The heuristic search method for generation and optimization of pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel reload configurations is developed and implemented in a research prototype. This is used to test the method on a sequence of typical PWR reload problems. Applying the method to a problem of reload with burnable poisons (BPs) helps avoid decoupling the fuel configuration problem from the reactivity control BP problem. Thus, better and physically transparent solutions are obtained. In another example, an attempt to achieve the flattest possible power distribution demonstrates the flexibility of the method. Finally, the potential of developing the method into a practical software tool for routine use by fuel-management engineers in industry is demonstrated.