Nuclear

NRC greenlights GE Vernova to manufacture higher enrichment nuclear fuel

GE Vernova said higher enrichment fuels are expected to improve nuclear fuel cycle economics.
NRC greenlights GE Vernova to manufacture higher enrichment nuclear fuel
(GE Vernova’s fuel manufacturing facility in Wilmington, North Carolina. Image: GE Vernova.)

GE Vernova’s Nuclear Fuel business, Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF), announced it has received approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to manufacture, ship and analyze the performance of nuclear fuel with Uranium-235 enrichments of up to 8 weight percent.

With the latest NRC approval of GNF’s fuel fabrication license amendment, the company said its manufacturing facility in Wilmington, North Carolina is the first commercial facility in the U.S. to hold a license to fabricate fuel enrichments up to 8 weight percent. The NRC issued a Certificate of Compliance allowing GNF to ship nuclear fuel bundles up to 8 weight percent utilizing the company’s RAJ-II shipping container. The NRC has also approved licensing topical reports for advanced nuclear methods that enable GNF to analyze fuel with enrichments greater than 5 weight percent.

GE Vernova said higher enrichment fuels are expected to improve nuclear fuel cycle economics, including power uprates for existing boiling water reactors and also for the next generation of reactor technology including advanced and small modular reactors.

Late last year, GE announced that it plans to spin off its energy business, GE Vernova, in the beginning of the second quarter of 2024, subject to final approval from the company’s board and other customary conditions.

Following the completion of the planned spin-off, shares of GE Vernova will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “GEV.”

GE’s existing energy portfolio will fall under GE Vernova following the split. Its portfolio includes natural gas, hydro, nuclear and steam power technology and services; offshore and onshore wind services and turbine manufacturing; grid modernization software; grid equipment, services, and systems; solar + storage solutions; and accelerator and research services.

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