Nuclear Fuel & Electricity Cost Calculator

AP1000 (Westinghouse, Gen-III+ PWR) — LEU

Core Loading KgU

Value:~85,000

Confidence:derived

Derived from 157 fuel assemblies and published per-assembly mass; see sources.

Sources:

Discharge Burnup GWd Per TU

Value:50

Confidence:assumed-within-published-envelope

Assumed typical discharge burnup for PWRs.

Sources:

Enrichment Wt Percent U235

Value:4.5

Confidence:published-assumed

UK NDA/GDA, which states that the enrichment is assumed to be 4.5%.

Sources:

NDA Generic Design Assessment: Disposability Assessment for Wastes and Spent Fuel arising from Operation of the Westinghouse Advanced Passive Pressurised Water Reactor (AP1000)

Net Efficiency Percent

Value:32.5

Confidence:published

1110 MWe / 3415 MWt.

Sources:

Westinghouse AP1000 Overview

AP1000 (Westinghouse, Gen-III+ PWR) — LEU+

Core Loading KgU

Value:~85,000

Confidence:derived

Sources:

Discharge Burnup GWd Per TU

Value:65

Confidence:assumed

Assumed typical discharge burnup for PWRs.

Sources:

NRC Higher Burnup overview (context for >60 GWd/tU targets)

Enrichment Wt Percent U235

Value:7.5

Confidence:assumed-within-industry-envelope

Sources:

Net Efficiency Percent

Value:32.5

Confidence:published

Same thermodynamic pairing as LEU case.

Sources:

Westinghouse AP1000 Overview

BWRX-300 (GE Hitachi, SMR BWR) — LEU

Core Loading KgU

Value:≈44,000

Confidence:derived-estimate

Estimated from 240 bundles × typical GE14/GNF2 HM/bundle; vendor-specific HM not yet public.

Sources:

Discharge Burnup GWd Per TU

Value:49.6

Confidence:published

Sources:

GE Vernova GDA document — average discharge burnup 49.6 GWd/MTU

Enrichment Wt Percent U235

Value:3.81

Confidence:published

Sources:

BWRX-300 Technical Summary

Net Efficiency Percent

Value:34.5

Confidence:published

300 MWe / 870 MWt.

Sources:

ARPA-E presentation referencing 870 MWt / 300 MWe

NuScale Power Module (NuScale, SMR LWR, 77 MWe version) — LEU

Core Loading KgU

Value:9213 kgU

Confidence:published

Sources:

NRC Submittal: NuScale Fuel-HTP2 Fuel and Control Rod Assembly Designs

Discharge Burnup GWd Per TU

Value:40

Confidence:published-estimated

NuScale has not officially published a discharge burnup, however sources put it in the 37-45 GWD/MTU range.

Sources:

Enrichment Wt Percent U235

Value:4.2

Confidence:estimated

Estimated from NuScale Power Module Specifications, power output, core power density, and core loading.

Sources:

NuScale Power Module Specifications

Net Efficiency Percent

Value:30.8

Confidence:published

77 MWe / 250 MWt.

Sources:

NuScale Power Module Specifications

Natrium (TerraPower, sodium fast + molten-salt storage) — HALEU metallic

Core Loading KgU

Value:21500 kgU

Confidence:published-modeling

INL/ANL modeling proxy for 840 MWt Natrium-like core (not TerraPower’s official number).

Sources:

Discharge Burnup GWd Per TU

Value:150

Confidence:published-modeling

Sources:

INL report — burnup assumption ~150 GWd/t for metallic SFR analog

Enrichment Wt Percent U235

Value:19.75

Confidence:published

Sources:

NRC pre-application page (HALEU metallic fuel)

Net Efficiency Percent

Value:41.1

Confidence:published

345 MWe / 840 MWt.

Sources:

TerraPower Natrium technology brief

Xe-100 (X-energy, 200 MWt / 80 MWe HTGR) — HALEU TRISO

Core Loading KgU

Value:~1,540

Confidence:derived

Derived from ~220,000 pebbles × ~7 g HM/pebble.

Sources:

Discharge Burnup GWd Per TU

Value:165

Confidence:published-envelope

Sources:

NRC Licensing Topical Report (Xe-100 design context)

Enrichment Wt Percent U235

Value:15.5

Confidence:published

Sources:

DOE/NE article — Xe-100 TRISO at 15.5% HALEU

Net Efficiency Percent

Value:40

Confidence:published

80 MWe / 200 MWt.

Sources:

X-energy — Reactor overview

Oklo Aurora (fast, metal fuel; 50 MWe variant) — HALEU metallic

Core Loading KgU

Value:7800

Confidence:published

Sources:

Oklo Investor Presentation (July 2023), p. 45 — Initial fuel load 7,800 kg; refuel 3,900 kg/10y

Discharge Burnup GWd Per TU

Value:80

Confidence:assumed-derived

Back-calculated from core load, power output, plant efficiency, and reload frequency.

Sources:

Context only — NRC pre-application page for Aurora

Enrichment Wt Percent U235

Value:19.75

Confidence:published-envelope

Sources:

NRC Aurora pre-application (metal fuel; HALEU-class)

Net Efficiency Percent

Value:0.4

Confidence:not-published

Value is typical of CO₂ Brayton cycle.

Sources:

Oklo Investor Presentation (no explicit thermal/electric pair on p.45)

CANDU 6 (PHWR) — Natural

Core Loading KgU

Value:88000

Confidence:derived

4,560 bundles × ~19–19.36 kg U/bundle.

Sources:

Discharge Burnup GWd Per TU

Value:7.8

Confidence:published-envelope

Sources:

UNENE Essential CANDU — Fuel Storage & Disposal (natural-U burnup range)

Enrichment Wt Percent U235

Value:Natural (~0.711)

Confidence:published

Sources:

CANTEACH — CANDU 6 Technical Summary

Net Efficiency Percent

Value:29

Confidence:published

626 MWe / 2,156 MWt.

Sources:

UNENE — Genealogy of CANDU Reactors (parameter table)

Conversion Usd Per Kg

Value:30

Confidence:published-estimated

Natural uranium conversion cost for CANDU fuel bundles. Estimated from OPG 2016 Nuclear Fuel Costs Report to approximate current cost.

Sources:

OPG 2016 Nuclear Fuel Costs Report (EB-2016-0152)

Fabrication Usd Per Kg

Value:100

Confidence:published-estimated

CANDU fuel bundle fabrication cost. Natural uranium requires no enrichment or deconversion. Estimated from OPG 2016 Nuclear Fuel Costs Report to approximate current cost.

Sources:

OPG 2016 Nuclear Fuel Costs Report (EB-2016-0152)

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Pricing (Market Reference Values)

Ore Usd Per Kg U3O8

Value:175

Confidence:market-data

Uranium ore spot market price per kg of U₃O₈. Current default represents typical market conditions.

Sources:

Cameco market data (USD/lb)

Conversion Usd Per Kg

Value:15

Confidence:market-approximated

Conversion of U₃O₈ to UF₆ (or UO₂ for natural uranium) per kg uranium. Estimated from DOE Grand What It Takes Cost Table to approximate current cost.

Sources:

DOE Grand What It Takes Cost Table (USD/kg), item B

Enrichment LEU Usd Per SWU

Value:100

Confidence:market-approximated

LEU enrichment cost for 0-5% U-235 enrichment. Measured in separative work units (SWU).

Sources:

EIA Uranium Marketing Annual Report (September 2025 update)

Enrichment LEU Plus Usd Per SWU

Value:200

Confidence:market-estimated

LEU+ enrichment cost for 5-10% U-235 enrichment. Premium over standard LEU reflecting limited supplier capacity and regulatory approvals. Price escalated over DOE long-term estimates through consultation with industry experts.

Sources:

DOE Grand What It Takes Cost Table (USD/kg), item C3a

Enrichment HALEU Usd Per SWU

Value:400

Confidence:market-estimated

HALEU enrichment cost for >10% U-235 enrichment. Significant premium reflects limited global capacity and specialized facilities. Price escalated over DOE long-term estimates through consultation with industry experts.

Sources:

DOE Grand What It Takes Cost Table (USD/kg), item C3b

Deconversion LEU Usd Per Kg

Value:20

Confidence:market-approximated

Deconversion from UF₆ to UO₂ or other stable forms for LEU and LEU+ fuel. Value is normally included in fabrication costs, but here is separate for additional control.

Sources:

WNA Conversion and Deconversion

Deconversion HALEU Usd Per Kg

Value:2000

Confidence:market-estimated

Deconversion from UF₆ to oxide or metal forms for HALEU fuel. Premium reflects specialized handling requirements. Estimated average from DOE Grand What It Takes Cost Table for metallic and UO₃ to approximate current cost.

Sources:

DOE Grand What It Takes Cost Table (USD/kg), item C3f and C3g

Fabrication LEU Usd Per Kg

Value:300

Confidence:market-estimated

Fabrication of LEU fuel assemblies or elements. Includes pellet production, rod assembly, and quality assurance. Deconversion is considered part of fabrication, but here is separated for additional control. Minor escalation over WNA pricing from 2021.

Sources:

WNA Economics of Nuclear Power

Fabrication LEU Plus Usd Per Kg

Value:400

Confidence:market-estimated

Fabrication of LEU+ fuel assemblies or elements. Premium over standard LEU reflects different materials and specialized handling.

Sources:

Westinghouse LEU+ Adoptfabrication capabilities

Fabrication HALEU Metal Usd Per Kg

Value:2100

Confidence:market-estimated

Fabrication of HALEU metallic fuel pins or elements. High cost reflects specialized facilities and limited production capacity. Estimated average from DOE Grand What It Takes Cost Table to approximate current cost.

Sources:

DOE Grand What It Takes Cost Table (USD/kg), item D1-6a

Fabrication HALEU TRISO Usd Per Kg

Value:10000

Confidence:market-estimated

Fabrication of HALEU TRISO particle fuel compacts or pebbles. Premium reflects complex multi-layer coating process and stringent quality requirements. Price escalated over DOE Grand What It Takes Cost Table estimates through consultation with industry experts.

Sources:

DOE Grand What It Takes Cost Table (USD/kg), item D1-3