Thorium fuel surpasses 60 GWd/MTU in major burnup test before reactor demo

Clean Core Thorium Energy has selected Kinectrics to independently review its ANEEL nuclear fuel qualification program, bringing the thorium-based fuel one step closer to a demonstration in an existing CANDU reactor. The review will examine the fuel’s design, manufacturing process, safety case and regulatory readiness. It is intended to give utilities and other nuclear stakeholders an independent assessment before the fuel moves toward commercial demonstration irradiation. ANEEL combines thorium with enriched uranium and is designed to work with existing water-cooled reactors. The approach could improve fuel utilization while reducing long-lived spent fuel volumes and strengthening safety and proliferation-resistance characteristics. The latest review adds another layer of technical validation to a program that is already moving through testing and manufacturing. BWXT Canada is working on the CANDU fuel bundle hardware, while Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is fabricating full-scale, reactor-ready ANEEL fuel bundles. Thorium fuel faces testing The fuel has already undergone accelerated irradiation testing at Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor, reaching burnups above 60 GWd/MTU. That testing is important because fuel must demonstrate that it can withstand the demanding conditions inside a reactor over extended periods. CCTE has also completed engineering work examining ANEEL’s performance, safety characteristics and compatibility with different reactor designs. The fuel platform is intended for potential use in pressurized heavy water reactors, Generation IV reactors and light water reactors. The company says its design could allow thorium-based fuel to be introduced into existing CANDU reactors without major reactor modifications. That makes the technology different from approaches that require an entirely new reactor system before the fuel can be deployed. “Kinectrics brings world-class expertise in nuclear safety analysis and licensing support, making them one of the most trusted independent evaluators in the nuclear industry,” said Milan Shah, COO of Clean Core Thorium Energy. “With BWXT Canada supplying the fuel bundles and CNL advancing ANEEL fuel pellet fabrication, their independent evaluation provides critical validation as we progress toward regulatory approval and future deployment.” Existing reactors get new fuel The technical pathway now brings together fuel fabrication, reactor hardware, irradiation testing and independent review. If those stages are successfully completed, ANEEL could provide a route for testing thorium-based fuel in established nuclear infrastructure rather than waiting for new reactor designs to reach commercial operation. The fuel uses thorium alongside enriched uranium, including low-enriched uranium and high-assay low-enriched uranium variants. Its design aims to extract more useful energy from nuclear fuel while potentially reducing the amount of long-lived waste produced for a given amount of electricity. The independent assessment is therefore less about creating a new fuel concept and more about determining whether ANEEL can meet the engineering, safety and regulatory requirements needed for real reactor use. The latest milestone builds on irradiation results and manufacturing work that CCTE says establish the foundation for a commercial reactor demonstration. The engineering assessment was published in the journal Nuclear Engineering and Design. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.With over a decade-long career in journalism, Neetika Walter has worked with The Economic Times, ANI, and Hindustan Times, covering politics, business, technology, and the clean energy sector. Passionate about contemporary culture, books, poetry, and storytelling, she brings depth and insight to her writing. When she isn’t chasing stories, she’s likely lost in a book or enjoying the company of her dogs.