BWR fuel and core development

Toshiba has been devoting efforts to the development of high-burnup fuel for boiling water reactors (BWRs) to help utilities to achieve lower fuel cycle costs and to reduce the amount of spent fuel bundles. Step III fuel, as the third stage of the burnup extension program, and BWR MOX fuel are entering the stage of practical use. Toshiba is also developing more efficient New 9 x 9 fuel and high-burnup 10 x 10 fuel. These advanced BWR fuel products are based on Toshiba's nuclear methodologies and fuel design technologies. In addition, we are aiming at the application of a new scheme of critically safety design to spent fuel storage or transportation before reprocessing, in order to achieve savings in the total cost through the fuel cycle. (author)