Overview
- CCTE said its ANEEL thorium‑HALEU fuel finished an irradiation run at Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor with burnup above 60 GWd/MTU, which the company calls more than eight times typical PHWR and CANDU levels.
- In the campaign, 12 small fuel rodlets aimed for 20, 40, and 60 GWd/MTU targets in accelerated conditions meant to mimic long reactor operation.
- Post‑irradiation examination is underway at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex for rodlets removed earlier, and CCTE says those checks will guide a planned trial in a commercial power reactor.
- The fuel keeps common 19‑ and 37‑element PHWR/CANDU bundle layouts to slot into existing cores without design changes, and CCTE claims it could cut spent fuel, lower costs, and add safety and proliferation resistance.
- India’s NTPC and CCTE outlined a partnership to explore use in existing Indian reactors, including local manufacturing and HALEU supply, and Indian coverage notes CCTE holds a rare U.S. export license for sales to India.