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nuclear•chain

MZFR nuclear power plant

Retired Germany
Gross capacity
57MW

MZFR nuclear power plant is a pressurised heavy water reactor unit at MZFR nuclear power plant in Germany rated at 57 MW gross. It is retired. Commercial operation began 19 Dec 1966.

Specification
Reactor type Pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR)
Modelnot disclosed
Size classLarge
CoolantHeavy water
ModeratorHeavy water
Gross capacity57MW
Net capacity (reference)52MW
Net capacity (design)50MW
Thermal output200MWt
Typical enrichmentNatural uranium, 0.71% U-235
Ownership & location
SiteMZFR nuclear power plant
Unitnot stated
CountryGermany
OwnerKerntechnische Entsorgung Karlsruhe GmbH100%
OperatorKernkraftwerk-Betriebsgesellschaft
Coordinates 49.1041, 8.4324
Fuel chain for this unit
Fuel form
Natural uranium dioxide bundles
Enrichment
Natural uranium, 0.71% U-235 no enrichment required
Who makes this assembly
Upstream

This unit runs on natural uranium, so its fuel chain has no enrichment step at all: mine → mill → conversion → fabrication. That is the shortest fuel chain of any commercial reactor type, and it makes the operator independent of the four organisations that control enrichment worldwide.

Conversion
CamecoCNNCConverDynOranoRosatom
Fabricator capability is recorded against reactor type and model line, not against named units — utilities do not publish fuel contracts. See the fuel chain.

Timeline

  1. 1 Dec 1961Construction start
  2. 29 Sep 1965First criticality
  3. 9 Mar 1966Grid connection
  4. 19 Dec 1966Commercial operation
  5. 3 May 1984Permanent shutdown

Sources