- The United States Department of Energy (DOE) plans to acquire high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) from commercial sources to support the production of smaller nuclear energy reactors with increased efficiency and longer operating times.
- The lack of HALEU availability from domestic suppliers is a major obstacle for the development of smaller nuclear energy sources, potentially hindering progress in this field.
- By establishing commercial HALEU fuel production nationwide, the DOE aims to enable the widespread deployment of nuclear technology, contributing to the transition towards a carbon-neutral world.
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has released a Notice of Intent (NOI) today. They invite the public to analyze the impacts of their proposed plan to acquire high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) via obtaining it from commercial sources in order to establish commercial HALEU fuel production.
Production of smaller nuclear energy reactors, longer operating times, and increased reactor efficiency requires the use of HALEU.
The main issue is that HALEU isn’t available at a commercial scale from domestic suppliers. This could significantly impact the development of smaller sources of nuclear energy.
If HALEU is able to be produced commercially across the nation, then the ability to deploy nuclear technology in communities across the country greatly increases, therefore helping in the shift to a carbon neutral world.
The DOE invites the public to comment on the matter through July 20th, 2023.
