Development of Novel-Fuels with Enhanced Safety Characteristics for Use in Nuclear Power Generation

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Many emerging economies are considering construction of hundreds of new nuclear plants to supply electricity for increasingly electrified economies (including power for electric vehicles) and to offset climate changing emissions. In North America the focus is on life-extensions of existing power stations. Irrespective of new build or refurbishment plans nuclear power continues to play an important role as a base-load generator with carbon emissions rated below that of natural gas or even solar power [source: NRCAN 2015]. Since the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan in March 2011, the topic of nuclear safety and severe accident mitigation have dominated activity within the field of nuclear engineering. In order to make transformative changes in nuclear safety we must innovate our nuclear power technologies. While next-generation concepts such as GEN-IV reactor designs have given rise to substantive changes for future new-reactor builds, they cannot change the basic features of existing plants which may have 30-60 years of additional generation life.