Spent Fuel Pool
Spent fuel pools are water-filled basins at reactors for initial cooling of used fuel assemblies. Water shields radiation and removes decay heat for 5-10 years.
Pools hold 1,000-2,000 assemblies in racks at 12-25 kW/m³ heat load. Borated water prevents criticality. US pools store 140,000 tU, over capacity. Post-Fukushima upgrades added passive cooling.
Why it matters now
Overfull pools constrain restarts amid 2025-2026 demand surge from AI data centers. Transition to dry casks is key for SMR licensing and investor confidence.
Related reactors
PWR