Areva, Babcock and Wilcox study fuel-use efficiency

By Ray Reed

Published: April 3, 2008

Lynchburg’s two nuclear-industry companies will continue to study ways to reuse spent fuel after the U.S. Department of Energy extended its contract with a worldwide consortium that is looking for ways to get more power with less waste and worry about fuel rods.

The International Nuclear Recycling Alliance, led by Areva and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, signed a $5.7 million extension of a contract that was launched last fall.

Other companies in the consortium are the Babcock and Wilcox Co., Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited, URS Washington Division, and Battelle.

B&W in Lynchburg was contributing its expertise in plant security and fuel handling to the original project, and some of Areva’s Lynchburg engineers were participating in the study.  The project is based at Areva’s Bethesda, Md., location.

The study seeks to develop a nuclear fuel cycle that would be an alternative to storing used fuel rods in pools of water at nuclear power plants in the United States.

It also would reduce proliferation risk, increase energy security and support a sustainable used-fuel management solution, Areva said in a news release.

The study also is looking at options for an advanced-recycling reactor center that would create a way to manage both used nuclear fuel and final waste.