Canada's Used Nuclear Fuel Waste: A 20 Trillion Dollar Energy Resource Energy Extraction and Partial Detoxification in Fast-Neutron Reactors

Abstract

Canada’s 40,000 tonnes of used nuclear fuel waste are slated to be interred in the Canadian Shield at a cost of $24 billion. This “waste” consists of 0.74% fission products and 99.26% actinides, with 98.81% uranium and 0.45% long-lived transuranic actinides. All these actinides can fuel fast-neutron reactors, leaving only 70% stable and 30% short-lived fission products. Calculations here show that the nuclear energy reaped in the process can create $20 trillion of electricity. Additionally, the tonnes of elements such as rhodium, palladium, ruthenium and technetium in the resulting fission products would be worth over $150 billion.