Ep 68: Dame Sue Ion, British Nuclear Fuels

In this episode we discuss...

• How Sue earned her title of “Dame” ---
• Sue’s background in material science and personal evolution in the nuclear industry ---
• A deep dive into the UK’s Magnox fuel elements ---
• The history of nuclear in the UK including its advanced gas coal reactors and its high temperature reactor “Dragon” ---
• The defamation characteristics and manufacturing routes of reactor clads and challenges Sue worked to resolve ---
• Dry processes versus wet chemical processes ---
• The economics and life cycles of waste and decommissioning in nuclear versus other industries ---
• Modularity and its construction costs ---
• Sue’s current work at BNFL engaging vendors with constructors