[en] GE Nuclear Energy has developed a patented nuclear design concept for contemporary BWR fuel bundles containing plutonium bearing fuel rods that improves operability, reactivity margins, and plutonium utilization over current design strategies. This design concept utilizes a tertiary pellet containing UO₂, PuO₂, and Gd₂O₃ in a unique way which results in reactivity trajectories that are favorable for good operation, safety, and economics. This new concept consists of an all MOX fuel bundle with the majority of pins in the bundle interior contain high concentrations of PuO₂ and low concentrations of Gd₂O₃ which significantly increases gadolinia absorption early in the bundle life and has a very favorable effect on BWR cold shutdown margin. Utilizing gadolinia in the plutonium bearing pellets also increases the amount of MOX that can be loaded into a fuel bundle, which improves economics. A description of this design concept, characteristics and an example application will be presented. (author)