b'I D A H O N A T I O N A L L A B O R A T O R Y F Y 2 0 2 0 L A B O V E R V I E WINTEGRATED FUEL CYCLE SOLUTIONS I ntegrated fuel cycle solutions are necessary for sustaining andINL is leading DOE efforts to support the development and deployment expanding nuclear energy in the future. Redefining the nuclearof the U.S. HALEU fuel cycle infrastructure. DOE sources of HALEU can fuel cycle, with an emphasis on cost-effectiveness and wastebridge the initial gap between supply and demand but require further minimization, is essential to addressing the needs of an aging fleetpurification to meet fuel fabrication specifications. INL researchers and developing the next generation of reactors to sustain and expandhave successfully completed the first experimental campaign to purify nuclear energy deployment. INLs integrated fuel cycle solutions S&Tdown-blended metal HALEU fuel originating from Experimental Breeder initiative supports the safe, secure, and economical management ofReactor II (EBR-II) driver fuel. The purified HALEU was successfully nuclear fuel from inception to disposition. To enable sustained andproduced in oxide forms suitable for use as feed stock for advanced expanded nuclear energy through disruptive technology approaches,reactor fuel fabrication. INL will develop the S&T and infrastructure to support: 1.availability of special nuclear material (SNM), 2.management of radiological waste materials and legacy fuels, 3.reduction in proliferation risk, and 4.RD&D test beds.Transition to a HALEU fuel Cycle The current U.S. nuclear fuel supply infrastructure is based on low enriched uranium (LEU) (i.e., less than 5% enrichment). Most of the advanced reactors of the future will require fuel with uranium that is enriched in U-235 in the 519.75% range and is commonly referred to as high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). This transition necessitates a shift from a LEU to a HALEU fuel cycle infrastructure, but today the United States lacks domestic infrastructure andBy developing strategies to recycle spent EBR-II fuel into HALEU, with a goal of enrichment capacity to produce HALEU for the next generation ofreprocessing all of the fuel by 2028, the integrated fuel cycle solutions S&T initiative supports the advanced reactor developers who need HALEU fuel and helps INL fulfill advanced reactor fuels.its agreements with the State of IdahoU metal regulus Uranyl Peroxide - UO (O ).4H O UOpellets2 2 2 2INL researchers demonstrated the conversion and purification of EBR-II HALEU material from metallic to oxide8'