b'to be inserted into irradiated fuel athighlighted by the red arrows. These ANO Unit 1 and operated on the fuelindications are only surface features baffle.Manufacturing of the LTAs andbut it was confirmed that the observa-the inert rods was completed in Maytions are of the same region. Figure in at HRR.The LTAs were shipped to3 demonstrates that small indications ANO in August 2019 and are sched- such as the ones highlighted here do uled to begin irradiation in the fall ofnot evolve with irradiation, as they are 2019.Fuel analysis supporting inser- exactly the same after two and three tion of the Chromium-coated rodscycles. No delamination or dete-into ANO Unit 1 was also completedrioration of any kind was observed in the third quarter of GFY 2019. between two and three cycles. This As part of Framatomes on-goingshows that the Chromium-coating is in-pile testing program, onsite visualstable under irradiation, even when inspections were performed oninvestigated with the very high preci-IMAGO Material Test Rods during thesion HD camera.Gsgen outage in June 2019 afterThe only difference observed between three irradiation cycles.High defini- two and three cycles is the change in tion (HD) cameral visuals enabledcolor, shifting from gold to purple. Figure 2.ANO EATF LTAs withobservation of extremely fine featuresThis color variation is also observed two chromium-coated rods in corner of outer row. on the surface of the cladding andduring out-of-pile testing and is it was therefore used to evaluate thelinked to the Cr2O3 growing at the evolution of potential indicationsnanometer level. When the oxide observed on the Chromium-coatedthickness remains below about 1m, cladding surface after two and threethe color will evolve and change with irradiation cycles.the growing oxide thickness. This is Figure 3 shows the comparison ofin agreement with the out-of-pile the same region after two and threecorrosion tests showing very little irradiation cycles. The region isvariation in weight gain confirming characterized by the presence of verythe small amount of oxide formed for small superficial linear indications,the Cr-coated cladding. 38 2019|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'