Productive Elimination of Nuclear Waste (PENW): a Complementary Boon for CANDUs and the Canadian Nuclear Industry

Abstract

Spent CANDU fuel with its substantially lower fissile content than spent LWR fuel is currently considered waste, slated for long-term permanent DGR disposal. Nevertheless, it is over 99% heavy atoms all of which can be used as fuel in fast-neutron reactors (FNRs). Such use extracts 13,400% more energy, and by splitting the constituent long-lived transuranics also eliminates their long-term radiotoxicity. FNR fuel cycling was achieved for decades elsewhere. Its adoption now for spent CANDU fuel should produce a win-win for the Canadian nuclear industry: effectively no deleterious long-term radioactive legacy, an easy justification for more CANDU reactors, and a bright future.