Advancing Research in Nuclear Fuel Recycling Act of 2025
This bill, titled the Advancing Research in Nuclear Fuel Recycling Act of 2025, would require the Secretary of Energy to commission a comprehensive study through the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy on new technologies and opportunities for recycling spent nuclear fuel. The study would evaluate whether dedicated recycling facilities could convert spent fuel (including high-assay LEU) into usable fuels for commercial reactors, advanced reactors, and non-reactor applications (such as medical or space technologies). It compares recycling to the current once-through fuel cycle, assesses costs, benefits, risks (including proliferation), and analyzes different recycling methods (aquatic like PUREX versus non-aqueous like pyro-electrochemical). The bill also explores siting options, regulatory gaps, tracking of recycled materials, and potential policy changes to support development and deployment of recycling technologies. A public, non-technical final report would be due within one year of enactment, limited to 120 pages and organized to facilitate review by non-specialists. The act would not mandate immediate deployment of recycling facilities but would lay out a structured path for evaluating feasibility, economics, safety, and regulatory frameworks, with an emphasis on secure and environmentally responsible approaches. The comprehensive report would inform Congress and relevant agencies about potential next steps in nuclear waste management and fuel recycling policy.
Key Points
- 1Scope and purpose: Requires a formal study by DOE (through the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy) to examine new technologies and opportunities for recycling spent nuclear fuel, including potential use in commercial reactors and other applications, and to compare recycling with the current once-through fuel cycle.
- 2Methods and technologies: Analyzes both traditional aqueous recycling (e.g., PUREX and derivatives) and non-aqueous methods (e.g., pyro-electrochemistry), plus the feasibility of extracting isotopes for medical, industrial, space-based power, and advanced-battery uses.
- 3Siting, infrastructure, and economics: Evaluates approaches for siting and sizing recycling facilities (centralized, regional, existing on-site facilities), collocation with reactors or other facilities, and provides cost estimates, public-private partnerships, timelines, and risk assessments.
- 4Regulatory and definitions gaps: Identifies regulatory gaps related to nuclear waste management and recycling, compares U.S. definitions with those used internationally, and recommends modernization of definitions and classifications.
- 5Deliverables and timing: Requires a final public report within one year of enactment, with a clear structure (executive summary, findings, challenges, policy recommendations, etc.) designed for broad accessibility and policy use.