Nuclear fuel cycle analysis is a comprehensive assessment of uranium and plutonium flows from extraction through enrichment, power generation, and waste management, originating from Fermi's controlled nuclear reaction. It quantifies resource requirements, energy balances, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste streams to evaluate nuclear energy sustainability, proliferation risk, and economic viability.
International Atomic Energy Agency (2021). Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System (NFCIS). IAEA-NDS-3/Rev.2. link ↗
Cochran, T. B., Paine, C. E., Feiveson, H. A., & von Hippel, F. N. (2010). Fast Breeder Reactor Development in the U.S.: A Comparative Failure. Oxford University Press. link ↗