b'4.1 FINAL HALDEN RECOMMENDATIONSFinal Halden RecommendationsPrincipal Investigator: Colby Jensen, INLTeam Members/ Collaborators: Daniel Wachs, Nicolas Woolstenhulme, Nate Oldham, Steve Hayes and Kate Richardson (INL)F urgency to find a testing solution toAccomplishments: or decades, the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR) in Norwaysupport near-term R&D needs. ThroughAn international workshop was held in has been a key resource forthe DOE ATF program, nuclear fuelIdaho with attendance from more than assessing nuclear fuels and materialsvendors and industry have goals totwenty major nuclear organizations, behavior to address performance issuessupport licensing and capitalizing onincluding nuclear industry, regulators, and answer regulatory questions. Haldenenhanced performance and safety ofand R&D facilities, both domestically contributions to modern global Lightadvanced fuels. First full batch reloadsand internationally, to provide consensus Water Reactor (LWR) technologiesof some ATF fuel designs are plannedon: key testing capabilities used at the have been expansive and crucial toto begin at commercial nuclear powerHalden reactor closure, a survey of an industry with decreasing financialplants in 2023 with goals for takingcapabilities at remaining available reactor resources and fewer available testadvantage of enhanced performance andfacilities, and identification of capability facilities.This loss of HBWR representssafety by 2026. At the same time, thegaps and potential resources that could a great challenge and opportunityU.S. nuclear industry led by the Electricfill those gaps (Figure 1). for swift response by the ResearchPower Research Institute (EPRI) is A report was drafted to document all and Development (R&D) communitypushing a strategy towards burnup andagreed-upon findings and provide to fill the resulting capability gaps.enrichment extension targeting similarpreliminary recommendations to fill A study was carried out with thetimeframes for full implementation.capability gaps. The preliminary report primary objectives of identifying theThese major goals and other advancedwas reviewed by major stakeholders core fuels and materials experimentalLWR technology R&D require advancedwith feedback provided to contribute capabilities available at the HBWR,testing capabilities like those foundto the generation of final recom-assessing potential capability gapsat the HBWR to enable efficient andmendations and the results presented specifically related to the Departmentsuccessful resolutions. Therefore, theat multiple industry-R&D technical of Energy (DOE) Accident TolerantAdvanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) wasmeetings.Fuels (ATF) program, and providingtasked to perform a detailed assess-recommendations for a path forwardment of the potential implications The preliminary recommendations for DOE ATF. The primary capabilitiesof the HBWR closure and providewere investigated in more detail required for ATF are highly aligned withrecommendations for paths forward.to provide evaluations and final broader LWR testing needs. A report documenting an internationalrecommendations. These final recom-assessment of irradiation testing gapsmendations included input from Project Description:needs surveys requested from ATF fuel The recent closure of the HBWRand capabilities related to the closure of the HBWR was finalized in Decembervendors and preliminary engineering and growing demand for enhancing2018. Since then, significant progressevaluations. The final draft of the LWR fuel performance for safety andcontinues to be made in developing thereport was again reviewed by major economic reasons has created angiven recommendations.230 2019|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'