NRG to Initiate Fuel Qualification Program for Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. Micro Modular Reactor Fuel
SEATTLE – June 22, 2021 – Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) announces that it has begun working with the Nuclear Research & Consultancy Group (NRG) from the Netherlands. NRG will implement a program to analyze performance and safety attributes of the company’s proprietary Fully Ceramic Microencapsulated (FCMTM) fuel designed for use in its Micro Modular Reactor (MMRTM).
Irradiation tests will be conducted by NRG on the behavior of FCM fuel in its High Flux Reactor (HFR) in Petten, Netherlands. The goal of the program is to demonstrate the safety of FCM fuel for the 20-year lifespan of the Ultra Safe Nuclear MMR. Testing will be done through a two-stage irradiation process. Extensive pre- and post-irradiation tests at the Hot Cell Laboratories will be part of the program as well.
"NRG has been supporting the nuclear power industry since 1955 and has extensive experience performing complex irradiations and meeting the strenuous requirements of our clients for successful nuclear technology development," said Vinod Ramnandanlal, Commercial Director of NRG. "Innovative Generation IV reactors truly have transformative potential and Ultra Safe Nuclear has a leading design. We are proud to be able to contribute to this development."
FCM is a next-generation TRISO particle fuel design, replacing the 50-year-old graphite matrix of traditional TRISO fuel with silicon carbide (SiC), a material that is extremely resistant to radiation and thermal damage. The SiC matrix in FCM fuel provides a dense, gas-tight barrier, preventing the escape of fission products even if a TRISO particle should rupture during operation. The result is a safer nuclear fuel that can withstand higher temperatures and more radiation.
The higher-thermal conductivity of FCM fuel allows the fuel pellet to have a flatter temperature profile, lowering peak temperatures in nuclear reactors. Unlike conventional nuclear fuels, FCM fuel achieves full-fission product containment across a wide range of temperatures that include operating and failure conditions.
"Qualification of our FCM fuel by NRG will constitute a significant step in realizing our vision for the MMR and carbon-free power generation," said Francesco Venneri, CEO of USNC. "NRG has the technical prowess and credibility to test our fuel and we fully expect them to confirm the finding of our internal testing."
For more information, please visit www.usnc.com.
About Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation
Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) is the Seattle-based global leader in the deployment of micro reactors, and a strong vertical integrator of nuclear power technologies, entirely committed to bringing safe, commercially competitive, clean and reliable nuclear energy to markets throughout the world. The company adheres to strict inherent and intrinsic safety principles through technological innovation in fuels, materials and design: USNC is Reliable Energy. Anywhere.
About NRG
NRG has more than 50 years of experience testing nuclear fuels, carrying out nuclear-technological research in various fields, including trial irradiations on nuclear materials and nuclear fuels, post-irradiation experiments, inspection methods, and high-quality simulations of behaviour displayed by nuclear components and reactors. NRG also develops new ways of using medical isotopes for diagnosing and treating life-threatening diseases. The research is partly funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in the Netherlands.