WATSS: Unlocking Nuclear Fuel's Potential in Molten Salt Through Advanced Recycling

Moltex Energy Canada is advancing its Waste-to-Stable-Salt (WATSS) process, a nuclear fuel recycling technology, through experimental validation. This simplified pyrochemical method focuses on extracting transuranic elements from used nuclear fuel, without isolating pure plutonium. Collaborating with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), including work at their Chalk River facilities, the process has demonstrated the extraction of these elements. Reported efficiencies from real used fuel vary, with some sources indicating over 77% or 90% in 24 hours, while others suggest new testing shows over 95% or greater efficiency over longer periods.

This development is significant for the broader energy landscape, as the WATSS process aims to reframe used nuclear fuel from a liability into a valuable resource. By converting these materials, the technology is projected to reduce the footprint of long-term nuclear waste repositories by as much as 80% and significantly decrease the longevity of the most hazardous waste. Such an approach could not only improve the sustainability profile of nuclear energy but also potentially provide fuel for advanced reactor designs like Moltex's own Stable Salt Reactor – Wasteburner (SSR-W) or other reactor types, generating carbon-free electricity.

The ongoing support from the Government of Canada, the Province of New Brunswick, NB Power, and Indigenous communities underscores a collective interest in exploring this pathway for nuclear waste management. As Moltex Energy Canada progresses with pre-licensing consultation for WATSS with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), attention will turn to the regulatory journey and further experimental results. The integration of such recycling processes with advanced reactors invites questions about the potential for a more closed nuclear fuel cycle, its economic feasibility, and its ultimate impact on societal acceptance of nuclear energy as a part of a diverse energy portfolio.