United Kingdom to explore alternatives to use of MOX in light-water reactors

The U.K. Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) announced its intent to explore alternatives to use of plutonium in MOX fuel for light-water reactors. An NDA report issued in December 2011 identified the MOX option as the preferred strategy for dealing with the U.K. civilian plutonium stock. However, in February 2012 NDA issued a call for alternative proposals.

The two options that NDA will consider at this stage are the GE-Hitachi proposal that involves its PRISM fast reactor the Candu proposal that would involve deployment of Enhanced CANDU 6 reactor and associated facilities to provide a solution for plutonium disposition.