Westinghouse has produced the first of its nuclear fuel pellets that contain higher enrichment levels than what is currently used in commercial reactors. The Low Enriched Uranium Plus (LEU+) Advanced Doped Pellet Technology (ADOPT) fuel pellets are aimed at boosting both the performance and safety of nuclear power plants.

LEU+ ADOPT fuel contains up to 8% by weight uranium-235 (U-235) and additives that improve the safety performance of the fuel compared with standard uranium dioxide. Compared with the standard 3-5% U-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 LEU+ ADOPT fuel pellets have now been pressed at Westinghouse’s Springfields fuel manufacturing facility in Lancashire in northwest England, UK.

The company said the milestone was achieved in partnership with US utility Southern Nuclear and the support of the US Department of Energy (DOE).

The pellets were made from a higher enriched uranium oxide powder that was prepared by DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory and marks the first time DOE material has been used to support the increased enrichment of a commercial uranium oxide fuel above 5%.

The first LEU+ ADOPT fuel pellets will now be fabricated into pins and included in four lead test assemblies in the UK before being shipped to the USA for irradiation testing at unit 2 of Southern Nuclear’s Vogtle plant in Georgia next year.

In March 2023, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) gave approval for the use of Westinghouse’s ADOPT fuel pellets in pressurised water reactors in the USA. In October, Southern Nuclear announced it had received authorisation from the NRC to use advanced nuclear fuel enriched up to 6% U-235 at Vogtle unit 2. This is the first time a US commercial reactor has been authorised to use fuel with over 5% enrichment.

According to Westinghouse, “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”.

“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 Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel President Tarik Choho. “This significant milestone, which is part of our EnCore Accident Tolerant Fuel programme, will help us provide safer, more economical, reliable, clean energy to our customers across the world.”

ADOPT fuel is one of several accident tolerant fuel concepts being supported through DOE’s Accident Tolerant Fuel programme to deliver new fuel pellet and cladding designs that could be commercialised before the end of the decade.