News Physics

Advanced nuclear reactors need a different type of uranium. Here’s 4 things to know 

Questions about the fuel, called high-assay low-enriched uranium, remain

Laboratory equipment used to produce high-assay low-enriched uranium.

Nuclear engineers are making fuel for advanced nuclear reactors known as HALEU, using equipment at Idaho National Laboratory (shown).

Idaho National Laboratory

By Emily Conover

Nuclear power of the future is going to need fuel. That has governments, energy companies and nuclear engineers clamoring to get their hands on HALEU: high-assay low-enriched uranium.

HALEU (pronounced like “Hey, Lou”) was previously a niche material, used mainly in nuclear reactors conducting scientific research.