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CANES and MIT Energy Initiative collaborate on Fuel Cycle Program

Research Scientist Charles Forsberg, Executive Director of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Program. Profile >

The MIT Nuclear Fuel Cycle Program, launched in early 2008, will examine the advantages and disadvantages of open and closed nuclear fuel cycles. Its emphasis will be on research, analysis, and recommendations for the "back end" of the nuclear fuel cycle in the context of a single core question: What actions are needed to enable nuclear power to be an important contributor to the world’s energy supply in a carbon-constrained world for the long term?

The 3-year program will examine (1) open fuel cycles where used fuel is disposed of as a waste, (2) closed fuel cycles where the used fuel is separated into its constitutents for recycle of fissile fuels into nuclear reactors with various options for disposal of the residual wastes and (3) options where decisions on open or closed fuel cycles are made in the future. The research examines the implications of different fuel cycles based on the rate of growth of nuclear power, the technology options, the relative risks of alternative fuel cycles, economics, and proliferation resistance.  

The first year will review the current status of alternative fuel cycles, will define the viable alternative policies where there is strong evidence in support of such policies, and define the critical unanswered questions. This foundation provides the direction for the research agenda for the next two years used by faculty and students to address the key technical and policy issues.

Coordinated under the auspices of the MIT Energy Initiative, the program is an interdisciplinary collaboration headed by Professor Ernie Moniz and Mujid Kazimi. Dr. Charles Forsberg is the Executive Director. The faculty involved in the program include: Mujid Kazimi, George Apostolakis, Mike Driscoll, and Andy Kadak, from the Nuclear Science and Engineering Department; Ernie Moniz from the Physics Department; John Deutch from the Chemistry Department; John Parsons of the Sloan School of Management; Steve Ansolabeher from Political Science; and Dennis MacLaughlin from Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. Dr. Monica Regalbuto has also joined as a visiting scientist from Argonne National Laboratory. The work involves both undergraduate and graduate students.

Further information:

• CANES publications on Nuclear Fuel Cycle
• MIT Energy Initiative
• Future of Nuclear Power