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Highly enriched uranium (HEU)

HEU

Uranium enriched to 20% uranium-235 or more. The 20% line is the international boundary between low-enriched and highly enriched uranium, and material above it is subject to much stricter security and safeguards controls. That is why many advanced reactor designs specify 19.75%: as much uranium-235 as possible while staying below the line. Highly enriched uranium is used in naval propulsion and some research reactors, and international programmes have spent decades converting research reactors to low-enriched fuel.

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Guide: Nuclear fuel explained

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concept:highly-enriched-uranium
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