Pressurized heavy-water reactor

Summary

A pressurized heavy-water reactor (PHWR) is a nuclear reactor that uses heavy water (deuterium oxide D2O) as its coolant and neutron moderator. PHWRs frequently use natural uranium as fuel, but sometimes also use very low enriched uranium. The heavy water coolant is kept under pressure to avoid boiling, allowing it to reach higher temperature (mostly) without forming steam bubbles, exactly as for a pressurized water reactor (PWR). While heavy water is very expensive to isolate from ordinary water (often referred to as light water in contrast to heavy water), its low absorption of neutrons greatly increases the neutron economy of the reactor, avoiding the need for enriched fuel. The high cost of the heavy water is offset by the lowered cost of using natural uranium and/or alternative fuel cycles. As of 2025, 43 PHWRs were in operation, having a total capacity of 23.430 GW(e), representing roughly 11% by number and 6.5% by generating capacity of all current operating reactors. CANDU and IPHWR are the most common type of reactors in the PHWR family. Other designs include the German design PHWR KWU installed at Atucha Nuclear Power Plant in Argentina.