Lower end fitting locating pins

An apparatus comprising:

• a lower end fitting of a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor, the lower end fitting including:
• a plate having flow channels to allow reactor primary coolant water to flow through the plate and having a bottom surface that includes a plurality of raised support pads defining a respective hole therein, and
• a plurality of locating pins extending from the support pads, each of the locating pins being a unitary piece having a larger diameter body and a smaller diameter mounting shaft extending from one end of the body to define an annular surface at an intersection of the larger diameter body and the smaller diameter mounting shaft, the annular surface extending so as to form a step between the larger diameter body and the smaller diameter mounting shaft, the mounting shaft being secured in the respective hole such that the annular surface is fixed with respect to and engages from below a surface of an associated one of the support pads.