The thorium that powers the DBI reactor is an abundant resource- much more abundant than uranium and much more widely available. It is estimated that the world’s supply of thorium is sufficient to meet the current needs of global energy consumption for over 2500 years. Thorium fuel also is easier and less costly to mine and process compared to uranium fuel. These lower costs translate into higher profits for reactor operators and lower wholesale costs of electricity.
Besides the cost benefits associate with abundant thorium fuel, the DBI reactor offers other cost savings associated with its thorium fuel rods.
DBI’s thorium Breeding/Breeder reactor has a very long burn cycle compared to convention ABWR or PWR reactors. Conventional reactor designs, operating with 4 to 7 year burn cycles, require the replacement of 33% of their expensive fuel mass (5% enriched uranium), every 18 months. On the other hand, the burn cycle for DBI, which provides for over 60 years of operation, is much less expensive. While the initial load of DBI fuel is more expensive than that of conventional reactors, the DBI reactor design requires the replacement of only a small percentage of the initial fuel mass with very inexpensive thorium approximately every 18 months compared to the very expensive and increasingly scarce uranium fuels.
Another important economic benefit of the DBI reactor is that at decommissioning, approximately two-thirds of the remaining fuel can be used to quickly start-up a new DBI power plant. Conventional reactors offer no fuel that can be used in a new power plant.
In addition, as the DBI reactor operates, it breeds additional fuel beyond that needed to provide the 100% initial power rating of the reactor. This makes it possible to increase the reactor power output over time. To take advantage of this additional power generation, the producer must add incremental equipment. However, no new reactor or enriched uranium is required. This feature of the DBI Breeding/Breeder reactor produces dramatic savings in fuel.
Over a 60-year reactor lifetime, the DBI reactor provides a very significant cost savings.
