Nuclear

NRC’s first incremental burnup approval issued for Westinghouse

Westinghouse said this development allows better nuclear fuel efficiency, longer times between reactor refuels and lower operating costs.
NRC’s first incremental burnup approval issued for Westinghouse
Westinghouse engineers developing core designs with higher (or incremental) burnup. (Photo: Business Wire)

Westinghouse received the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s approval for an increase in the burnup limit for the Westinghouse Encore fuel designs.

Westinghouse said this development allows better nuclear fuel efficiency, longer times between reactor refuels and lower operating costs.

U.S. pressurized water reactors currently operate on 18-month fuel cycles, and Westinghouse said this new higher burnup fuel will enable reductions in feed batch size, thereby improving fuel cycle economics. This is the first time nuclear fuel batch reloads in the United States will be able to exceed a burnup limit of 62 GWd/MTU.

“We are very pleased to receive approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for incremental burnup in our nuclear fuel,” said Tarik Choho, Westinghouse President of Nuclear Fuel. “This milestone marks the start of production of nuclear fuel with increased capacity for Pressurized Water Reactors, vastly improving fuel costs for U.S. utility customers.”

The incremental burnup approval also represents a milestone for the Encore Accident Tolerant Fuel Program, an initiative started in 2012 and funded by the Department of Energy, aimed at increasing performance and safety of nuclear reactors in support of U.S. energy security and climate goals.

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