Westinghouse Electric Company said on 6 December it had received approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its PARAGON2 fuel energy transport code. PARAGON2 is a key component in the company’s High Energy Fuel initiative which provides the technologies and hardware utility customers need to optimise their fuel capabilities.
Regulatory approval allows Westinghouse to model and simulate core conditions, increasing capabilities up to double the currently licensed enrichment limit. Westinghouse is now the only nuclear vendor with an NRC-licensed topical report for commercial nuclear fuel modelling purposes of U-235 enrichments up to 10 weight percent.
Pam Cowan, Westinghouse president of Americas Operating Plant Services noted: “This milestone is the latest achievement for our new fuel product features, materials and analysis methods that are designed to help support our customers advance their fuel performance.”
