LEU+ ADOPT™ pellets will improve fuel cycle safety and reactor operational costs
Lancashire, England, August. 7, 2024 - Westinghouse Electric Company has completed the first pressing of its Low Enriched Uranium (LEU+) ADOPT™ nuclear fuel pellets for commercial application at its Springfields Fuel Manufacturing Facility in the UK. This milestone was achieved in partnership with Southern Nuclear and the support of the U.S. Department of Energy.
LEU+ ADOPT™ pellets will improve fuel cycle safety and reactor operational costs
LEU+ ADOPT fuel contains up to 8% by weight uranium-235 (U-235) and additives that improve the safety performance of the fuel compared to standard UO2. Compared to the standard 5% uranium-235 enrichment used in Low Enriched Uranium, LEU+ ADOPT allows the generation of more power with fewer replacement bundles within the reactor core, offering improved nuclear fuel cycle economics for operating reactors.
“The first production of LEU+ ADOPT fuel is a key step for achieving longer fuel cycles and reducing operational costs in the nuclear fuel industry,” said Tarik Choho, Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel President. “This significant milestone, which is part of our EnCore® Accident Tolerant Fuel program, will help us provide safer, more economical, reliable, clean energy to our customers across the world.”
The first commercialization of LEU+ ADOPT nuclear fuel pellets is expected in spring 2025, when they will be inserted in Lead Test Assemblies at Southern Nuclear’s Vogtle Unit 2 Nuclear Power Plant in the U.S. The demand for LEU+ ADOPT fuel in the range of 5 – 10 % enrichment which reduces the number of outages needed in nuclear plants is expected to grow significantly in the coming years due to the increased demand for carbon-free electricity.
Westinghouse is a leading supplier of nuclear fuel, providing a uniquely diversified portfolio in the industry across nuclear reactor types, including PWR, BWR, AGR and VVER. Through our world-class manufacturing facilities in Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States, we focus on delivering innovative fuel technologies to meet our customer needs for lower fuel cycle costs, increased operational flexibility and efficiency, diversity of supply and accident-tolerant products. Westinghouse is creating a center of excellence for Low Enriched Uranium Plus (LEU+) fuel manufacturing in South Carolina to reduce the number of outages needed in nuclear plants.
Learn more about our advanced fuel capabilities and how they relate to different reactors around the world: Westinghouse Nuclear > Nuclear Fuel.
