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The busyness of the nuclear fuel supply chain
Ken Petersenpresident@ans.org
With all that is happening in the industry these days, the nuclear fuel supply chain is still a hot topic. The Russian assault in Ukraine continues to upend the “where” and “how” of attaining nuclear fuel—and it has also motivated U.S. legislators to act.
Two years into the Russian war with Ukraine, things are different. The Inflation Reduction Act was passed in 2022, authorizing $700 million in funding to support production of high-assay low-enriched uranium in the United States. Meanwhile, the Department of Energy this January issued a $500 million request for proposals to stimulate new HALEU production. The Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 includes $2.7 billion in funding for new uranium enrichment production. This funding was diverted from the Civil Nuclear Credits program and will only be released if there is a ban on importing Russian uranium into the United States—which could happen by the time this column is published, as legislation that bans Russian uranium has passed the House as of this writing and is headed for the Senate. Also being considered is legislation that would sanction Russian uranium. Alternatively, the Biden-Harris administration may choose to ban Russian uranium without legislation in order to obtain access to the $2.7 billion in funding.
M. Rubel
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 61 | Number 2 | February 2012 | Pages 421-429
Status of Fusion | Proceedings of the Tenth Carolus Magnus Summer School on Plasma and Fusion Energy Physics | doi.org/10.13182/FST12-A13529
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A concise overview is given on materials applied in fusion technology. The influence of plasma operation on the behaviour of reactor components and diagnostic systems is discussed with emphasis on effects caused by fast particles reaching the reactor wall. Issues related to primary and induced radioactivity are reviewed: tritium inventory and transmutation. Tritium breeding in the reactor blanket, separation of hydrogen isotopes and safety aspects in handling radio-contaminated components are also included.