Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) announced on Wednesday that it will be selling off 76 of its unused nuclear fuel assemblies, and is currently soliciting bids.
Assemblies are the structures which contain uranium pellets that generate nuclear power. Several hundred of them make up the core of a nuclear reactor. A single assembly for boiling water reactors is approximately 14.5 feet high, and weighs over 700 pounds. Fuel assemblies for pressurized water reactors weigh significantly more due to their higher concentration of fuel tubes.
According to the World Nuclear Association, the core of a reactor needs to contain about 75 tons of low-enriched uranium to generate 1000 megawatts of power.
Investing in the Petroplex
By now, you’ve heard of the West Texas Petroplex and its stacked pay zones. But what companies are drilling there, and how can you make money from it? It’s pretty simple.