CCTE Engages Kinectrics to Independently Review ANEEL Fuel Qualification Program

Kinectrics Signing GNW

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The collaboration advances ANEEL’s technical and regulatory qualification ahead of commercial reactor demonstration.

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Pictured: In the front row from left to right, John D’Angelo (President of Kinectrics) and Milan Shah (COO of CCTE). In the back row from left to right, Sean Donnelly (VP of Nuclear New Build), Paul Thompson (Executive Advisor of CCTE), and Paul Chan (CTO of CCTE)

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CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) has selected Kinectrics Inc. (Kinectrics), a division of BWX Technologies Inc. (NYSE: BWXT), to conduct an independent technical review of the ANEEL fuel qualification program as the company advances toward commercial reactor demonstration. 

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Kinectrics will perform an independent assessment of the ANEEL fuel qualification program, reviewing key aspects of fuel design, manufacturing, safety and regulatory readiness. The review is intended to support future evaluation by utility Fuel Design Authorities and other stakeholders as the program progresses towards a commercial demonstration irradiation.

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This collaboration represents a critical milestone in CCTE’s commercial demonstration program, following previously announced collaborations with BWXT Canada Ltd. for the supply of CANDU fuel bundle hardware and with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) for fabrication of full-scale, reactor-ready ANEEL fuel bundles. Together, these partnerships establish the manufacturing, engineering and independent technical capabilities required to advance ANEEL toward commercial reactor demonstration.

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“Kinectrics brings world-class expertise in nuclear safety analysis and licensing support, making them one of the most trusted independent evaluators in the nuclear industry,” said Milan Shah, COO of Clean Core Thorium Energy. “With BWXT Canada supplying the fuel bundles and CNL advancing ANEEL fuel pellet fabrication, their independent evaluation provides critical validation as we progress toward regulatory approval and future deployment.”

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The collaboration between CCTE, BWXT Canada, CNL, and Kinectrics highlights the strength of Canada’s nuclear supply chain in supporting advanced fuel technologies. Together, these capabilities establish a practical pathway toward demonstration of thorium-based fuel in existing CANDU reactors, supporting the development of fuel with enhanced inherent safety, reduced waste and improved proliferation resistance, while leveraging established reactor infrastructure without requiring major reactor modifications.

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The engagement builds on a series of technical milestones achieved by CCTE over the past year. Earlier this year, ANEEL completed accelerated irradiation testing at Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor, achieving burnups exceeding 60 GWd/MTU. In parallel, CCTE also published a comprehensive peer-reviewed engineering assessment in Nuclear Engineering and Design, a leading peer-reviewed journal in nuclear engineering published by Elsevier, demonstrating the fuel’s performance, safety characteristics and compatibility across multiple reactor applications.