About Nuclear Fuel 
It takes all types of fuel to provide dependable electricity. Nuclear energy centers rely on uranium fuel. The nuclear fuel used in the Callaway Energy Center consists of ceramic pellets of uranium dioxide - each one about one-half inch long and as thick as a pencil.
At a fuel manufacturing facility, these pellets are stacked, end-on-end, inside 12-foot-long tubes called fuel rods, made of Zircaloy metal. The fuel rods are then arranged in bundles called fuel assemblies that are 8 1/2 inches square and weigh about 1,140 pounds.
From the fuel manufacturing facility, fuel assemblies are shipped to Callaway by truck, in rugged shipping casks designed to protect them from damage.
Every 18 months the facility shuts down for several weeks for refueling and maintenance. During refueling, nearly one third of the 193 fuel assemblies are replaced with new ones.

Uranium used for nuclear plants is different than that required for bombs. It is physically impossible for a nuclear explosion to occur at a U.S. nuclear power plant.

Also see Managing Used Nuclear Fuel.
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