly. Representative inert mock-ups will be manufactured and subjected to hydraulic, mechanical and handling tests. Experimental results will be compared with analytical predictions and used to support model updating and final design consolidation. Hungarian and Ukrainian technical and licensing requirements will be considered from the beginning of the design process, ensuring continuous alignment with the future national licensing routes.

• FRAMATOME GMBH, Germany – Coordinator
• FRAMATOME, France – Partner
• CENTRUM VYZKUMU REZ SRO, Czechia – Partner
• TOVARYSTVO Z OBMEZHENOYU VIDPOVIDALNISTYU ENERHOBEZPEKA HRUP, Ukraine – Partner
• HUN-REN Energiatudomanyi Kutatokozpont, Hungary – Partner
• Institute for Nuclear Research of NAS of Ukraine, Ukraine – Partner
• LGI SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION, France – Partner

Project proposal coordinator:

Aleksandar Paskalov: aleksandar.paskalov@framatome.com

Technical coordinators:  

• Ruediger Graebert
• Bruno Miglierini