Enhanced CANDU 6: An Upgraded Reactor Product With Optimal Fuel Cycle Capability

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) has two CANDU^® reactor products matched to markets: the Enhanced CANDU 6™ (EC6™)[1,] a modern 700 MWe class HWR design, and the Advanced CANDU Reactor™ (ACR-1000™), a 1200 MWe class Gen III+ design. Both reactor types are designed to meet both market-, and customer-driven needs. Some of the new features incorporated into the EC6 reactor include increased power output, optimized maintenance outages, more automated testing and an Advanced Control Room. Lessons learned through feedback obtained from the operating plants have been incorporated into the design, and equipment obsolescence has been addressed. This paper presents basic EC6 design improvements; AECL works with its customers to assess their individual design requirements. Excellent neutron economy, on-power refueling, a simple fuel bundle, and the fundamental CANDU fuel channel design provide the EC6 reactor with unsurpassed flexibility in accommodating a wide range of advanced fuels and fuel cycles in addition to the standard natural uranium. These advanced fuels provide the promise of extending resources, reducing waste and enhancing proliferation resistance.