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Breakthrough Fuel Revolutionizes Thorium Utilization in India

  • 12 Jan 2024

In a groundbreaking development, an American company, led by an individual of Indian origin, has introduced a revolutionary fuel called ANEEL (Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life).

  • This innovation could potentially transform India's nuclear landscape, offering a swift path to green energy security through the accelerated use of Thorium in nuclear reactors.

Key Points

  • Thorium Reserves and Green Energy Potential: India, possessing the world's largest Thorium reserves estimated at 1.07 million tonnes, could achieve significant green energy production, ensuring a net-zero status by 2070.
  • Thorium's Challenge and Innovative Solution: Thorium, a fertile material, necessitates pairing with Uranium-235 or Plutonium-239 to be utilized as fuel.
  • ANEEL, a blend of Thorium and a specially enriched Uranium termed HALEU (High Assay Low Enriched Uranium), presents a groundbreaking solution to minimize the use of precious Uranium.
  • ANEEL in Existing Reactors: Clean Core's ANEEL fuel can be employed in India's Pressurized Heavy-Water Reactors (PHWRs), the backbone of the country's nuclear fleet, potentially making it a game-changer.
  • India currently operates 18 PHWR reactors with a total capacity of 4,460 MW, and ten more are under construction.
  • Unique Characteristics of HALEU: HALEU, unlike conventional Uranium fuel, is enriched to more than 5% but less than 20%, crucial for advanced nuclear reactor designs.
  • With Clean Core's near-term commercialization plans, it could boost confidence among HALEU suppliers, currently limited to Russia and China.
  • Efficiency and Waste Reduction: ANEEL offers enhanced efficiency, lasting longer with a burn-up of 60,000 MW-days per tonne compared to the conventional natural uranium fuel's 7,000 MW-days per tonne in PHWRs. This results in a substantial reduction in nuclear waste volume and operational costs.
  • Global Interest and Collaborations: Several countries, including Canada, have expressed interest in adopting ANEEL, signifying its potential to drive global clean energy initiatives.
  • Collaborations, such as the Memorandum of Understanding between Clean Core and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, underscore the global recognition of ANEEL's significance in advancing nuclear technology.