Fuel Performance Experience With Slightly-Enriched Uranium

Abstract

There is an economic incentive associated with an increase in the average burnup of fuel discharged from CANDU reactors. The slightly enriched uranium fuel cycle provides a path by which increased fuel burnup can be attained in the short term. This paper discusses the effects upon fuel performance of increases in burnup, the existing base of pertinent data and the additional work that is required to verify the technology. Areas of fuel performance that are of particular importance at high burnup are fission gas release and power ramp behaviour. Fuel performance models will also require development and verification. The development program is in two phases, with the first phase leading to intermediate burnups and the second phase providing higher burnups.