Communities and the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Here, we will introduce you to the nuclear fuel cycle and communicating with nuclear communities.

Get started now

The nuclear fuel cycle has four basic parts.

These general categories are simplifications of several sub-parts, but the nuclear fuel cycle covers the lifetime of nuclear fuel from cradle to grave.

Getting ore.

Through mining or, increasingly, in situ leaching, uranium is extracted from the earth.

Processing fuel.

Then, the raw materials are processed through facilities that strip away unwanted impurities, enrich the fuel, and turn it into the fuel that will go into the reactor.

Using fuel.

Fuel is used by the reactor, producing electricity. Some countries recycle their fuel at this stage to reduce the amount and lifetime of used fuel.

Disposing fuel.

Eventually, the solid fuel is removed from the fuel cycle and placed in controlled, resilient storage facilities.

Explore US Energy Infrastructure.

The US has an incredibly complex energy system. To explore the existing infrastructure from an open source group, consult OpenStreetMap's infrastructure map.

Open Infrastructure Map

Still of the Open Infrastructure Map centered on the US showing the existing energy and water infrastructure.

Let's Explore International Energy Exports!

If you think the US has a complicated energy market, imagine how convoluted it gets when you think about the whole world.

Electricity Maps

Still of the open Electricity Maps flowing depiction of international energy trading.

Get the Basics

Navigate through our FAQ with the help of Corey. We've given them answers to everything from fuel types to reactor types. Just ask Corey to `list`, and then type the category and existing question you want answered.

Corey: Hi, I'm Corey! You can ask me simple questions about the nuclear fuel cycle.

Communicating the Fuel Cycle

People have doubts, and throwing technical papers at them will not ease their concerns. We need to study the community's history and understand where they are coming from. The communication has to be as open and honest as possible to develop the trust of local people.

Climate and economic justice communities.

Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden-Harris administration created a climate and economic justice screening tool. This map overlays census and other government data onto a map of the US to highlight the collocation and presence of disadvantaged communities across the US. Understanding the history of a community can be a start to your relationship.

Community Map

Still of the climate and economic justice communities map centered on the US.

Methods in Risk Communication

Identify Goals

Don't start a conversation without knowing what you want to achieve. Goals can be gathering opinions, making profits, providing a public service, employing talented individuals in the area, or explaining the safety features.

Know Your Stakeholders

Stakeholders can be citizens, advocacy groups, media, etc. Learn their background and past interaction with nuclear projects so we can understand their motives and concerns.

Always Be Open and Honest

To build trust, we must offer as much information as the community wants to make informed decisions. If they suffered from previous experience with nuclear projects, apologize, make compensations, and show evidence that it will never happen again.

Make Technical Information Comprehensible

The public and technical experts talk in different languages. Use a combination of plain explanations, analogies, and plots so that the community can understand you.

Introduce Community Involvement

Let the local community take the lead in the decision-making process. Offer training to them so that they can handle radioactive material safely. This will definitely motivate their support.

Prioritize Community's Access to Energy

If a community would be subject to a potential risk of radioactive hazard, they have the right to benefit from that nuclear project first. Plants should offer clear benefits to their communities.

Steps for community engagement.

A very high-level understanding of the process we've identified for engaging with a community involves 5 steps.

  1. Identify your goals with a community.
  2. Clarify who is in the affected community.
  3. Listen to members of the community on their goals.
  4. Align your services with the community goals.
  5. Collaborate with them to service the community at large.
Color Switcher

Feel free to change the highlights to your liking.