History

MSZ JSC is the oldest Russian enterprise within TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom. The plant was established during the First World War for munition purposes. The first product batch was manufactured on February 28, 1917. This date is celebrated as the plant’s “birthday”.

In the following years the plant has seen the development that enabled it to count itself among the leading enterprises ensuring the defence capability of the country. At that time shells, mines and drop bombs were being manufactured in the shop floors. 

In 1941 the plant was the first in the country to start manufacture of artillery rockets for truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers that won glory as “Katyusha” and “Vanyusha” (affectionate personal names, diminutives from “Katherine” and “Ivan”, very common Russian names at the time). The plant made a large contribution to the country’s victory during the Great Patriotic War. The labour exploits demonstrated by the plant workers were commemorated by awarding the plant with the Order of Lenin. Most of the personnel, who had been working at the plant through the war years, were honoured with orders and medals.

The late 40-ties ‑ yearly 50-ties were marked by mastering a range of nuclear technologies all in connection with creating “the Nuclear Shield” of the country. These achievements of the plant were commemorated by awarding it with one more Order of Lenin in 1954.

1954 came to be known as the year that opened a new direction of the plant’s development – manufacturing of fuel rods (FRs) and fuel assemblies (FAs) for nuclear power industry. In this very year we manufactured the first FA batch for the world’s first NPP built in Obninsk.

The next stage in this direction was manufacture of cores for the country’s nuclear marine fleet. In December 1959 the country launched the first nuclear ice-breaker (ice-breaker “Lenin”) operating on nuclear fuel manufactured at the plant.

In 1965 we started series production of fuel elements for NPPs.

In 1982 we commissioned the automated FR manufacturing line, the first in the world’s practice. In the ensuing years a few more of similar lines started operating to manufacture FRs for RBMK (high-power channel type), VVER (water-water energy type) and BN (fast breeder type) reactors. These commissioned lines brought new awards: the USSR State Prize and the State Prize of the Russian Federation.

More than 60 employees became laureates of the Lenin Prize, the State Prize and the Prize of the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

In the 90-ties technological capabilities of MSZ JSC related to nuclear fuel manufacture became in-demand in Western Europe. Obtaining of a range of reputable diplomas and certificates attesting the company’s high product quality was instrumental in entering the Western market.

As the result of commissioning of the highly automated “dry conversion” plant in 2003 MSZ JSC capacity in terms of fabrication of uranium dioxide used to manufacture nuclear fuel reached the world’s record level. The substantial increase in production output was attributed to the new FR manufacturing line commissioned in 2004 specifically for foreign-customer projects, including Framatome ANP (AREVA NP) company.

In April 2004 the then Governor of the Moscow Region B.Gromov signed the executive decision stating that MSZ JSC has won the Moscow Region contest and became the Laureate of the Year nominated as the “Best Industrial Enterprise». Because of its high industrial performance and prolific development of its social policy MSZ JSC was repeatedly recognised as the winner in the Moscow Region contest as the “Best Industrial Enterprise” in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 as well as the "Best Director of Industrial Enterprise" - in 2010.

In 2009 MSZ JSC manufactured the 2000-th FA of European design supplied under AREVA contract to NPPs outside Russia.

In 2011 two cores for the world’s first floating NPP were manufactured and accepted by the customer.

When delivering his speech, MSZ JSC Director General O.Sedelnikov emphasised that this event is an important milestone in the company’s history. “The collaboration between MSZ JSC and AREVA started in 1994 when we qualified the processes for manufacture of AREVA NP-design FAs” for PWR reactors using reprocessed uranium as feed material. The first four FAs were manufactured in 1996 for Obrigheim NPP (Germany). So the next year we’ll be celebrating 20 years of our partnership! These 20 years witnessed our productive cooperation built on mutual respect, safeguarding each other’s interests, commitment to continuously improve the products as well as comprehensive development,” – stated Mr. Sedelnikov.

MSZ JSC Director General also noted that currently 10 reactors (PWR and BWR) are operated in Western Europe using MSZ JSC fuel.

The official ceremony was closed by signing of the symbolic certificate stating handover of the 3000-th FA manufactured by MSZ JSC under AREVA contract. The certificate was signed by MSZ JSC Director General Oleg Sedelnikov, AREVA Vice-President Dr Ingo Koban as well as NPP Gösgen Director Herbert Meinecke.

In 2014 JSC NIKIET (Joint-Stock Company N.A.Dollezhal Research and Development Institute of Power Engineering) and MSZ JSC conducted vibration testing of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor core mock-up together with the standard fuel rod mock-ups.