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The busyness of the nuclear fuel supply chain
Ken Petersenpresident@ans.org
With all that is happening in the industry these days, the nuclear fuel supply chain is still a hot topic. The Russian assault in Ukraine continues to upend the “where” and “how” of attaining nuclear fuel—and it has also motivated U.S. legislators to act.
Two years into the Russian war with Ukraine, things are different. The Inflation Reduction Act was passed in 2022, authorizing $700 million in funding to support production of high-assay low-enriched uranium in the United States. Meanwhile, the Department of Energy this January issued a $500 million request for proposals to stimulate new HALEU production. The Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 includes $2.7 billion in funding for new uranium enrichment production. This funding was diverted from the Civil Nuclear Credits program and will only be released if there is a ban on importing Russian uranium into the United States—which could happen by the time this column is published, as legislation that bans Russian uranium has passed the House as of this writing and is headed for the Senate. Also being considered is legislation that would sanction Russian uranium. Alternatively, the Biden-Harris administration may choose to ban Russian uranium without legislation in order to obtain access to the $2.7 billion in funding.
Tracy E. Stover, Dennis Mennerdahl, Dominic D. Winstanley, Christopher Tripp, Kermit Bunde, Douglas Bowen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 208 | Number 4 | April 2022 | Pages 644-687
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.1938910
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Calculated critical and subcritical data for systems of mixed oxides of plutonium and uranium are presented for review and subsequent incorporation into a revision of ANSI/ANS 8.12. The system specifications were prepared in parallel with the ISO standard ISO 11311:2011, involving experience from international mixed oxide fuel fabrication facilities. Data are presented for two mass fractions of plutonium to uranium plus plutonium (at 12.5% and 35%), damp mixed oxide density up to a theoretical density of 11.03 g/cm3 (for the 12.5% mass fraction, ignoring the variation due to plutonium isotopic content) and up to a density of 3.5 g/cm3 (for the 35% mass fraction), three plutonium isotopic mass fractions (100% 239Pu, 95% 239Pu with 5% 240Pu, and a reactor grade composition with 20% 240Pu and the balance 239Pu, 241Pu, and 242Pu), systems at two moderation conditions (water mass fractions at 3% and at optimal conditions) and systems at two water reflector conditions (nominal 2.5 cm and full 30.0 cm). Parameters of interest presented are values of volume (L), infinite cylinder diameter (cm), infinite slab thickness (cm), mass (kg), cylinder linear density (g/cm), and slab areal density (g/cm2). Values are presented at calculated multiplication factors of 1.000, 0.980 and 0.950. Calculations were made by various subject matter experts with various computational programs and cross section libraries. Validation methods were reviewed and discussed herein though data propagated to revision of ANSI/ANS 8.12 will reflect a conservative subcritical margin selected based on expert judgment.