KETEP 세계에너지시장정보

Executive summary ..................................................................................................................................... 11
 
Chapter 1. Nuclear energy today ............................................................................................................... 13
 The current nuclear technology landscape ................................................................................... 13
 Uranium enrichment ........................................................................................................................ 13

Chapter 2. Significance of HALEU fuels in the emerging small modular reactor landscape ....... 15
 Small modular reactors: A new paradigm for advanced nuclear energy .................................. 15
 The SMR landscape today ................................................................................................................ 15
 HALEU-based fuel technologies ...................................................................................................... 19
 The role of HALEU for decarbonisation .......................................................................................... 19

Chapter 3. Drivers of the use of HALEU ................................................................................................... 21
 Higher burn-up of fuels, increased cycle lengths ......................................................................... 21
 Compactness of SMR cores .............................................................................................................. 22
 Higher outlet temperatures ............................................................................................................. 22
 HALEU as an alternative to plutonium in fast reactor initial cores ............................................ 23
 Non-SMR HALEU applications ......................................................................................................... 24

Chapter 4. Implications of the use of HALEU in the nuclear fuel cycle ............................................ 25
 Importance of reactor technology and fuel cycle strategies ....................................................... 25
 The nuclear fuel cycle ....................................................................................................................... 25
 Indicative fuel cycle quantities of interest .................................................................................... 28
 Application to SMR example concepts ........................................................................................... 29
 Application to net zero transition scenarios ................................................................................. 34
 Criticality safety considerations ...................................................................................................... 40
 Validation of data, codes and methods for HALEU systems ....................................................... 40
 Back-end implications of HALEU fuels ........................................................................................... 40

Chapter 5. Strategic considerations .......................................................................................................... 43
 Main uranium-producing countries ............................................................................................... 43
 Main uranium conversion and enrichment providers in the world ........................................... 44
 A changing landscape for strategic partnerships ......................................................................... 45
 Short-term HALEU supply for demonstration projects ................................................................ 45

Chapter 6. Areas for future consideration ............................................................................................... 47

Chapter 7. Conclusions ................................................................................................................................ 49
 Understanding the impact of tripling nuclear capacity by 2050 ................................................. 50
 Preparing HALEU-ready fuel cycle infrastructures ....................................................................... 50
 Leveraging the benefits of international co-operation................................................................. 51
 Preparing for different forms of HALEU fuels ................................................................................ 51
 Considering back end and waste management ............................................................................ 51

References ...................................................................................................................................................... 53