EFFECT OF REDUCED U-235 PRICE ON FUEL CYCLE COSTS

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1962

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4780944· OSTI ID:4780944

Bennett, L L

A study was made to determine the effect of changes in natural uranium cost and in separative work charges on fuel cycle costs in nuclear power plants. Reactors considered were a Dresden-type boiling water reactor (BWR) and a Yankee- type pressurized water reactor (PWR), with net power ratings of 100, 300, and 500 Mwe. Fuel cycle costs were calculated for these reactors, using either enriched uranium or U/sup 235/-thorium as the fuel material. The price schedule for uranium was based on a feed material cost of /kg uranium as UF/sub 6/ and separative work costs of /kg uranium (Schedule B) and /kg uranium (Schedule C). The present AEC price schedule for enriched uranium was also used for purposes of a reference case. The results indicate that a reduction in present enriched uranium price to that given by Schedule B would reduce fuel cycle costs for the BWR plants by 0.4 to 0.5 mill/kwh for the enriched-uranium cycle, and 0.4 to 0.7 mill/kwh for the thorium cycle. Reductions in fuel cycle costs for the PWR plants were 0.5 to 0.7 and 0.4 to 0.75 mill/kwh, respectively, for the same situations. (auth)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-16-017298
• OSTI ID: 4780944
• Report Number(s): ORNL-TM-191
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BOILING
BREEDING
BURNUP
DRESDEN
ECONOMICS
EQUATIONS
FUEL CYCLE
FUELS
NATURAL URANIUM FUEL
POWER
POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THORIUM 232
URANIUM 235
WATER COOLANT
WATER MODERATOR
YAEC
YANKEE