Natural Uranium Equivalent (NUE) Fuel: Full Core Use of Recycled Uranium and Depleted Uranium in CANDU Reactors Available to Purchase

Since 2008 Candu Energy and the CANDU^® utility in China (CNNC TQNPC) partnered to convert the Qinshan CANDU reactors to use recycled and depleted uranium based fuels, a first-of-its-kind. A fuel composed of both components and simulating natural uranium behaviour was developed, designed, manufactured and verification tested in the Qinshan units with success. This paper discusses the full core implementation and licensing work that will culminate with the conversion of Qinshan CANDU units to Natural Uranium Equivalent (NUE) fuel use by early 2014.