Modern Nuclear Fuel Cycles

Glossary

MWD/MTU (megawatt days of energy produced per metric ton of uranium contained):

Energy produced per metric ton of uranium (fuel) contained. Current Nuclear Regulatory Commission limits for nuclear power plant fuel is 62,000 MWD/MTU. Normal lifetime of a fuel assembly is 55,000 MWD/MTU.

Pitchblende:

An ore with a very high UO₂ content of up to 70%. Pitchblende also contains radium, thorium, cerium, and lead.

The Department of Energy:

Required by law to be responsible for the spent fuel and collects a fee of 1 mill/kWh of nuclear electricity for disposal.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC):

Regulatory body for radioactive materials and nuclear power plants.

Thorium:

More readily available nuclear fuel than uranium, being four times more abundant than uranium in the earth’s crust.

Uranium dioxide (UO₂):

An insoluble oxide of uranium which is the form commonly used in commercial nuclear fuel.

Uranium:

Occurs in most rocks in concentrations of two (sedimentary rocks) to...