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Framatome NRC approval lifts enrichment cap and enables TRISO fabrication as HALEU supply MoU advances

NRC authorises higher enrichment and TRISO fabrication

Framatome has been granted approval for a licence amendment request (LAR) submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in September 2024. The request sought permission for the plant to handle uranium enriched up to 10%, up from the current 6.5%, to expand domestic capacity for advanced reactor fuels including tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel.

In a 26 June letter, the Commission confirmed that it would grant the LAR to increase the enrichment limit in materials licence SNM-1227 and authorise TRISO fuel fabrication. The approval also enables the site to use its dry conversion process to convert uranium hexafluoride (UF6) to uranium oxide (UO2 and U3O8) powder for reactor types requiring enrichment levels higher than those used in existing light water reactors, including TRISO fuel.

Framatome said the LAR approval is a major milestone for the Framatome and Standard Nuclear joint venture, named Standard Nuclear-Framatome, which is intended to support on-time fuel delivery commitments. The company described TRISO fuel as spherical kernels of enriched uranium oxycarbide (or uranium dioxide) surrounded by layers of carbon and silicon carbide, intended to contain fission products and remain stable at very high temperatures.

Framatome said the Richland site plans to start manufacturing UO2 powder and TRISO particles in 2027 to meet current demand. It also stated that Standard Nuclear-Framatome aims to start producing 2 tonnes of TRISO fuel annually, and said the joint venture is on schedule to start equipment commissioning in the near term and begin producing metric ton levels of TRISO fuel annually as capacity scales for the incoming advanced reactor fleet in the United States.

  • NRC approval raised the enrichment limit in materials licence SNM-1227 to less than 10.0 wt percent U-235.
  • The approval authorises TRISO fuel fabrication using the site’s dry conversion process.

HALEU supply collaboration framework expands

Separately, Advanced nuclear fuel developer Lightbridge Corporation and Quadrant Nuclear Industries Inc (QNI) have entered into a memorandum of understanding to establish a framework for collaboration on the long-term supply of HALEU fuel.

The MoU covers discussions on the potential supply and long-term offtake of HALEU produced at QNI’s planned Vanguard facility at Idaho National Laboratory. QNI is developing an integrated HALEU production capability in coordination with the DOE and other stakeholders, with the Vanguard facility designed to produce up to 18 tonnes of HALEU annually at full capacity for both commercial and government markets for advanced nuclear reactors.

The companies intend to collaborate on fuel supply planning, technical interface requirements, commercial structuring, regulatory coordination, and logistics considerations associated with HALEU supply arrangements.

Framatome also linked the enrichment approval to future capability, stating that handling enrichment levels up to 10% positions the company for future production of HALEU fuel types enriched up to 20%. It added that an additional licence amendment could follow quickly, and said it has applied for US Department of Energy (DOE) HALEU availability funding.

  • Lightbridge and QNI will discuss potential supply and long-term offtake of HALEU from QNI’s planned Vanguard facility.
  • Planned collaboration includes supply planning, regulatory coordination, and logistics considerations.