US-based Westinghouse Electric Company has signed a nuclear fuel and related services contract extension with American Electric Power (AEP) for its two pressurised water reactors at the DC Cook nuclear power plant in Michigan.

Under the contract, Westinghouse will deliver 15 additional regions – or batches of fuel assemblies – of the Westinghouse Upgrade fuel with Optimised ZIRLO to Cook 1 and Westinghouse OFA fuel with balanced vanes mid-grids and Optimised ZIRLO to Cook 2.

Optimised ZIRLO advanced cladding allows for increased corrosion margin, enabling plants to attain flawless fuel performance while achieving higher burnup and increased fuel temperatures.

Westinghouse said the contract includes its innovative PRIME package that features structural stiffness for margin against fuel assembly distortion, advanced materials to support high burnup and low corrosion, and multiple layers of defence against debris.

Photo: DC Cook nuclear plant