Delivering enhanced fuel reliability today for tomorrow’s operating fleet
The demand for nuclear energy is increasing as nations seek reliable sources to meet rising electricity needs. Nuclear power produces large amounts of energy with minimal greenhouse gas emissions, making it an attractive option. At the same time, growing electricity consumption from population growth, urbanization and emerging technologies—such as data centers and electric vehicles—has renewed interest in nuclear energy as a stable, around‑the‑clock power source that can complement renewable and energy systems.
A shift from 18- to 24-month fuel cycles, while pursuing power uprates in parallel, results in increased power generation, fewer plant outages with reduced risks and provides utilities with improved fuel reliability and operating margins. There are several paths to this transition, with some requiring additional regulatory approvals for select technologies. Our teams have been at the forefront of this effort, designing and developing innovative fuel solutions that provide you with near-term benefits without adopting additional initiatives, such as higher burnup and enrichment levels.
- PRIMETM Fuel - PRIME fuel’s advanced features include a reinforced dashpot, Low Tin ZIRLO™ grid straps material and a lower pressure drop bottom nozzle with enhanced debris protection.
- ADOPTTM Fuel Pellets - Westinghouse’s ADOPT high-density fuel is a replacement for standard uranium dioxide (UO2) fuel and provides enhanced fuel pellet properties to enable improved fuel cycle economics, higher burnups and improved accident tolerance.
- AXIOM® Fuel Cladding - Next-generation AXIOM fuel rod cladding is focused on delivering a cladding material targeted at high-duty operations in aggressive conditions with superior corrosion and hydrogen pickup performance versus alternate cladding solutions. The chemical composition for both our AXIOM and Optimized ZIRLO® cladding has been optimized to avoid spallation and nodular corrosion issues for a wide range of operating environments. Cladding has been developed from a base of well understood alloying elements known to provide manufacturing process robustness and is licensed in the U.S. and ready for use globally.
By developing flexible and economical solutions that meet the changing needs of the industry, utilities can rely on Westinghouse for a tailored approach to achieving power uprates with 24-month fuel cycles and high burnup rates.
Key Benefits
- Increase power generation
- Reduce the number of required refueling outages
- Enhance fuel reliability and operating margins
- Commercially-ready technologies provide additional performance and cost benefits
- Avoid negative impact to peak cladding temperatures
