Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Description: The video recording of RIC 2025 Technical Session:TH21 - Shortening the Half-Life of Advanced Fuel Deployment in Light Water Reactors. The commercial nuclear power industry is primed to take advantage of new fuel materials and analytical techniques to license accident tolerant fuel, increased enrichment, and higher burnup fuel to increase the total supply of electricity from existing nuclear plants. Licensees have established goals of implementing these advancements within a time frame that will allow them to take advantage of tax credits (e.g., the Inflation Reduction Act). In parallel, the NRC has been given direction via the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Energy (ADVANCE) Act to improve licensing efficiencies and coordinate with other organizations to facilitate the use of advanced fuel technologies. This forum provided an opportunity for the NRC, U.S. Department of Energy, and industry stakeholders to discuss specific activities they were conducting to meet this common goal, both in the near term and the long run (e.g., NextGen fuel). In addition, an international regulator was invited to share its perspectives based on its own experience with licensing new fuel technologies within a different regulatory framework.
SPEAKER(S):
Matthew J. Marzano, Commissioner, NRC, Opening Remarks
Theresa Clark, Director, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC, Opening Remarks
Joseph Messina, Reactor Systems Engineer, Nuclear Methods and Fuel Analysis Branch, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC
Facilitating Reviews of Licensing Applications for Advanced Nuclear Fuel in Light-Water Reactors
Daniel Wachs, National Technical Director for the Advanced Fuel Campaign, Idaho National Laboratory
Data Driven Methodologies for Accelerating Nuclear Fuel Technology Development and Deployment
Cheryl Gayheart, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Southern Nuclear Company
Enhanced Nuclear Fuel for Today and the Future
Joosuk Lee, Senior Advisor, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety
Safety Review Plans for Licensing ATF/LEU+/High BU Fuels in Korea
SESSION COORDINATOR(S):
Scott Krepel, Chief, Nuclear Methods and Fuel Analysis Branch, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC e-mail: Scott.Krepel@nrc.gov
April Thomas, Technical Assistant, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC e-mail: April.Thomas@nrc.gov
Description: The video recording of RIC 2025 Technical Session:TH21 - Shortening the Half-Life of Advanced Fuel Deployment in Light Water Reactors. The commercial nuclear power industry is primed to take advantage of new fuel materials and analytical techniques to license accident tolerant fuel, increased enrichment, and higher burnup fuel to increase the total supply of electricity from existing nuclear plants. Licensees have established goals of implementing these advancements within a time frame that will allow them to take advantage of tax credits (e.g., the Inflation Reduction Act). In parallel, the NRC has been given direction via the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Energy (ADVANCE) Act to improve licensing efficiencies and coordinate with other organizations to facilitate the use of advanced fuel technologies. This forum provided an opportunity for the NRC, U.S. Department of Energy, and industry stakeholders to discuss specific activities they were conducting to meet this common goal, both in the near term and the long run (e.g., NextGen fuel). In addition, an international regulator was invited to share its perspectives based on its own experience with licensing new fuel technologies within a different regulatory framework.
SPEAKER(S):
Matthew J. Marzano, Commissioner, NRC, Opening Remarks
Theresa Clark, Director, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC, Opening Remarks
Joseph Messina, Reactor Systems Engineer, Nuclear Methods and Fuel Analysis Branch, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC
Facilitating Reviews of Licensing Applications for Advanced Nuclear Fuel in Light-Water Reactors
Daniel Wachs, National Technical Director for the Advanced Fuel Campaign, Idaho National Laboratory
Data Driven Methodologies for Accelerating Nuclear Fuel Technology Development and Deployment
Cheryl Gayheart, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Southern Nuclear Company
Enhanced Nuclear Fuel for Today and the Future
Joosuk Lee, Senior Advisor, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety
Safety Review Plans for Licensing ATF/LEU+/High BU Fuels in Korea
SESSION COORDINATOR(S):
Scott Krepel, Chief, Nuclear Methods and Fuel Analysis Branch, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC e-mail: Scott.Krepel@nrc.gov
April Thomas, Technical Assistant, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC e-mail: April.Thomas@nrc.gov
