More than 90,000 metric tons of used nuclear fuel sit in storage at U.S. power plants, growing by about 2,000 metric tons a year, with no actionable long-term plan. This paper argues that recycling and transmutation can turn that fuel from a waste challenge into a renewable resource by recovering uranium and plutonium for new fuel, harvesting dozens of other valuable isotopes, and reducing the volume of high-level waste that needs disposal.
It outlines SHINE’s technology and partnerships, gives a detailed overview of the planned recycling process and a phased plan, and presents an economic assessment of what a commercial recycling service could cost and earn.