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2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Front-end nuclear fuel supply cooperation: Turning allied interdependence into strategic advantage
The global nuclear revival, which is fueled by unprecedented demand for firm, affordable, dispatchable power for artificial intelligence and data center build-out, energy security imperatives, and climate commitments, has exposed a structural reality of the Western fuel cycle: No single allied nation currently possesses the full suite of front-end capabilities. From mining through conversion, enrichment, fabrication, and the emerging deconversion and metallization steps required for reactor fuels, capability is distributed across Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States (collectively, the “Sapporo Five”), as well as a small group of close partners.
J. K. Davidson, W. L. Robb, O. N. Salmon, J. B. Sampson
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 5 | Number 4 | April 1959 | Pages 227-236
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE59-A25589
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An application of a UO2—liquid metal slurry reactor to a stationary power station is described. The fuel, consisting of a UO2 suspension in liquid bismuth, is pumped through a moderator matrix and an external heat exchanger. Low initial enrichment, long fuel life, and low fuel fabrication costs, combined with a low-pressure reactor, indicate a competitive electrical generation cost. The use of natural uranium feed in one of the modes of operation of this reactor system is shown to be possible. Experiments on the dispersion of UO2 in bismuth are reported.