The company has been working in a very close cooperation with R&D and design institutions being designers of manufactured fuel rods and fuel assemblies as well as with the developers of new engineering processes and non-standard equipment.

The joint-stock company possesses well-equipped R&D laboratories, test jigs, design and data processing departments. The activity of these engineering departments is aimed at implementing new advanced achievements and design solutions into full-scale production as well as at improving production processes and designs.

OAO MSZ possesses the complete cycle of nuclear fuel fabrication starting from the conversion of uranium hexafluoride into uranium dioxide powder up to the fabrication of fuel assemblies. The company produces fuel components as well as transport packages which provide for safe transportation of radioactive products according to the requirements of international standards.

The basic component of the nuclear fuel is uranium dioxide powder enriched by U-235 isotope. Uranium dioxide powder required for fuel pellet fabrication is manufactured by the company either according to the “dry” process consisting in the conversion of gaseous uranium hexafluoride or “wet” process through the dissolution of solid source materials. Fuel rods are manufactured in automated production lines equipped with state-of-the art instrumentation and test equipment.

Fuel rods and components are assembled to make fuel bundles ready to be loaded into nuclear reactors.

Availability of the independent quality control system at each stage of the fuel fabrication process assures 100 % reliability and safety of the product manufactured by the company.

Company experts work out design and process documentation for fuel assembly fabrication as well as for non-standard, cutting and inspection equipment, which is required for the production process.

High level of personnel proficiency is achieved via continuous training and refresher courses offered for the company employees and covering the personnel at every level.

A lot of attention is focused on technical achievements and inventions. The company owns 64 patents for invention including:

• 13 inventions for VVER-440
• 9 inventions for VVER-1000
• 13 inventions for RBMK
• 4 inventions for advanced fuel projects