Belgium Submitted Safety Plan for BR2 Fuel Conversion
The BR2 research reactor seeks regulatory approval to transition to lower enriched uranium by 2027.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Nuclear
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SCK CEN has submitted a safety assessment for its BR2 research reactor to the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control. The project aims to transition the facility from highly enriched uranium to lower enriched uranium to improve proliferation resistance.
Why it matters
As a facility responsible for roughly one-fourth of the world's molybdenum-99 supply, the reactor's shift is critical to international supply stability. This effort follows a decade of development supported by technical analysis from the Argonne National Laboratory.
The BR2 reactor operates seven times per year in 30-day cycles to maintain its output. Engineers developed a core design to accommodate these operational parameters while supporting the switch to lower enriched uranium.
The players
SCK CEN
A Belgian nuclear research center that manages the BR2 reactor and performs research on reactor safety and fuel technology.
Argonne National Laboratory
A U.S. Department of Energy laboratory focused on energy research and reactor technology that provided the fuel conversion analysis.
The details
Researchers performed safety analysis using computational codes to evaluate reactor fuel performance and core stability. This conversion project, which has spanned a decade, involves replacing highly enriched uranium—a material that can be used for weapons—with lower enriched uranium. Argonne National Laboratory provided the technical analysis necessary to ensure the core design continues to support a wide range of scientific and medical operational uses.
Timeline
2016 to 2026: Argonne National Laboratory teams provided support for the conversion project.
September 2026: SCK CEN submitted the safety assessment report to Belgian regulators.
2027: SCK CEN expects to obtain regulatory approval for the fuel conversion.
The Tech Race
This submission marks a major milestone in the global effort to minimize the use of highly enriched uranium in research reactors. It follows a decade-long alignment with international non-proliferation standards aimed at securing nuclear fuel cycles.
The transition ensures that the BR2 reactor continues to supply critical molybdenum-99, an isotope essential for medical imaging diagnostics. Researchers and medical facilities globally should experience no disruption to the supply chain during the planned 2027 system conversion.
The takeaway
This development underscores the technical feasibility of scaling proliferation-resistant fuel in high-output research reactors. Interested parties should monitor the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control's response for the final 2027 approval timeline.
What happens next
SCK CEN plans to initiate the conversion of reactor systems following the expected regulatory approval in 2027.
Further reading
For broader context on the evolution of research reactor fuel, visit the Nuclear section.
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