Nuclear Power – Fuel Cycle Options

Fuel Cycle Choice is a Critical Decision

As the electric industry moves towards a rebirth of nuclear power one of the more critical decisions will involve choices around the nuclear fuel cycle. These choices will include:

• Type of fuel,
• Type of reactors, and
• Spent fuel storage and/or disposal

These decisions will have a direct bearing on the four challenges that need to be overcome to include nuclear power as a viable part of the renewable energy portfolio. These include:

• Cost,
• Safety,
• Nuclear proliferation, and the
• Handling of nuclear waste

 Nuclear Reactor-Operating Fuel Cycle Models

There are typically three general reactor-operating models:

• Conventional Thermal Reactors where discharged spent fuel is used once and sent directly to interim storage and/or disposal. These are commonly referred to as “once-through” models.
• Reprocessing Thermal Reactors where the waste products are separated from any unused fissionable material and re-cycled as reusable fuel. These are commonly referred to as a “closed” fuel cycle.
• Fast Reactors that reprocess spent fuel in what is referred to as a “balanced closed” fuel cycle. This approach or model takes the spent fuel from conventional thermal reactors (operating in the “once-through” mode) and transports it to these co-located facilities at secure locations in industrial nations.

 “Once-Through” Option is the Most Viable

The “closed” fuel cycle options certainly extend the supply of nuclear fuel. The viability of the “once-through” option is driven by the amount of uranium available at a reasonable cost. Most industry experts estimate that there is sufficient uranium ore available to fuel over 1,000 reactors over the next 50 years. This suggests that there is well enough time to use the less costly, less risky (in terms of proliferation), and safer “once-through” option. This time period will also allow technology improvements to address the scalability, storage, environmental, and transmission challenges posed by alternative sources of energy.

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