ORNL-5388 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

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cycle services of reprocessing and refabrication had been commercially developed, the
extension of these services to CANDU reactors could be built on the existing LWR facility
base. Otherwise, the commercial introduction of these services could not be expected
until some time after it becomes clear that CANDU reactors will be conunercially deployed
in the U.S. with thorium fuel, thereby indicating the existence of a market for associated
fuel cycle services. The introduction dates postulated for the alternate fuel cycle
CANDUs assume that requisite fuel cycle services have already been developed for thorium-
fueled LWRs.
As pointed out in Section 5.1, no attempt has been made here to consider the com-
mercialization prospects of FBRs since the INFCE program (International Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Evaluation) is currently studying the role of FBRs in nuclear power scenarios and their
results should be available in the near future.
In summary, it is apparent that significant barriers exist for the private sector
either to convert LWRs to thorium-based fuels or to develop advanced reactor concepts.
While U,08 is still relatively inexpensive, the economics of alternate reactor and fuel
cycle concepts at best show marginal savings relative to the LWR and consequently their
development and deployment would have to be heavily subsidized by the government. In the
longer term, as the price of uranium increases due to depletion of lower-cost uranium
deposits, these alternate concepts could achieve superior economic performance compared
to the LWR. The most optimistic introduction dates for advanced converters result in a
relatively small installed capacity by the year 2000, and, as shown in Chapter 6, the
impact of advanced converters on the cumulative U308 consumption by the year 2000 would
be small. However, deployment of alternate reactor concepts in the time from 1995-2000
could have significant impact on resource use in the period 2000-2025.
none of the a1 ternate reactor concepts that promise improved resource uti1 ization has
undergone licensing review by the government. Due to these factors, conversion to the
denatured fuel cycle and/or introduction of alternate reactor concepts on a time scale
which can dissuade international tendencies toward conventional plutonium recycle will
require very significant government involvement and financial incentives in the near
future.
7.3.3. Conclusions
From the above discussion the following conclusions can be summarized:
Except for HTGRs,
0 The production of 233U for the denatured 233U fuel cycle could be initiated
by introducing Th into the LWRs currently operating on the once-through
cycle. However, there is an economic disincentive within the private
sector to convert LWRs to thorium-based fuels because of the increased
costs associated with the higher U308 and separative work requirements.
Thus commercialization of the denatured fuel cycle is not plausible
unless government incentives are provided. Initial production of 233U
.