ML26006A266
| ML26006A266 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 11006398 |
| Issue date: | 12/03/2025 |
| From: | NRC/OIP |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML26006A266 (0) | |
Text
Annual Report on the Number of Cycles Operated in the RHF Using HEU Fuel in 2024 Summary Provided by NNSA Based on Data from ILL Export License XSNM3819, issued by the United States (U.S.) Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on September 11, 2023 included a specific Condition (#9) that stated: the licensee shall obtain annual reports from the Ultimate Foreign Consignee on the planned and actual usage quantities of high enriched uranium fuel in the High Flux Reactor, and provide copies to the NRCs Office of International Programs. Frances Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) provided the data contained in this report to the U.S. Department of Energys National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), that is subsequently providing it to the NRC to meet export licensing requirements.
As the NNSA and ILL continue collaborative efforts to end the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel in ILLs Reactor Haut Flux (RHF) by converting RHF to the use of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel, the United States maintains a keen nonproliferation interest to minimize the use and export of additional HEU. The NRC Condition in this HEU export license is intended to track the ongoing use of the remaining HEU in the RHF and to ensure that, if additional HEU is needed, the smallest amount required will be considered for export.
This report tracks the number of operational cycles for the RHF each calendar year. Since one cycle requires the complete use of one fresh core, the number of cycles operated equals the number of cores used. ILL considers the quantity of HEU used in each core, scrap rates, and yields to be sensitive and proprietary information. Therefore, these quantities are not included in this annual report but are provided to the NRC in a separate Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Appendix.
In 2023, RHF planned to operate three cycles, and executed as planned. In 2024, RHF planned to operate for two cycles, and executed as planned. Cores used for operations in 2023 and 2024 did not include material covered by Export License XSNM3819. The HEU provided under XSNM3819 is currently being used to fabricate future cores. The first elements using HEU from XSNM3819 are expected to be irradiated starting in 2026.