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BR2 is one of the most powerful research reactors in the world contributing significantly to the global supply of medical radioisotopes and testing nuclear innovations. Since it began operating in 1962, it has been fuelled by highly enriched uranium (HEU), considered a nuclear proliferation risk. Belgium’s nuclear research centre, SCK-CEN, plans to replace this with low-enriched uranium (LEU).

Date: Friday, 31 March 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsbelgiums-br2-research-reactor-to-use-low-enriched-uranium-fuel-10714503

USNC has said it hopes to build and operate its first micro modular reactor unit by 2026. Courtesy USNC/NRG. Netherlands-based NRG is to carry out a programme of irradiation tests on Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation’s (USNC) proprietary fully ceramic microencapsulated (FCM) fuel at the high flux reactor in Petten.

NRG said the aim of the tests is to demonstrate the safety of the fuel for the 20-year lifespan of Seattle-based USNC’s micro modular reactor. NRG said extensive pre- and post-irradiation tests at its hot cell laboratories will be part of the programme.

FCM fuel is a next-generation tristructural-Isotropic (Triso) particle fuel design, replacing the 50-year-old graphite matrix of traditional Triso fuel with silicon carbide, a material that is extremely resistant to radiation and thermal damage.

The SiC matrix in FCM fuel provides a dense, gas-tight barrier, preventing the escape of fission products even if a Triso particle should rupture during operation. The result is a safer nuclear fuel that can withstand higher temperatures and more radiation.

Date: Friday, 25 June 2021
Original article: nucnet.org/news/nrg-to-begin-irradiation-programme-for-usnc-s-micro-reactor-6-4-2021

Nuclear Research & Consultancy Group (NRG) of the Netherlands will conduct a programme of irradiation tests on Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation's (USNC's) proprietary Fully Ceramic Microencapsulated (FCM) fuel at the High Flux Reactor (HFR) in Petten. The aim of the tests is to demonstrate the safety of the fuel for the 20-year lifespan of the USNC's Micro Modular Reactor.

Date: Thursday, 24 June 2021
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/USNC-fuel-to-be-qualified-in-Dutch-reactor

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on 10 April unveiled 133 new nuclear achievements in the provinces of Tehran, Markazi, Isfahan, Alborz and Qom to mark the 15th anniversary of the National Nuclear Technology Day. In a ceremony held via videoconference he gave the order for Iranian scientists to begin injecting uranium hexafluoride gas to a pilot cascade of 164 new generation IR6 centrifuges at the Natanz enrichment facility. He also announced that Iran has started mechanical testing of IR-9 centrifuges and launched an assembly line for their production.  

Date: Tuesday, 13 April 2021
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsiran-unveils-nuclear-achievements-as-talks-continue-in-vienna-8663463

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) has established a new facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, to support the development of its proprietary Fully Ceramic Microencapsulated (FCM) fuel. Materials developed there will be used in USNC's Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) and other nuclear reactors, including gas-cooled reactors, light water reactors, CANDU reactors and molten salt cooled reactors.

Date: Thursday, 03 September 2020
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/USNC-opens-SMR-fuel-development-laboratory

TVEL, the nuclear fuel subsidiary of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom,  is working on a 'dual-component' approach to closing the nuclear fuel cycle, as well as accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) and innovations in fuel for VVER units.

Date: Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/TVEL-outlines-innovation-in-nuclear-fuel

China General Nuclear (CGN) has started irradiation testing of a 2SF PI-A ATF prototype accident-tolerant fuel rod in the China Mianyang Research Reactor on the Nuclear Physics campus of Institute of Nuclear Physics & Chemistry in Mianyang city, Sichuan Province.

Date: Monday, 28 January 2019
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newschina-begins-testing-atf-fuel-6956476

Russian fuel company TVEL plans to reach an agreement with the nuclear utility Rosenergoatom to irradiate reactor testing of accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) elements in a VVER-1000 reactor in the near future, TVEL Vice-President for Scientific and Technical Activities Alexander Ugryumov said on 27 September. He did not specify which version of the tolerant fuel is expected to be tested. Earlier TVEL listed four types of ATF being developed by Russian scientists including new fuel rod claddings and new fuel matrices. One option is the application of a heat-resistant coating based on chromium for fuel rod claddings to reduce the amount of hydrogen that could be generated in the event of a severe accident. This is the most advanced version which is now undergoing reactor tests at the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR) in Dimitrovgrad.

Date: Tuesday, 02 October 2018
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsnew-developments-at-russias-tvel-6779751

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected 13 projects to receive USD60 million of cost-shared R&D funding for advanced nuclear technologies, including the first awards under the US Industry Opportunities for Advanced Nuclear Technology Development initiative. Recipients include NuScale Power's small modular reactor, which has become the first SMR to complete the first phase of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) design certification process.

Date: Tuesday, 01 May 2018
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US-federal-support-for-advanced-nuclear-technology

Australian and Chinese researchers have made progress in understanding the mechanical properties of a new class of materials for use in molten salt reactors (MSRs). The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (Ansto) said yesterday that NiMo-SiC alloys - prepared from nickel molybdenum metal powders with added silicon carbide particles - have superior corrosion resistance and radiation damage resistance.

Date: Wednesday, 08 February 2017
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Molten-salt-reactor-research-develops-class-of-all