Following the damage to the Fukushima Daichi Nuclear Power Station in 2011, the U.S. Congress directed the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to initiate a program to investigate accident-tolerant fuel for nuclear reactors. The goal of this initiative is to find a fuel rod design that is more tolerant to accident conditions than the fuel that is currently in operation. The three major fuel vendors in the United States have all submitted designs to DOE for funding and testing. These include both new fuel cladding materials and new fuel pellets. This session will discuss the progress and the future of the program, the testing plan for accident-tolerant fuels, as well as the industry and regulatory perspectives and challenges.
View the full story at United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.