A potential breakthrough: The United States Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the Nuclear Engineering & Science Center at Texas A&M have partnered with Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) to fabricate a new type of nuclear fuel, called “Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life”, or ANEEL.

With a proprietary combination of thorium (Th) and uranium (U), particularly “High Assay Low Enriched Uranium” (HALEU), ANEEL fuel can address several issues that have plagued nuclear power – cost, proliferation and waste. Plus, this fuel, being made-in-America, positions it as a prime candidate for export to emerging nuclear markets. //

The CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactor was developed in the 1950s in Canada, and more recently in India as the PHWR (Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor). These reactors are heavy water cooled and moderated pressurized water reactors. //

CANDU/PHWRs generally use natural uranium (0.7% U-235) oxide as fuel, so they need a more efficient moderator (the material that slows or moderates the speed of the neutron so it hits the next nucleus at the right speed to split, or fission, it). In this case, these reactors use heavy water (D2O). Deuterium is hydrogen with one neutron in its nucleus. //

So having a new fuel made in America that can be used in reactors in other countries brings the United States back into play in the nuclear supply chain, and allows us to reach more of the nations around the world. //

In an existing CANDU/PHWR using natural uranium, each fuel bundle weighs roughly 15 kg. After the first 150 days of operation, an average of eight such bundles would need to be replaced daily for the rest of the reactor’s operating life of 60 years.

With the ANEEL fuel, each fuel bundle weighs approximately 10.65 kg. After the first 1,400 days of operation, an average of only one such bundle would need be replaced daily for the remainder of the reactor’s operating life, leading to significantly less waste. ///

Another crony scheme to sell a product instead of a solution. (As opposed to molten salt reactor whick doesn't need special patented fuel and provides higher temps for more efficient output and process heat.)