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Nuclear fuel company Clean Core concludes thorium fuel irradiation, reports high ‘burnup’

06 May 2026
2 min

Clean Core Thorium Energy's ANEEL Fuel Advancements

Significant Milestone Achieved

  • Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) has announced the successful completion of high burnup irradiation tests for its patented ANEEL fuel at Idaho National Laboratory.
  • The fuel achieved more than 60 GWd/MTU of burnup, significantly higher than traditional PHWRs and CANDU reactors.

Benefits of ANEEL Fuel

  • Operational Advantages: Reduced volumes of nuclear spent fuel, enhanced reactor economics, improved safety, and increased proliferation resistance.
  • Fuel Composition: ANEEL blends thorium with HALEU for optimized performance in PHWRs.

Global Impact and Regulations

  • CCTE is the second American company to secure a US Department of Energy export license to sell nuclear technology to India in nearly two decades.
  • The objective is to introduce thorium into the nuclear fuel cycle using existing reactors, enhancing resource efficiency without modifying reactors.

Future Developments

  • Plans for a demonstration irradiation in a commercial power reactor to transition ANEEL from test concept to commercial reality.
  • In December 2024, NTPC Ltd announced a partnership with CCTE to develop and deploy ANEEL fuel in India's nuclear stations, pending regulatory approvals.
  • Benefits for India include reduced nuclear waste, energy security using domestic thorium, and improved safety and cost efficiencies.

Collaborative Efforts

  • NTPC and CCTE aim to explore indigenization of ANEEL fuel manufacturing and local supply chain development.
  • Focus on establishing a supply chain for HALEU and uranium supply to India with sovereign guarantees.

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Sovereign guarantees

Formal assurances provided by a national government to ensure the fulfillment of certain obligations or commitments, particularly in international agreements or financial transactions. In this context, it relates to ensuring security of supply for nuclear fuel.

NTPC Ltd

NTPC Limited is an Indian public sector undertaking (PSU) primarily engaged in the business of power generation and allied activities. It is the country's largest power utility with a significant role in India's energy security.

Proliferation resistance

A characteristic of nuclear fuel and reactor designs that makes it more difficult to divert nuclear material for the production of weapons. This is a key consideration in international nuclear safety and security.

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