US ORNL tests high-consumption fuel rods post-irradiation

US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is conducting post-irradiation experiments on high-burn-up fuel rods manufactured by GE Vernova’s Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF). These rods, which have spent six years in a commercial nuclear power reactor before being sent for testing, are designed to remain in the reactor core for longer periods before they are removed for long-term storage, thus allowing fewer refueling outages, increased power output for better economics, and less used fuel over the lifetime of the reactor. The results of these tests will support the commercial deployment of such fuels, and they will drive the next generation of even safer and more reliable fuel, with the expectation of enhancing the performance of today’s reactors and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.