Issues Related to High-Assay Low Enriched Uranium

NAC experts investigated the issues that need to be addressed with the availability of commercial reactor fuel enrichments in excess of 5 weight-percent uranium-235, or high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). The report concentrated on Light Water Reactors (LWR) of current and evolutionary designs and addressed issues directly related to the production and use of HALEU, including initial transition costs, as well as issues related to the characteristics of such fuel during and after irradiation.