DOE Light Water Reactor Fuel Utilization Improvement Program

GAO was asked to evaluate the Department of Energy's (DOE) light water reactor fuel utilization program. The objectives of the review were to ascertain how reasonable the DOE goals are; what progress DOE has had in meeting the goals; and what, if any, technical or regulatory problems need to be resolved. The original goals of the fuel utilization program were to demonstrate nuclear fuel savings improvements by 1988 that would permit utilities to reduce fuel requirements by 15 percent and to demonstrate further improvements by the year 2000 that could result in an additional 15-percent fuel savings. When DOE set up the program, it estimated that these savings, if realized, could extend the Nation's uranium reserves by 5 to 8 years.