A spring apparatus that is structured for use in a nuclear installation, the spring apparatus comprising: a number of elongated springs (208, 212, 216); a support apparatus comprising: a plate-like support comprising a first end and a second end; and an abutment apparatus that is situated on the support; and a nozzle of a fuel assembly of the nuclear installation; the number of springs and the first end of the support being stacked together one upon the other and being structured to be affixed at an end (220A, 220B, 220C, 220D) thereof to the nozzle of the fuel assembly of the nuclear installation, a first spring of the number of springs being structured to be engaged with an upper core plate of the nuclear installation at another end of the number of springs, the number of springs between the nozzle and the upper core plate being deformed between a compressed state and another compressed state when the nuclear installation is operated between a cold condition and a hot condition, the compressed state and the another compressed state being different than one another; and the abutment apparatus comprising a bumper that is affixed to the support and spaced a first distance from the first end of the support, the bumper protruding a second distance away from a surface of the support in a direction generally toward the number of springs, the bumper being structured to engage a second spring of the number of springs at a position disposed between the end and the another end during at least a portion of the deformation between the compressed state and the another compressed state. a number of elongated springs (208, 212, 216); a support apparatus comprising: a plate-like support comprising a first end and a second end; and an abutment apparatus that is situated on the support; and a plate-like support comprising a first end and a second end; and an abutment apparatus that is situated on the support; and a nozzle of a fuel assembly of the nuclear installation; the number of springs and the first end of the support being stacked together one upon the other and being structured to be affixed at an end (220A, 220B, 220C, 220D) thereof to the nozzle of the fuel assembly of the nuclear installation, a first spring of the number of springs being structured to be engaged with an upper core plate of the nuclear installation at another end of the number of springs, the number of springs between the nozzle and the upper core plate being deformed between a compressed state and another compressed state when the nuclear installation is operated between a cold condition and a hot condition, the compressed state and the another compressed state being different than one another; and the abutment apparatus comprising a bumper that is affixed to the support and spaced a first distance from the first end of the support, the bumper protruding a second distance away from a surface of the support in a direction generally toward the number of springs, the bumper being structured to engage a second spring of the number of springs at a position disposed between the end and the another end during at least a portion of the deformation between the compressed state and the another compressed state.