A method to assess light water reactor fuel integrity comprising: granting access in a nuclear reactor fuel pool to at least one of a discharged fuel rod and a discharged nuclear fuel assembly; calculating an operating heat flux (Peak Assembly Flux) experienced by the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly; measuring a thickness of CRUD (OperatingDeposit) on the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly; measuring a thickness of oxide (OperatingOxideThickness) on the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly; calculating a maximized heat flux (MaximFlux) for the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly for a position of the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly in the nuclear reactor on a life of the nuclear fuel assembly, wherein the maximized heat flux is calculated along the most thermally stressed portion of the rod or assembly; calculating a maximized CRUD deposit (MaximDeposit) for the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly in the nuclear reactor, wherein the maximized CRUD deposit is calculated through selection of the worst known deposition at which the fuel survived through its life; calculating a maximized oxide thickness (MaximOxideThickness) for the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly in the nuclear reactor, wherein said maximized oxide thickness is obtained as the smaller value between the worst measured oxide thickness at the end of life of the fuel element and the regulatory admitted maximum oxide thickness; calculating a fuel condition index of the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly, the fuel condition index being calculated as: Peak Assembly Flux MaximFlux B + OperatingDeposit MaximDeposit C + OperatingOxideThickness MaximOxideThickness D = FCI where B, C, and D are flow, CRUD and fuel design adjustment factors; comparing the fuel condition index to an index constant A; and removing the at least one of the fuel rod and the nuclear fuel assembly from operation when the fuel condition index is greater than the index constant. granting access in a nuclear reactor fuel pool to at least one of a discharged fuel rod and a discharged nuclear fuel assembly; calculating an operating heat flux (Peak Assembly Flux) experienced by the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly; measuring a thickness of CRUD (OperatingDeposit) on the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly; measuring a thickness of oxide (OperatingOxideThickness) on the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly; calculating a maximized heat flux (MaximFlux) for the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly for a position of the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly in the nuclear reactor on a life of the nuclear fuel assembly, wherein the maximized heat flux is calculated along the most thermally stressed portion of the rod or assembly; calculating a maximized CRUD deposit (MaximDeposit) for the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly in the nuclear reactor, wherein the maximized CRUD deposit is calculated through selection of the worst known deposition at which the fuel survived through its life; calculating a maximized oxide thickness (MaximOxideThickness) for the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly in the nuclear reactor, wherein said maximized oxide thickness is obtained as the smaller value between the worst measured oxide thickness at the end of life of the fuel element and the regulatory admitted maximum oxide thickness; calculating a fuel condition index of the at least one fuel rod or nuclear fuel assembly, the fuel condition index being calculated as: Peak Assembly Flux MaximFlux B + OperatingDeposit MaximDeposit C + OperatingOxideThickness MaximOxideThickness D = FCI where B, C, and D are flow, CRUD and fuel design adjustment factors; comparing the fuel condition index to an index constant A; and removing the at least one of the fuel rod and the nuclear fuel assembly from operation when the fuel condition index is greater than the index constant. where B, C, and D are flow, CRUD and fuel design adjustment factors; comparing the fuel condition index to an index constant A; and removing the at least one of the fuel rod and the nuclear fuel assembly from operation when the fuel condition index is greater than the index constant.