Framatome ANP’s new fuel project, aimed at developing a more reliable, environmentally-friendly fuel product, borrows its name from Gaia, the Earth Mother of ancient Greek mythology. GAIA is also an acronym for the Generation of Advanced Innovative Assembly, which the company plans to deliver to its utility customers by 2015.

Anticipating customer expectations is the watchword of GAIA. An initial team was set up two years ago to lay the groundwork for the long-term project directed by the Fuel Segment. Customers were asked to contribute by identifying their needs in 70 interviews conducted in Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, South Africa, Sweden and the US. Utilities were the main survey participants, but the study also included designers, manufacturers, safety authorities, and groups concerned with research, the back-end of the fuel cycle and transportation. The strengths and weaknesses of current products were compared and a detailed analysis of the competition was carried out. The results were collated and combined into a Market Requirements Document, which was then submitted to customers in 2002 to get their feedback.

For Framatome ANP, the strategic objective is to increase market share and profitability by allowing utility customers to cut costs in an increasingly competitive market. “Our goal, in addition to the present increase of burn-up and the optimization of the fissible material utilization, is to focus on the fuel assembly robustness and reliability. The new design also takes into account the manufacturing issue at the beginning of the design work,” notes core team member Anne Kocher. “This new fuel assembly also will address the flexibility needs of the utilities, their potential power uprate and performance needs for long cycles.”

The core team, located in Lyon, is made up of members from all three regions of the company: France, Germany and the US. Their job is first to oversee the conceptual and preliminary design phase. This stage involves selecting and coordinating specific innovation teams chosen for their creativity, finding ways to stimulate their imaginative skills and guiding the brainstorming process. During the final design phase, the core team will be in charge of developing a design for manufacturing and obtaining customer approval. Lead test assemblies are scheduled for production and delivery by 2008.

“GAIA is truly a flagship project,” says Anne Kocher. “It will enable Framatome ANP to create close ties among our three regions, take advantage of the experience each one has to offer and prepare the future together. The challenge is to develop an innovative spirit in the traditional field of fuel, and associate our customers not only in developing the new concept but in providing additional feedback at later stages. This project will be sowing many seeds and it will be exciting to help them grow.”