Iaea Tecdoc 1622

IAEA-TECDOC-1622
Status and Trends

of Nuclear Technologies
Report of the
International Project on Innovative
Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO)
(Companion CD-ROM)
September 2009
FOREWORD
The International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) was
launched in the year 2000, based on resolutions by the IAEA General Conference
(GC(44)/RES/21). INPRO intends to help to ensure that nuclear energy is available in the
21st century in a sustainable manner, and seeks to bring together all interested Member States,
both technology holders and technology users, to consider, jointly, actions to achieve desired
innovations.
This IAEA publication is part of Phase 1 of INPRO. It intends to provide an overview on the
history, present situation and future perspectives of nuclear reactors and fuel cycle
technologies. While this overview focuses on technical issues, nevertheless, the aspects of
economics, environment, and safety and proliferation resistance are important background
issues for this study.
The publication was prepared by a group of experts from Canada, China, France, India, Japan,
the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation. The IAEA wishes to express appreciation
to C. Ganguly, chairman of the experts group as well as to all authors for their presentations at
the IAEA Technical Meeting on Innovative Nuclear Fuel Cycle Technologies (Vienna,
Austria, April 2003) and at the International Conference on Innovative Technologies for
Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Nuclear Power (Vienna, Austria, 23–26 June 2003). Special thanks
are expressed to H.G. Weidinger (expert in nuclear fuel technology, Siemens KWU,
Nuremberg, Germany) for contributing to the organization, preparation, compilation and
correction of the text of this report. The IAEA officers responsible for the organization of the
activities of the expert group were Y. Busurin, a member of the International Coordinating
Group (ICG) of INPRO and K. Fukuda of the IAEA Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and
Waste Technology. The report was updated in 2008 to reflect the developments of nuclear
energy since the creation of the original draft report in 2004.
Phase 1 of the INPRO project was implemented under the IAEA Project Manager
Y.A. Sokolov and the Project Coordinators, A. Omoto, A. Rao, J. Kupitz, I. Facer and
C. Ganguly of the IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy. As of August 2008, INPRO has
28 members (including the EC) supporting the project.
It is expected that this report will provide IAEA Member States and their nuclear engineers
and designers, as well as policy makers with useful information on status and trends of
nuclear fuel cycle technologies.
The IAEA officers responsible for this document are Y. Busurin of the Division of Nuclear
Power, F. Depisch of the Division of Nuclear Power and C. Ganguly of the Division of
Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology.
EDITORIAL NOTE
This CD-ROM has been prepared from the original material as submitted by contributors. Neither the
IAEA nor its Member States assume any responsibility for the information contained on this CD-
ROM.
The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the
publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and
institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries.
The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does
not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement
or recommendation on the part of the IAEA.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 1
1.1. ABOUT INPRO..................................................................................................................... 1
1.2. SHORT HISTORY OF NUCLEAR ENERGY ..................................................................... 2
1.3. POTENTIAL OF NUCLEAR ENERGY .............................................................................. 3
1.4. OUTLINE OF THE REPORT ............................................................................................... 4
CHAPTER 2. HISTORY, CURRENT STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF NUCLEAR POWER ... 5
2.1. SHORT HISTORY OF START OF NUCLEAR POWER.................................................... 5
2.2. CURRENT STATUS OF NUCLEAR POWER .................................................................... 8
2.2.1. Current status of nuclear power worldwide....................................................................... 8
2.2.2. Current status of nuclear power in Canada...................................................................... 12
2.2.3. Current status of nuclear power in China ........................................................................ 12
2.2.4. Current status of nuclear power in France ....................................................................... 13
2.2.5. Current status of nuclear power in India.......................................................................... 14
2.2.6. Current status of nuclear power in Japan......................................................................... 15
2.2.7. Current status in the Republic of Korea .......................................................................... 17
2.2.8. Current status of nuclear power in the Russian Federation ............................................. 19
2.2.9. Current status of nuclear power in the USA .................................................................... 21
2.2.10. Current status of other nuclear power programmes......................................................... 21
2.3. DEVELOPMENT OF WATER COOLED REACTORS.................................................... 23
2.3.1. WCR developments in Argentina.................................................................................... 24
2.3.2. WCR developments in Canada........................................................................................ 24
2.3.3. WCR development in China............................................................................................ 26
2.3.4. European WCR developments......................................................................................... 27
2.3.5. WCR developments in India............................................................................................ 28
2.3.6. WCR developments in Japan........................................................................................... 29
2.3.7. WCR developments in the Republic of Korea ................................................................ 31
2.3.8. WCR developments in the Russian Federation ............................................................... 33
2.3.9. WCR developments in the USA ...................................................................................... 37
2.3.10. The international cooperative development programme IRIS......................................... 39
2.4. DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS COOLED REACTORS (HTGR)... 40
2.4.1. Short history of HTGR development............................................................................... 40
2.4.2. HTGR development in China .......................................................................................... 41
2.4.3. HTGR development in France......................................................................................... 42
2.4.4. HTGR development in Japan .......................................................................................... 43
2.4.5. HTGR development in the Republic of Korea ................................................................ 45
2.4.6. HTGR development in South Africa ............................................................................... 46
2.4.7. HTGR development in the Russian Federation ............................................................... 47
2.4.8. HTGR development in the USA...................................................................................... 48
2.5. DEVELOPMENT OF FAST NEUTRON REACTORS (FR)............................................. 49
2.5.1. Short history of FR .......................................................................................................... 49
2.5.2. FR development in China ................................................................................................ 52
2.5.3. FR development in France............................................................................................... 54
2.5.4. FR development in India ................................................................................................. 58
2.5.5. FR development in Japan ................................................................................................ 60
2.5.6. FR development in the Republic of Korea ...................................................................... 67
2.5.7. FR development in the Russian Federation ..................................................................... 71
2.5.8. FR development in the UK.............................................................................................. 80
2.5.9. FR development in the USA............................................................................................ 82
2.6. MULTINATIONAL PROGRAMMES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED
REACTOR CONCEPTS ..................................................................................................... 85
2.6.1. The Generation IV initiative............................................................................................ 86
2.6.2. Global nuclear energy partnership (GNEP)..................................................................... 96
2.6.3. The EURATOM research on future nuclear systems ...................................................... 97
2.6.4. The USA–Russian Federation collaborative programme ................................................ 97
2.7. VERY ADVANCED REACTOR SYSTEMS..................................................................... 98
2.7.1. Accelerator driven systems (ADS) .................................................................................. 98
2.7.2. The molten salt reactor (MSR) ........................................................................................ 98
2.7.2.1. French studies of MSR............................................................................................ 99
2.7.2.2. Russian studies of the MSR .................................................................................. 102
2.7.2.3. US studies of MSR ............................................................................................... 103
2.8. PERSPECTIVES OF NUCLEAR POWER ...................................................................... 103
CHAPTER 3. NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE OPTIONS................................................................. 107
3.1. SHORT HISTORY OF NFC STRATEGIES .................................................................... 107
3.2. CURRENT STATUS OF NFC TECHNOLOGY.............................................................. 108
3.2.1. Definition of closed and open fuel cycles...................................................................... 108
3.2.2. Status of worldwide use of open and closed fuel cycle ................................................. 111
3.2.3. Current status and strategies of NFC in specific countries............................................ 112
3.2.3.1. Situation in Belgium ............................................................................................. 112
3.2.3.2. Situation in Canada ............................................................................................... 113
3.2.3.3. Situation in China ................................................................................................. 114
3.2.3.4. Situation in Finland............................................................................................... 114
3.2.3.5. Situation in France ................................................................................................ 114
3.2.3.6. Situation in Germany ............................................................................................ 115
3.2.2.7. Situation in India................................................................................................... 116
3.2.2.8. Situation in Japan.................................................................................................. 116
3.2.3.9. Situation in the Republic of Korea........................................................................ 117
3.2.3.10. Situation in the Netherlands.................................................................................. 118
3.2.3.11. Situation in the Russian Federation ...................................................................... 119
3.2.3.12. Situation in Switzerland........................................................................................ 119
3.2.3.13. Situation in the UK ............................................................................................... 120
3.2.3.14. Situation in the USA ............................................................................................. 120
3.3. TRENDS OF NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE TECHNOLOGIES.......................................... 120
3.3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 120
3.3.2. Technical potential of NFC ........................................................................................... 121
3.4. NFC TECHNOLOGIES WITH POTENTIAL INDUSTRIAL DEPLOYMENT
IN <25 YEARS .................................................................................................................. 122
3.4.1. The nuclear fuel cycle DUPIC....................................................................................... 122
3.4.2. Near term thorium fuel cycles ....................................................................................... 126
3.4.2.1. Short history of thorium fuel................................................................................. 126
3.4.2.2. Resources of thorium ............................................................................................ 126
3.4.2.3. Fabrication and recycling of thorium fuel............................................................. 127
3.4.2.4. Advantages and disadvantages of the use thorium NFC....................................... 127
3.4.2.5. National research of a thorium NFC in existing reactors...................................... 128
3.4.3. The reduced moderation LWR-MOX recycle case ....................................................... 130
3.4.4. The advanced fuel cycle initiative (AFCI) .................................................................... 130
3.4.5. Other near term NFC options ........................................................................................ 131
3.4.5.1. Two GEN IV once-through NFC.......................................................................... 131
3.4.5.2. The LWR-MOX mono-recycle case ..................................................................... 132
3.5. NFC TECHNOLOGY WITH POTENTIAL INDUSTRIAL DEPLOYMENT
IN 25–50 YEARS .............................................................................................................. 132
3.5.1. Advanced thorium fuel cycles ....................................................................................... 132
3.5.1.1. Advanced reactor designs with thorium NFC....................................................... 132
3.5.1.2. Research on long term application of thorium NFC ............................................. 132
3.5.2. NFC for advanced fast reactors ..................................................................................... 133
3.5.2.1. Basic features of large scale nuclear power systems using the Russian
BREST concept..................................................................................................... 133
3.5.2.2. Generation IV scenarios combining thermal with fast reactors ............................ 134
CHAPTER 4. FRONT END OF NFC.......................................................................................... 135
4.1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 135
4.2. URANIUM RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 135
4.2.1. Exploration of uranium.................................................................................................. 135
4.2.2. Availability and recovery costs of uranium................................................................... 137
4.2.3. Non-conventional uranium resources ............................................................................ 140
4.2.4. Inventories of recyclable fissile and fertile material...................................................... 140
4.3. MINING AND MILLING OF URANIUM ....................................................................... 140
4.3.1. Types of mining............................................................................................................. 140
4.3.2. Suppliers and customers of uranium.............................................................................. 141
4.3.3. Current worldwide uranium production ........................................................................ 142
4.3.4. Worldwide uranium demand ......................................................................................... 143
4.3.5. Current relationship between worldwide uranium demand and supply......................... 144
4.3.6. Projection of worldwide uranium demand and supply till 2030.................................... 145
4.3.7. Environmental aspects of uranium mining and milling................................................. 146
4.4. CONVERSION OF URANIUM........................................................................................ 146
4.4.1. Types of conversion....................................................................................................... 146
4.4.2. Suppliers and customers of conversion ......................................................................... 147
4.4.3. Environmental and safety aspects of conversion........................................................... 148
4.4.4. Future perspectives of conversion ................................................................................. 148
4.5. ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM ....................................................................................... 148
4.5.1. Types of enrichment ...................................................................................................... 148
4.5.2. Uranium enrichment suppliers and customers............................................................... 149
4.5.2.1. Uranium enrichment in the Russian Federation.................................................... 151
4.5.3. Environmental, safety and non-proliferation aspects .................................................... 152
4.5.4. Future perspectives of enrichment technology .............................................................. 152
4.6. FUEL DESIGN, FABRICATION AND OPERATION.................................................... 153
4.6.1. LWR fuel for BWR, PWR and WWER ........................................................................ 153
4.6.1.1. Short historical review .......................................................................................... 153
4.6.1.2. Present situation: International vendors/designers of LWR fuel .......................... 155
4.6.1.3. Today’s operational performance of uranium LWR fuel...................................... 157
4.6.1.4. Fabrication of uranium fuel for LWRs ................................................................. 158
4.6.1.5. Status of safety of LWR uranium fuel .................................................................. 159
4.6.1.6. Future perspectives for LWR uranium fuel .......................................................... 160
4.6.2. Mixed oxide fuel for LWR ............................................................................................ 160
4.6.2.1. Short history of LWR MOX fuel performance ..................................................... 160
4.6.2.2. Development of LWR MOX fuel in the Russian Federation................................ 161
4.6.2.3. Fabrication of LWR MOX fuel............................................................................. 161
4.6.2.4. Future perspectives of LWR MOX technology .................................................... 162
4.6.3. Fuel for PHWR.............................................................................................................. 162
4.6.3.1. History of PHWR fuel .......................................................................................... 162
4.6.3.2. Design and performance of CANDU fuel............................................................. 163
4.6.3.3. Power generation in CANDU fuel ........................................................................ 163
4.6.3.4. Fabrication of PHWR fuel .................................................................................... 164
4.6.3.5. Perspectives of CANDU fuel................................................................................ 164
4.6.4. Fuel for fast reactor (FR) ............................................................................................... 165
4.6.4.1. Short history of FR fuel ........................................................................................ 165
4.6.4.2. Fabrication of UO2 and MOX fuel for FR ............................................................ 166
4.6.4.3. Carbide and nitride fuel for FR............................................................................. 167
4.6.4.4. Future perspectives of fast reactor fuel ................................................................. 167
4.6.5. Fuel for HTGR............................................................................................................... 169
4.6.5.1. History of HTGR fuel ........................................................................................... 169
4.6.5.2. Fabrication of HTGR fuel..................................................................................... 169
4.6.5.3. Future perspectives of HTGR fuel ........................................................................ 169
4.6.6. Fuel for Magnox reactors .............................................................................................. 170
4.6.7. Future advanced fuel designs ........................................................................................ 170
4.6.7.1. Low strain resistant fuel (LSRF)........................................................................... 170
4.6.7.2. Inert matrix fuel (IMF).......................................................................................... 170
CHAPTER 5. BACK END OF NFC............................................................................................ 173
5.1. SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL MANAGEMENT................................................................... 173
5.1.1. Worldwide arisings of spent nuclear fuel ...................................................................... 173
5.1.2. National strategies for management of spent nuclear fuel............................................. 175
5.1.3. Interim storage of spent nuclear fuel ............................................................................. 176
5.2. REPROCESSING AND RECYCLING............................................................................. 178
5.2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 178
5.2.2. Reprocessing technologies ............................................................................................ 179
5.2.3. Russian approach of reprocessing and recycling plutonium from spent fuel
and weapon material...................................................................................................... 183
5.2.4. French approach of plutonium recycling in PWR ......................................................... 183
5.2.5. European approach of plutonium recycling in HTR...................................................... 185
5.2.6. Experimental reprocessing technologies ....................................................................... 187
5.2.7. Future reprocessing perspectives................................................................................... 188
5.2.8. Transportation of nuclear material during recycling ..................................................... 190
5.3. FINAL DISPOSAL OF NUCLEAR WASTE ................................................................... 191
5.3.1. General aspects .............................................................................................................. 191
5.3.2. Overview on national concepts for long term disposition of HLW............................... 192
5.3.3. Near surface final disposal of low and intermediate radioactive waste (LILW) ........... 195
5.3.4. Waste transportation ...................................................................................................... 195
5.4. PARTITIONING AND TRANSMUTATION (P&T) ....................................................... 196
5.4.1. General aspects .............................................................................................................. 196
5.4.2. Technological concepts of ADS for P&T...................................................................... 196
5.4.2.1. ADS/P&T research in Europe............................................................................... 199
5.4.2.2. ADS/P&T research in Asia................................................................................... 199
5.4.2.3. ADS/P&T research in the Russian Federation...................................................... 201
5.4.2.4. ADS/P&T research in the USA ............................................................................ 201
CHAPTER 6. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................... 203
6.1. NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE R&D PERSPECTIVES AND INPRO .................................. 203
6.2. SPECIFIC NEEDS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES..................................................... 203
6.3. LEGAL ASPECTS ............................................................................................................ 204
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................. 207
ANNEX A RUSSIAN CONSIDERATIONS OF A GLOBAL AND/OR REGIONAL
INNOVATIVE NUCLEAR ENERGY SYSTEMS .................................................. 215
ANNEX B MULTILATERAL NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE CENTRES..................................... 232
ABBREVIATIONS...................................................................................................................... 237
CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW.................................................................. 241
CHAPTER 1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1. About INPRO
established in 2001 in response to a resolution by the IAEA General Conference.
Objectives:
INPRO’s objectives are:
• To help to ensure that nuclear energy is available to contribute, in a sustainable manner,

to meeting the energy needs of the 21st century.
• To bring together technology holders and users so that they can consider jointly the
international and national actions required for achieving desired innovations in nuclear
reactors and fuel cycles.
Missions:
INPRO’s missions are:
• To provide a forum for discussion for experts and policy makers from industrialized and
developing countries on all aspects of nuclear energy planning as well as on the
development and deployment of innovative nuclear energy systems in the 21st century.
• To develop a methodology to assess innovative nuclear systems on a global, regional
and national basis, and to establish it as an IAEA recommendation.
• To facilitate coordination and cooperation among Member States for planning of
innovative nuclear system development and deployment.
• To pay particular attention to the needs of developing countries interested in innovative
nuclear systems.
Recognition of INPRO
Since its establishment in 2001, INPRO has received recognition on various high level
occasions, including the following: G8 Summit, Global Energy Security, St. Petersburg, 2006
and the US–Russia Strategic Framework Declaration by US president George W. Bush and
Russian president Vladimir Putin, 2008.
History of INPRO
The 21st century will have the most competitive, globalized markets in human history, the
most rapid pace of technological change ever, and the greatest expansion of energy use,
particularly in developing countries. As IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said at
the 50th IAEA General Conference, in September 2006, technological and institutional
innovation is a key factor in ensuring the benefit from the use of nuclear energy for
sustainability.
initiated in 2001, on the basis of a resolution by the IAEA General Conference in 2000
(GC(44)/RES/21). INPRO activities have since been continuously endorsed by resolutions by
the IAEA General Conferences and by the General Assembly of the United Nations.
1
INPRO provides an open international forum for studying nuclear energy options, the
associated requirements and the potential deployment of innovative nuclear energy systems in
IAEA Member States. INPRO helps to make available knowledge that supports informed
decision making during the development and deployment of innovative nuclear energy
systems and assists Member States in the coordination of related collaborative projects.
INPRO’s initial activity (Phase 1, 2001–2006) focused on the development of an assessment
method, called the INPRO methodology, to be used for screening an innovative nuclear
system (INS), for comparing different INSs to find a preferred one consistent with the
sustainable development of a given State and for identifying R&D needs. The INPRO
methodology, tested for consistency and completeness, has been published and documented in
three IAEA Technical Documents: Guidance for the Evaluation of Innovative Nuclear
Reactors and Fuel Cycles (IAEA-TECDOC-1362), Methodology for the Assessment of
Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (IAEA-TECDOC-1434) and Guidance for the
Application of an Assessment Methodology for Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems
(IAEA-TECDOC-1575 Rev. 1), called the INPRO Manual, consisting of an overview volume
plus a separate volume for each INPRO area of assessment.
INPRO Membership (2008)
As of December 2008, INPRO has 28 members: Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Belgium,

Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, India,
Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of K2orea, Morocco, the Netherlands, Pakistan, the Russian
Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United States of
America and the European Commission (EC).
FIG. 1.1. Members of INPRO in 2008.
1.2. Short history of nuclear energy
Since the startup of Atoms for Peace on 8 December 19531 nuclear energy production can
look back at about 50 years of successful technical and economic development. Today,
1
US president Eisenhower to the United Nations: "The United States pledges before you — and
therefore before the world — its determination to help solve the fearful atomic dilemma — to devote its entire
heart and mind to find the way by which the miraculous inventiveness of man shall not be dedicated to his death,
but consecrated to his life".
2
nuclear energy contributes about 8% primary and 15% electrical energy to the global demand.
Also, with regard to the impact on the environment the overall record of nuclear energy is
definitively positive.
Nevertheless, there is a burden on nuclear energy: public and/or political acceptance. Public
resistance against nuclear energy developed slowly, i.e. it was not there from the very
beginning of the peaceful application of nuclear energy. However, it flared up considerable
due to the Three Mile Island accident in the USA with negligible impact outside the
containment, and even more due to the Chernobyl accident in the former USSR with its
significant regional area contamination and international radioactive fallout. It is well known
that public resistance against the peaceful application of nuclear energy is remarkably
different from one country to another, even where the political systems are comparable.
After its start, and a rapid growth in the 1960s and 1970s, mainly problems of acceptance, but
also other concerns like safety of nuclear power plants, led to a slowdown of the growth of
nuclear energy application worldwide. Again this slowdown is different in different areas of
the world. It is most pronounced in many countries in Europe and in North America. There is
considerable increase in use of nuclear energy in Asia and, at the moment, many developing
countries are eager to step into a pronounced commercial use of nuclear energy if they could
afford the investments for nuclear facilities and the corresponding infrastructure.
Additionally, very recently in the western world there is a renewed interest in nuclear energy
and sometimes the expression of a beginning ‘nuclear renaissance’ is being used within the
worldwide nuclear community.
1.3. Potential of nuclear energy
The growing concerns on the regional and worldwide development of the climate change and
many already existing environmental problems very urgently ask for energy technologies with
minimized impacts on the environment. Basically, nuclear energy has a large potential to
contribute to the protection of the environment as it is one of the energy sources that is not
emitting greenhouse gases.
The technical potential of nuclear energy, currently, is far from being fully used. Practically,
during the last 50 years only electricity has been produced by nuclear power and exclusively
in large electrical nets. The enormous potential of nuclear energy for non-electrical
applications, e.g. for desalination and other industrial processes such as hydrogen production,
coal gasification and liquefaction, and (fossil) fuel upgrading or for heating homes or
greenhouses etc., was generally neglected up till now or development started was not finished
enabling commercial use.
Nuclear energy has shown that it can provide important contributions to other industries, in
particular to the development of improved safety cultures, for example in the area of
industrial safety analysis and practices, in electronic process control and in many other areas.
Therefore, it is reasonable to analyze the present situation on the potential for further
development of nuclear power into the next decades. This analysis has to look backwards and
forwards in time. Looking backwards, of course, not only the successes but also the lessons
learned have to be considered. Assessment of history and the current situation of nuclear
technology with regard to possible future developments has to cover several aspects:
• Economics, i.e. competitiveness with other energy systems.
• Proliferation resistance, i.e. making it impossible to abuse the peaceful application of
this technology, e.g. for ‘regular’ military purposes or for terrorist activities.
• Protection of the environment, not only against harmful radioactivity but also against
unreasonable or insufficient use of resources.
3
• Safety, i.e. to use all possible technical means, if appropriate, preferably passive ones, to
make accidents practically impossible that lead to dangerous consequences to any kind
of living beings, or at least provide sufficient protection from those consequences by
adequate barriers. The so-called ‘defence in depth’ has to be a mandatory concept to
achieve this level of safety.
• Sustainability is also an important issue. Energy remains a strategic commodity, and
ensuring its continuous and stable availability is one important aspect of governments’
ultimate responsibility for national security and economic growth. National
circumstances and policies will determine the mix of fuels necessary to contribute to the
world’s collective energy security, and to address the challenge of achieving sustainable
development.
With regard to future perspectives of NFC services it has to be noted that, currently, such
services are no longer exclusively performed in Europe (OECD countries). Twelve countries
outside of OECD have built fuel cycle facilities, and many steps of the total fuel cycle can be
found under development or in operation in one or more of these countries.
In Annex B of this report explicit consideration is given to the topic of regional or multilateral
fuel cycle centres. As a matter of fact, this idea is very old and the history of many attempts
into this direction is shortly sketched in this chapter. As attractive and basically reasonable
this idea looks, it is a fact that during more than 50 years of nuclear power development not
one of the raised and discussed ideas could be realized. However, it seems that now the
situation becomes more favourable. On the one hand, the international climate for technical
cooperation, particularly for large innovative projects, has improved significantly during the
last 10 to 15 years. On the other hand, a very rapid process of commercial globalization is
underway, driven, inter alia, by a rapid development of the communication technology. Also,
the international political development towards increased radicalism and terrorism clearly
calls for strong international cooperation particularly in such a sensitive area as the
application of nuclear energy technology.
1.4. Outline of the report
The purpose of this report is to provide a general overview and to summarize knowledge
accumulated in IAEA Member States in the area of advanced and innovative nuclear fuel
cycle technologies. This report covers practically all different types of reactors and nuclear
fuel cycle options with a special emphasis on innovative nuclear fuel cycle technologies, and
summarizes technological approaches.
In Chapter 2 a short history, the current status, and future prospects of nuclear power
(addressing all reactor types) are laid out.
Chapter 3 covers the same issues as Chapter 2 (history, current status and prospects),
however, focuses on technology of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Additionally, the nuclear fuel
cycle currently in use in selected countries is shortly presented.
Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 provide detailed information on the front end and on the back end of
the fuel cycle, respectively.
Chapter 6 provides recommendations how to proceed in INPRO regarding nuclear fuel cycle
issues thereby specifically addressing the needs of developing countries.
Annex A presents a Russian study on a sustainable global nuclear energy system.
Annex B discusses the option of multilateral fuel cycle centres.
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CHAPTER 2.
HISTORY, CURRENT STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF NUCLEAR POWER
In the following sections the history of nuclear power is sketched from its very beginning
mentioning the milestones of its development.
2.1. Short history of start of nuclear power
The most important milestones of the development of the scientific basis of nuclear power
technology can be characterized as follows:
In 1934, E. Fermi proposed the ß-decay theory, combining previous work on radiation theory
with Pauli's idea of the neutrino. Following the discovery by Curie and Joliot of artificial
radioactivity (1934), he demonstrated that nuclear transformation occurs in almost every
element subjected to neutron bombardment. This work resulted in the discovery of slow
neutrons that same year.
In 1938, O. Hahn, with the support of L. Meitner and F. Straßmann experimentally proved the
fission by neutrons of the heavy element uranium into much lighter fission products.
On 2 December 1942, within the US military project Manhattan, the first chain reaction
occurred in the Chicago Pile-1 reactor under the leadership of E. Fermi.
Up to today it is a big burden for any application of nuclear technology that its first use was
the development of a nuclear weapon and its application in World War II.
After World War II, the US government encouraged the development of nuclear energy for
peaceful civilian purposes. US Congress created the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
in 1946. The AEC authorized the construction of the Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-I)
at a site in Idaho National Laboratory. The reactor generated in the laboratory the first
electricity from nuclear energy on 20 December 1951. In 1950, president Truman started first
political activities of international importance on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. In 1953,
president Eisenhower proposed his Atoms for Peace programme, which set the course for
civil nuclear energy development in the western world.
Also in the former Soviet Union (USSR), work was started at various development centres to
refine existing and develop new reactor designs for power generation. The existing (military)
graphite-moderated channel-type plutonium production reactor was modified for heat and
electricity generation, and in 1954 the world's first nuclear powered electricity generator at the
Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE) began to supply power to the (then closed)
city of Obninsk.
In the mid-1950s major efforts were undertaken in the USA with the goal to show that nuclear
energy could produce electricity for commercial use.
However, the beginning of this development still was under military control, in the USA as
well as in the former USSR. The main USA effort was under the leadership of Admiral
H. Rickover, which developed the pressurized water reactor (PWR) for military naval
(particularly submarine) use. The PWR developed used enriched uranium oxide fuel and was
moderated and cooled by ordinary (light) water. The Mark 1 prototype naval reactor started
up in March 1953 in Idaho, and the first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus, was
launched in 1954. In 1959, both the USA and the former USSR launched their first
nuclear-powered surface vessels.
In order to encourage the US private industry to take over the development of commercial
nuclear power plants, the AEC sponsored a pilot project with the utility Duquesne Light Co.
5
in Shippingport, Pennsylvania to build a 60 MW plant, which opened in 1957 as a
demonstration programme. The plant was designed by Westinghouse and was based on a
PWR originally developed by Admiral H. Rickover’s navy programme for submarine
propulsion. It operated until 1982. However, the private industry in the USA hesitated to
launch fully commercial plants until the early 1960s.
In the following text the early history of thermal neutron power reactors (water or gas cooled)
in specific countries will be described2.
The first fully commercial power plant, modelled after the BORAX III experimental reactor
(developed by the Argon National Laboratory, ANL, USA) was ordered in 1955 and built in
1959 for Commonwealth Edison in Morris, Illinois, USA. The plant, known as
Dresden Unit One was a 200 MW, dual cycle boiling water reactor (BWR) and started up in
1960.
The break through for nuclear power in the USA occurred in the mid-1960s (mainly in
1966-67), when a kind of ‘gold rush’ of orders for BWRs to General Electric (GE) and
PWRs to Westinghouse (W) began and continued for some years. Both reactor types used
enriched uranium as the fuel in the form of ceramic UO2 canned in metallic cladding tubes,
and light water for moderation and cooling of the core. After first attempts with stainless steel
as cladding tubes, very early Zircaloy-2 for BWR fuel and Zircaloy-4 for PWR fuel became
internationally the standard cladding material in the western countries.
Since in the western hemisphere the USA had a virtual monopoly on uranium enrichment,
several countries originally started nuclear power development on the basis of using natural
uranium.
The UK took a different track than the USA that resulted in a series of reactors fuelled by
natural uranium metal, moderated by graphite, and gas cooled (CO2). The first of these
50 MW(e) Magnox types (Calder Hall-1) started up in 1956 and was still running till 2004.
However, after 1963 (and 26 nuclear units in operation) no more Magnox reactors were built
(and several have been shut down up to now). The UK next continued with the deployment
(1976) of the advanced gas cooled reactor (AGR) units using enriched oxide fuel instead of
metal fuel, before in the early 1990s conceding to the pragmatic virtues of the PWR design
(Westinghouse) and deploying a 1200 MW(e) at Sizewell. Currently, worldwide there are no
gas cooled power reactors operating outside the UK.
France started out with a gas–graphite design similar to Magnox and the first reactor went on
line in 1956 (G-1 in Marcoule). Commercial units began operation in 1963 (Chinon A-1). The
latest unit with this type of reactor was shut down in the middle of the 1990s. Later (starting
towards the end of the 1960s) France settled on three successive generations of standardized
PWRs, based originally on a licence agreement with Westinghouse.
Canadian power reactor development headed down a quite different track using natural
uranium fuel and heavy water as a moderator and coolant. The first unit started up in 1962.
The CANDU (Canadian Deuterium Uranium) design continues to be refined up to today.
In Germany, the very first reactor development also started with natural uranium fuel and
heavy water as a moderator. A demonstration reactor called MZFR was built in the research
centre of Karlsruhe and operated from 1965 to 1984. Additionally, a heavy water moderated
and gas cooled demonstration plant was constructed in Niederaichbach (operating 1973 to
2
The history of high temperature gas cooled reactors and of fast neutron reactors will be discussed
separately in Sections 2.4 and 2.5, respectively.
6
1974). But rather early a basic strategic turn was taken by the industry, to follow the USA
development towards nuclear power plants with BWRs and PWRs. The first commercial
nuclear demonstration plant was a BWR with 15 MW(e), started in 1961 at Kahl/Germany,
based on a licence of General Electric in the USA, followed by a PWR at Obrigheim shortly
thereafter.
In 1964, in the Russian Federation (the former Soviet Union, USSR) the first two nuclear
power plants were commissioned. A 100 MW boiling water graphite channel reactor began
operating in Beloyarsk (Ural). In Novovoronezh (Wolga region), a new design, a small
(210 MW) PWR known as a WWER (voda-vodyanoi energetichesky reaktor = water cooled
power reactor) was built. The first large light water cooled and graphite moderated reactor
called RBMK (1000 MW(e) — high power channel reactor) started up at Sosnovy Bor near
St. Petersburg in 1973 and the same year saw the commissioning of the first of four small
(12 MW) boiling water channel-type units in the eastern Arctic town of Bilibino for the
production of both power and heat. In the Arctic north-west a slightly bigger WWER with a
rated capacity of 440 MW began operating and this became a standard design in these times.
In India, the first commercial nuclear power plant (NPP) was set up at Tarapur, near Mumbai
with two BWR units (TAPS 1&2). These two BWRs of 160 MW(e) capacity each are in
commercial operation since October 1969 and use enriched uranium as fuel. The twelve other
operating commercial NPPs in India are of the pressurised heavy water reactor of 220 MW(e)
(PHWR 220) type. The first PHWR was set up at Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS).
This unit, namely RAPS-1 went into commercial operation in December 1973.
In Japan, construction of the Japan Power Demonstration Reactor (JPDR), which was a BWR
with 12.5 MW(e) was initiated in 1960 by a cooperation of GE and Hitachi in 1960 and was
put into operation in 1963. The first commercial nuclear power plant, Tokai-1 of the Japan
Atomic Power Co. Ltd (JAPCO), a Calder Hall type gas cooled reactor, was completed
in 1966. After this reactor, only light water reactors, either BWRs or PWRs, have been
constructed by JAPCO for nine electric power utility companies. In 1970, three nuclear power
plants, Tsuruga-1 (BWR) of JAPCO, Fukushima-1 (BWR) of Tokyo Electric Power Co. Ltd
(TEPCO) and Mihama-1 (PWR) of Kansai Electric Power Co. Ltd (KEPCO) were completed
and synchronized with the grid.
In the 1950s and 1960s, there were also several other thermal neutron reactor concepts under
investigation, some of them looking rather exotic at that time like a molten salt reactor with
various core design concepts. None of them were ever built as commercial reactors in these
years.
The 1970s and 1980s, were the two decades when the use of nuclear power for generation of
electricity was rapidly spreading internationally, in Europe (mainly in Belgium, France,
Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK), in Middle and South America (in
Argentina, Brazil and Mexico), and also in the Far East, first in Japan and later also in the
Republic of Korea, and also in India and China. In most cases, the LWR types BWR and
PWR were built, but also HWRs, e.g. in Argentina (Canadian and German concepts) and in
India and in Romania (Canadian concepts). In this time, the reactor sizes, in particular of the
LWRs increased stepwise to 600, 900 and finally to 1100–1200 MW(e) units. This increase
was mainly driven by economic reasons, because in parallel to a continuous improvement of
the reactor technology also the construction cost (and time) was increasing in most countries
partly due to increasing regulatory demands.
The cost advantage in comparison to other energy sources was most pronounced where
nuclear power plants could be operated in base load. In most cases, it was possible to keep the
power production cost below or at least close to other (conventional) energy systems, because
7
in parallel with the technological development of reactors and nuclear fuel, also the reliability,
expressed in availability of the plant for production increased continuously. Already in the
1980s, some plants exceeded an availability factor of 90% and today this is the standard to be
applied to every well-managed nuclear power station in the world.
Basically, the above-discussed improvement of economics and reliability during the 1970s
and 1980s was achieved also for the Russian LWR reactor designs, i.e. the WWER-440 and
later the WWER-1000.
2.2. Current status of nuclear power
The current worldwide situation of nuclear power (based on Refs [5–7]) is laid out in the
following3 section.
2.2.1. Current status of nuclear power worldwide
During about the last ten years up to now the total number of operating nuclear power plants
is almost stagnant, i.e. around 440. By the end of 2007, this number was 435 in 31 countries.
The nuclear reactors are currently producing approximately 16% of the world’s electricity.
Two new nuclear power stations have been connected to the grid in 2006 (one in India and
one in China), and 7 are expected to be connected in 2007 (four in India, and one each in
China, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Romania); this compares to two in 2003, five in 2004,
and four in 2005. There were eight nuclear power plant retirements in 2006, compared to two
in 2005, five in 2004, and six in 2003.
Figure 2.1 below shows the geographical locations of nuclear power plants in the world.
FIG. 2.1. Geographical locations of NPP in the world.

The power plants are concentrated in Western Europe and the eastern part of the USA.
Table 2.1 provides a worldwide overview of nuclear reactors in operation and under
construction (as of end of 2006).
3
The status of nuclear power programmes in specific countries is presented thereafter shortly in
Sections 2.2.2 to 2.2.10.
8
TABLE 2.1. NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS IN OPERATION AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THE WORLD (TABLE FROM
PRIS 2006)
9
TABLE 2.1. NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS IN OPERATION AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THE WORLD (TABLE FROM
PRIS 2006) (cont.)
In 2007, Browns Ferry 1 of TVA in the USA was restarted based on an extensive upgrading project.
10
Distribution of Operational NPPs by Type
(Percentage by Capacity, Total = 371.6 Gwe)
BWR
22.9%
FBR
0.2%
GCR
2.4%
LWGR
PHWR 3.1%
PWR
6.0%
65.4%
FIG. 2.2 Types of nuclear reactors in operation (2007).

Figure 2.2 shows that a big majority (~88%) of the above-referred nuclear capacity belongs to
power plants with light water cooled reactors (PWR, BWR and WWER). More than 40 plants
with together about 25 GW(e) (gross) are D2O moderated (i.e. HWRs), most of them of the
CANDU type; this corresponds to 6% of the nuclear world capacity. In the UK, there are
9 GW(e) installed in 18 plants of the gas cooled types GGR and AGR (i.e. the gas cooled
Magnox type and the advanced gas cooled reactors); this is about 2% of the nuclear world
capacity. Finally, there are 15 Russian RBMK (or LWGR) plants that cover about 10 GW(e)
(gross) corresponding to 3%. There is a single RBMK running outside the Russian
Federation, i.e. in Lithuania.
Nuclear power (i.e. electricity) production being competitive achieved a high level
internationally, but probable not as high as theoretically possible as this level was influenced
not only by technological factors. Besides influences of market prices for labour and material
there was and there is a strong political influence, which varies from country to country. One
politically caused fact is the liberalization of the market for electrical power, which started
first in North America and now also proceeds in Europe. In principle, it can be stated that the
nuclear power production has been and also will be competitive in any reasonable energy mix
policy.
The reliability of commercial nuclear power plants has improved dramatically during the last
decade. While the world average nuclear power plant availability in 1991 was 74%, by the
end of 2001 it had improved to over 83% and was around 85% in 2002 [8, 10].
The safety of nuclear power stations has achieved a very high level internationally. In fact,
since the severe accident at Chernobyl there was no accident in a nuclear power station that
caused serious harm to the people in and outside the plant, and to the environment. In
principle, it may be stated here that the power reactor technology in the past was always able
to follow the demands of increasing safety requirements and there is no reasonable argument
visible why it should not be able to do so in the future.
In the following Sections 2.2.2 to 2.2.9 the current status (2005) of nuclear power in selected
countries (Canada, China, France, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea,
11
the Russian Federation, and the USA) is laid out in some detail [11]. In Section 2.2.10 a short
summary of the situation in other countries with operating nuclear power plants is presented.
2.2.2. Current status of nuclear power in Canada
As of end of 2006, 18 reactors are in operation in Canada producing about 15% of the
electricity. In 1997, after a performance assessment eight CANDU reactors were shut down
for refurbishment. Till 2005, four of these units were restarted. The remaining four units are
planned to be restarted in the future too. In one Canadian state (Alberta) plans have been
announced during 2007 to order a new nuclear power plant that should be used to produce
heat needed to extract oil from oil sands.
2.2.3. Current status of nuclear power in China
Moves to build nuclear power commenced in mainland China in 1970 and the nuclear
industry has now moved to a steady development phase. Technology transfer has been
received originally from France, Canada and the Russian Federation, with national
development of PWRs based largely on French design. In 2010, the State Power Grid
Corporation expects to supply 3810 billion kW·h (by all energy sources) with 852 GW(e)
installed capacity. Growth of capacity is then expected to slow down towards 2020, when
installed capacity is expected to reach 1330 GW(e).
Nuclear power has an important role in energy supply, especially in the coastal areas remote
from the coalfields and where the economy is developing rapidly. In 2006, nuclear power
provided 51.8 billion kW·h — 1.9% of total, and there was a capacity of 8.6 GW(e) installed.
The government plans to increase nuclear generating capacity to 40 GW(e) by 2020, with an
additional 18 GW(e) nuclear capacity being under construction then, requiring an average of
2 GW(e) per year being added. In May 2007, the National Development and Reform
Commission announced that its target for nuclear generation capacity in 2030 was
160 GW(e).
The first two nuclear power plants in mainland China were at Daya Bay near Hong Kong
(China) and Qinshan, south of Shanghai, with construction starting in the mid-1980s.
Table 2.2 shows the currently operating plants.
TABLE 2.2. OPERATING NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS IN CHINA
Units Province Type Net capacity (each) Start operation* Operator

Daya Bay-1&2 Guangdong PWR 944 MW(e) 1994 CGNPC
Qinshan-1 Zhejiang PWR 279 MW(e) April 1994 CNNC
Qinshan-2&3 Zhejiang PWR 610 MW(e) 2002, 2004 CNNC
Lingao-1&2 Guangdong PWR 935 MW(e) 2002, 2003 CGNPC
Qinshan-4&5 Zhejiang PHWR 665 MW(e) 2002, 2003 CNNC
Tianwan-1 Jiangsu PWR (WWER) 1000 MW(e) 2007 CNNC
Tianwan-2 Jiangsu PWR (WWER) 1000 MW(e) 2007 CNNC
Total (11) 8587 MW(e)
* dates are for start of commercial operation.
In May 2004, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) applied to build eight
(4 pairs) of large new reactors:
12
• Lingao phase 2 (Lingdong) in Guangdong province, to duplicate the CPR-1000 Lingao
nuclear plant, based on the same French technology as phase 1;
• Qinshan phase 4 in Zhejiang province, duplicating the indigenous CNP-600 units,
upgraded to 650 MW(e);
• Sanmen, in the Zhejiang province, and Yangjiang, in Guangdong province, 500 km
west of Hong Kong (China), using advanced foreign technology and design.
The eleventh 5-year plan 2006–2010 has firmer environmental goals than previously,
including a reduction of 20% in the amount of energy required per unit of GDP, i.e. a 4%
reduction per year.
Nuclear power developments originally proposed in the eleventh 5-year plan included:
• four CNP/CPR-1000 units at Hongyanhe, Liaoning province (NE);
• two 1000 MW(e) units at Haiyang, Shandong province (now a 1100 MW(e) AP-1000);
• two 1000 MW(e) units at Hui'an, Fujian province;
• two units at Hongshiding, Shandong province;
• two units at Tianwei, Lufeng in Guangdong province;
• two units at Taishan Yaogu in Guangdong.
China Power Investment Corporation (CPI) announced that it expected to start construction of
the first plants in 2006. CPI is also expected to determine where the next Generation III
reactor is built.
More than 16 provinces, regions and municipalities have announced intentions to build
nuclear power plants in the twelfth 5-year plan 2011–2015. These include Henan and
Sichuan, as well as those listed above — most of which have a preliminary project approval
by the central government but are not necessarily scheduled for construction. Provinces will
put together firm proposals with reactor vendors by 2008 and submit them to the central
government's National Development and Reform Commission for approval before 2010.
Plans have been announced to build a prototype pebble bed gas cooled reactor within the next
10 years.
2.2.4. Current status of nuclear power in France
Fifty-nine reactors are in operation in France and supply about 78% of its electricity. A plan
was announced to start construction of a new reactor (1.6 GW(e) EPR type) at Flammanville
in 2007–2008 with operation expected to begin in 2012–2013. Power uprates were approved
for four of the latest designed PWRs (Type N4).
France is firmly committed to nuclear power. Figure 2.3 shows an exemplary long term
scenario of the French nuclear power system.
13
FIG. 2.3. Example of a French nuclear scenario.
The scenario shows a constant nuclear power production of the current fleet of reactors till
about 2025, and thereafter a slight decrease (of about 15%) till 2040, followed by a constant
supply of power. A licence extension of current plants is taken into account, Generation III
reactors (see Section 2.6.1) would start to replace retired plants of the current generation in
2025, and finally after about 2040 Generation IV reactors would be added.
2.2.5. Current status of nuclear power in India
The Atomic Energy Establishment was set up at Trombay, near Mumbai, in 1957 and
renamed as Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) ten years later. Plans for building the
first pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) were finalised in 1964, and this prototype —
Rawatbhata-1, which had Canada's Douglas Point reactor as a reference unit, was built as a
collaborative venture between Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd and NPCIL. It started up in
1972 and was duplicated; subsequent indigenous PHWR development has been based on
these units.
India's nuclear power programme proceeds largely without fuel or technological assistance
from other countries. Till the mid-1990s its power reactors had some of the world's lowest
capacity factors, reflecting the technical difficulties of the country's isolation, but rose
impressively from 60% in 1995 to 85% in 2001–2002. India's nuclear energy self-sufficiency
extends from uranium exploration and mining through fuel fabrication, heavy water
production, reactor design and construction, to reprocessing and waste management. It has an
operating small fast breeder reactor and is building a much larger one. It is also developing
technology to utilize its abundant resources of thorium as a nuclear fuel.
Electricity demand in India has been increasing rapidly, and the 534 billion kilowatt hours
produced in 2002 was almost double the 1990 output, though still representing only 505 kW·h
per capita in this year. This per capita figure is expected to almost triple by 2020, with 6.3%
annual growth. Coal provides over half of the electricity at present, but national reserves are
limited.
Nuclear power supplied 15.6 billion kW·h (2.6%) of India's electricity in 2006 from
3.5 GW(e) (of 110 GW(e) total) capacity and this will increase steadily as new nuclear plants
come on line. India's fuel situation, with shortage of fossil fuels, is driving the nuclear
investment for electricity, and 25% nuclear contribution is foreseen by 2050, i.e. one hundred
times the 2002 capacity. Almost as much investment is necessary in the grid system as in
power plants. In 2006, about US $9 billion was committed for power projects, including
9354 MW(e) of new generating capacity, taking forward projects to 43.6 GW(e) and
US $51 billion. In 2007, a report (KPMG) said that India needed to spend
14
US $120-150 billion on power infrastructure over the next five years, including transmission
and distribution. It said that distribution losses are currently some 30–40%, worth more than
US $6 billion per year.
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is responsible for design, construction,
commissioning and operation of thermal nuclear power plants; it has 15 small and two
mid-sized nuclear power reactors in commercial operation, six under construction —
including two large ones (WWER type) and a fast breeder reactor, and more are planned.
TABLE 2.3. INDIA’s OPERATING NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS
Reactor Type MW(e) net, Commercial operation Safeguards

each status
Tarapur 1&2 BWR 150 1969 site-specific
Kaiga 1&2 PHWR 202 1999–2000
Kaiga 3 PHWR 202 2007
Kakrapar 1&2 PHWR 202 1993–95 by 2012
Kalpakkam 1&2 (MAPS) PHWR 202 1984–86
Narora 1&2 PHWR 202 1991–92 by 2014
Rawatbhata 1 PHWR 90 1973 site-specific
Rawatbhata 2 PHWR 187 1981 site-specific
Rawatbhata 3&4 PHWR 202 1999–2000 by 2010
Tarapur 3&4 PHWR 490 2006
Total (17) 3779
2.2.6. Current status of nuclear power in Japan
Japanese energy policy has been driven by considerations of energy security and the need to
minimise dependence on imports. The main elements of the strategy regarding nuclear power
are:
• Continue to have nuclear power as a major element of electricity production.
• Recycle uranium and plutonium from spent fuel, initially in LWRs, and start
reprocessing domestically from 2005 onwards.
• Develop fast breeder reactors continuously in order to improve uranium utilisation
significantly.
• Promote nuclear energy to the public, emphasising safety and non-proliferation.
In 2004, Japan's Atomic Industrial Forum released a report on the future prospects for nuclear
power in the country. It integrated several considerations including a 60% reduction in carbon
dioxide emissions and a 20% reduction in population (but with a constant gross domestic
product). Projected nuclear generating capacity in 2050 is 90 GW(e). This would require
doubling both nuclear generating capacity and nuclear share to about 60% of total power
generated. In addition, some 20 GW(th) of nuclear heat could be utilised for hydrogen
production. Hydrogen is expected to supply 10% of consumed energy and 70% of this could
come from nuclear plants in 2050.
In July 2005, the Atomic Energy Commission reaffirmed policy directions for nuclear power
in Japan, while confirming that the immediate focus would be on LWRs. The main elements
are that a 30–40% share or more shall be the target of nuclear power for total generation
after 2030, including replacement of current plants with advanced light water reactors. Fast
15
breeder reactors should be introduced commercially, but not until about 2050. Used fuel
should be reprocessed domestically to recover fissile material for use in MOX fuel. Disposal
of high level wastes will be addressed after 2010.
In April 2006, the Institute of Energy Economics Japan forecast for 2030 that while primary
energy demand will decrease 10% electricity use will increase and nuclear share will be 41%
of 63 GW(e) (total capacity estimated in 2030). Ten new units would come on line by 2030
and Tsuruga-1 would be retired.
In May 2006, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party urged the government to accelerate
development of fast breeder reactors (FR), calling them "a basic national technology". It
proposed an increased budget, better coordination in moving from R&D to verification and
implementation, plus increased international cooperation. Japan is already playing a leading
role in the Generation IV initiative, with focus on sodium cooled FR.
Since 1970, 28 BWRs (including two ABWRs) and 23 PWRs have been brought into
operation.
The first ABWR (of 1315 MW(e)) were Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s (Tepco's) Kashiwazaki-
Kariwa units 6 and 7 which started up in 1996–1997, and Shika-2 and Hamaoka-5 that started
up in 2005. These units were built by a consortium of General Electric (USA), Toshiba and
Hitachi. Two further ABWR — Ohma and Shimane-3 — are currently being commissioned
or are under construction.
TABLE 2.4. JAPANESE REACTORS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Reactor Type Net capacity MW(e) Utility Construction start Operation*

Tomari-3 PWR 912 Hokkaido 2003 2009
Shimane-3 ABWR 1373 Chugoku 2006 2012

Ohma ABWR 1383 EPDC 2007 2013
Total (3) 3668
* according to latest announcements 2007 Ohma is being reviewed by regulatory authorities.
TABLE 2.5. JAPANESE REACTORS PLANNED, ON ORDER OR INVITED
Reactor Type MW(e) Utility Start * Start *

(each) construction operation
Tsuruga 3&4 APWR 1538 JAPC 2010 2016–2017
Fukushima I - 7&8 ABWR 1380 Tepco 2009 2012–2013
Higashidori 1&2 ABWR 1385 Tepco 2008&2010 2014&2016
Kaminoseki 1&2 ABWR 1373 Chugoku 2009&2012 2014&2017
Higashidori 2 ABWR 1385 Tohoku 2013 2017
Namie-odaka BWR 825 Tohoku 2013 2017
Sendai 3 PWR 1100 Kyushu invited by local community
Total (11) 14662
* according to latest announcements 2007 Tsuruga 3-4 is being reviewed by regulatory authorities.
After some delay due to sitting problems, units 3&4 of the Tsuruga nuclear power plant have
been approved by the Fukui prefecture, and Japan Atomic Power Co has sought government
approval for construction. The approval process is likely to take two years, and construction
16
— estimated at 770 billion yen (US $7.4 billion) — is due to start in 2010 with commercial
operation in 2016–2017.
The Electric Power Development Corp has sought permission to build its Ohma nuclear plant
— a 1383 MW(e) advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR) — in the Aomori prefecture.
Construction started in August 2007 for commissioning in 2013. Apart from the Fugen
experimental advanced thermal reactor (ATR), this would be the first Japanese reactor built to
run solely on mixed oxide (MOX) fuel incorporating recycled plutonium.
2.2.7. Current status in the Republic of Korea
There is a continuing increase in electricity demand in the Republic of Korea. Economic

growth and requirement for a better quality of life are the main reasons for the increased
demand. It increased about seven times in 20 years since 1980 with an average annual growth
rate of 10.3%; the anticipated average annual growth rate from the year 2003 to the year 2015
is estimated to reach 2.8%. Thus, the Republic of Korea must continuously increase the
supply of electricity in order to meet the demand. However, the availability of conventional
energy resources is very limited in the Republic of Korea: no oil, little natural gas and limited
hydro power (see Fig. 2.4).
FIG. 2.4. Energy sources in the Republic of Korea.

There is coal mining, but utilization of coal is limited due to harmful environmental impacts.
The role of nuclear power in electricity generation is expected to become more important in
the Republic of Korea in the years to come due to increasing electricity demand and (as said
above) limited national resources. The first commercial nuclear power plant Kori Unit 1
started its operation in 1978; currently there are 16 PWRs and 4 PHWRs in operation as
shown in Table 2.6, and eight under construction (Table 2.4).
17
TABLE 2.6. POWER REACTORS OPERATING IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Reactor Type Net capacity Operation

Kori 1 PWR 570 MW(e) 4/78
Wolsong 1 PHWR 635 MW(e) 4/83
Yonggwang 1 PWR 945 MW(e) 8/86
Yonggwang 2 PWR 945 MW(e) 6/87
Ulchin 1 PWR 950 MW(e) 9/88
Ulchin 2 PWR 950 MW(e) 9/89
Yonggwang 3 PWR (Syst 80) 989 MW(e) 12/95
Yonggwang 4 PWR (Syst 80) 989 MW(e) 3/96
Ulchin 3 PWR (KSNP) 995 MW(e) 8/98
Yonggwang 5 PWR (KSNP) 1000 MW(e) 5/02
Yonggwang 6 PWR (KSNP) 1000 MW(e) 12/02
Total: 20 17533 MW(e)
Net capacities updated from NEI August 2006.
In 2005, the capacity factor for Korean power reactors averaged 96.5%, i.e. one of the highest
in the world.
TABLE 2.7. POWER REACTORS UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR ON ORDER IN THE
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Reactor Type Net capacity Startup*

Shin Kori 1 OPR-1000 950 MW(e) 2010
Shin Kori 2 OPR-1000 950 MW(e) 2011
Shin Wolsong 1 OPR-1000 950 MW(e) 2011
Shin Wolsong 2 OPR-1000 950 MW(e) 2012
Shin Kori 3 APR-1400 1350 MW(e) 2013
Shin Kori 4 APR-1400 1350 MW(e) 2014
Shin Ulchin 1 APR-1400 1350 MW(e) 2015
Shin Ulchin 2 APR-1400 1350 MW(e) 2016
Total 8 9400 MW(e)
* Latest announced commercial operation.
KHNP and MOST are negotiating licence renewals to extend operating lifetimes by ten years,
starting with Kori-1 and Wolsong-1. Power uprates of most units occurred at the end of 2005,
18
totalling 693 MW(e) and reflecting the fact that they had been declaring load factors of over
100% for some time.
In 2005, permits for construction of Shin Kori 1&2 and Shin Wolsong 1&2 were authorised.
Some construction of Shin Kori 1&2 commenced in November 2005 and at Shin
Wolsong 1&2 in June 2006. First concrete for Shin Kori 1 was poured in June 2006 and that
for unit 2 is due August 2007. For Shin Wolsong first concrete is due June 2007 for unit 1 and
June 2008 for unit 2. In 2005, the KSNP/KSNP+ was rebranded as OPR-1000 (optimised
power reactor) apparently for Asian markets, particularly Indonesia and Vietnam. Eight
operating units and four under construction are now designated OPR-1000. KHNP is hoping
to interest China in the APR-1400. Construction of the first pair of third generation APR-1400
reactors — Shin Kori 3&4 — was authorised in 2006. In August 2006, KHNP placed a
US $1.2 billion order with Doosan Heavy Industries for major components of these.
Westinghouse has a US $300 million contract with Doosan for part of this order. KHNP
expects the APR-1400 reactors to cost a total of US $5 billion (US $1850/kWinstalled) and to
generate power at US $0.035/kW·h. First concrete is expected to be poured in October 2008,
and construction time of 51 months is envisaged.
2.2.8. Current status of nuclear power in the Russian Federation
The Russian Federation’s commercial nuclear plants, with 31 operating reactors totalling
21743 MW(e), comprise:
• four first generation WWER-440/230 or similar pressurised water reactors;
• two second generation WWER-440/213 pressurised water reactors;
• nine third generation WWER-1000 pressurised water reactors with a full containment
structure;
• eleven RBMK light water graphite reactors now unique to the Russian Federation (apart
from a single larger unit in Lithuania). The four oldest of these were commissioned in
the 1970s at Kursk and St. Petersburg and are of some concern to the western world. A
further unit is under construction at Kursk;
• four small graphite-moderated BWR reactors in eastern Siberia, constructed in the
1970s for cogeneration (EGP-6 models);
• one BN-600 fast-breeder reactor.
Apart from Bilibino, several other Russian reactors also supply district heating — a total of
over 8 PJ/a in addition to electricity.
Generally, reactors are licensed in the Russian Federation for 30 years after reaching first full
power. Late in 2000, plans were announced for licensing extensions of twelve first generation
reactors (Leningrad 1&2, Kursk 1&2, Kola 1&2, Bilibino 1-4, Novovoronezh 3&4) totalling
5.7 GW(e), and the extension period envisaged is now 15 years, necessitating major
investment in refurbishing them starting 2006. So far, three 15-year extensions have been
achieved for Novovoronezh 3&4, Kursk 1&2, Kola 1&2 and Leningrad 1&2. The
Bilibino 1&2 units have been granted a 5-year licence extension. Replacement of all these
twelve units after 2015–2020 is planned.
In 2006, Rosatom announced it was considering licensing extensions for and uprating of its
eleven operating RBMK reactors. Following significant design modifications made after the
Chernobyl accident, as well as extensive refurbishment including replacement of fuel
channels, a 45-year lifetime is seen as realistic for the 1000 MW(e) units. In 2005, the
RBMKs provided 48% of the Russian Federation's nuclear-generated electricity. The R&D
Institute of Power Engineering is preparing plans for a 5% uprating of some of the units — at
Leningrad, Kursk and Smolensk. Several more reactors have been under construction. A
19
mid-2006 announcement pledged US $665 million in 2007 towards completing
Rostov/Volgodonsk-2, Kalinin-4 and Beloyarsk-4.
In September 2006, Rosatom announced a target for nuclear power providing 23% of
electricity by 2020, thus commissioning two 1200 MW(e) plants per year from 2011 to 2014
and then three per year until 2020 — some 31 GW(e) and achieving some 44000 MW(e) of
nuclear capacity then.
In October 2006, the Russian Federation formally adopted a US $55 billion nuclear energy
development programme, with US $26 billion of this to 2015 coming from the federal budget.
The balance will be from industry (Rosatom) funds and no private investment is involved.
The Minister of Finance strongly supported the programme to increase nuclear share from
15.6% to 18.6% of total, hence improving energy security as well as promoting exports of
nuclear power technology. After 2015, the complete funding of the nuclear power programme
will come from Rosatom revenues.
Apart from completing units under construction there will be three standard third generation
WWER reactors built: at Leningrad (two units as stage 2) and Novovoronezh (unit 6) to be
commissioned 2012–2013. The first unit at each site is expected to cost US $3.0–3.7 billion.
In April 2007, the government approved in principle a construction programme to 2020 for
electricity-generating plants. It is designed to maximise the share of electricity produced by
nuclear, coal, and hydro while reducing the role of natural gas. Putting the planned units
together with Kursk 5 unit under construction one gets:
TABLE 2.8. MAJOR POWER REACTORS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND PLANNED
IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Plant Type MW(e) Status Commercial

operation
Volgodonsk 2 V-320 1000 Construction 2009
Kursk 5 RBMK-1000 1000 Construction 2010
Kalinin 4 V-320 1000 Construction 2011
Beloyarsk 4 BN-800 FBR 800 Construction 2012
Novovoronezh II-1 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1200 Construction 2012
Novovoronezh II-2 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1200 Planned 2013
Leningrad II-1 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1200 Planned 2013
Volgodonsk 3 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1000 Planned 2014
Kursk II-1 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1200 Planned 2015
Volgodonsk 4 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1000 Planned 2016
Kursk II-2 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1200 Planned 2017
Smolensk II-1 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1200 Proposed 2017
Kursk II-3 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1200 Proposed 2018
20
TABLE 2.8. MAJOR POWER REACTORS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND PLANNED
IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION (cont.)
Plant Type MW(e) Status Commercial

operation
Kursk II-4 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1200 Proposed 2019
Kola II-1 AES-2006/ WWER-1200 1000 Proposed 2020
2.2.9. Current status of nuclear power in the USA
Although no new plants are constructed in the USA, uprates of existing power plants
continued to increase installed capacity (as of 2005, 4.2 GW(e) of net capacity was added,
application for additional 1.1 GW(e) are pending). As of 2007, the USNRC granted 20-year
licence extensions for 48 reactors and is working on additional licence applications for
27 reactors. The nuclear power plant Browns Ferry-1 (shut down since 1985) was restarted in
2007. Recently, several consortia of utilities have applied for construction and operation
licences of new reactors (Generation III+).
The nuclear policy of the US government has recently changed as demonstrated by the GNEP
initiative (see Section 2.6.2).
2.2.10. Current status of other nuclear power programmes
In this section a short summary of other ongoing nuclear power programmes in the world (not
presented before) is provided (based on Ref. [9]).
Argentina
Decision to restart construction of Atucha-2 has been made by the government (plant is ~80%
complete).
Belgium
In 2003, the government’s policy to phase out nuclear power was confirmed by the Senate.
The first reactor shut down would occur around 2015. Despite the phase out policy upgrading
of the 7 operating units is ongoing.
In 2007, for the government a report has been issued by a commission for the analysis of the
Belgian energy policy towards 2030 (Commission Energy 2030). The report emphasizes the
disadvantages of the current nuclear phase out policy and recommends considering all energy
options including nuclear especially to be able to fulfil the obligations of the Kyoto Protocol.
Brazil
Construction of Anga-3 is being planned.
Bulgaria
In November 2006, the Russian Federation and Bulgaria have signed an agreement on the
construction of the Belene NPP. The construction project of Belene NPP implies
commissioning of two WWER-1000 units.
21
Main advantages of WWER-1000 design for Belene NPP:
• The safety measures are a combination of traditional active and modern passive safety
systems and includes also means for beyond design basis accident management.
• Optimal costs and length of construction time (commissioning of Unit 1 and 2 will be in
2011 and 2013 respectively).
• Balanced combination of Russian and European experience in nuclear engineering.
The design ensures obtaining higher performance characteristics by means of:
• reduction of outage time;
• extension of main equipment service life up to 60 years;
• increase of installed power factor up to 90%;
• capabilities of heat generation for home heating demand.
Czech Republic
The nuclear unit Temelin-2 (WWER-1000) was added to the grid in 2003.
Finland
Okiluoto was selected as the site for the 5th nuclear power plant in Finland. The construction
of the new unit — a 1600 MW(e) EPR — started in 2005.
Germany
The phase out policy is still being maintained. As a result of this policy, two units (Stade and
Obrigheim) have been shut down in 2003 and 2005, respectively.
Hungary
Plans have been announced to uprate by about 10% and to extend the lifetime of the Paks
nuclear units for up to 20 years.
Islamic Republic of Iran
Construction of Busher-1 is finished. The construction of Busher-2 is planned.
Kazakhstan
A nuclear reactor is planned to be built with operation expected to start in 2015.
Lithuania
One of the two nuclear units (RBMK) was shut down in 2004 in accordance with an
agreement with the European Union. The second unit is planned to be shut down in 2009. The
government is in the planning stage for a new reactor.
Mexico
Uprating of the existing two BWR units is planned.
Netherlands
The planned shutdown of the single nuclear unit in the country was changed and the plant got
a licence to operate at least till 2013. It is further planned to extend the operating licence till
2033.
Pakistan
A third nuclear reactor is to be built with operation expected to begin in 2010. A licence
extension of 15 years has been authorized for the nuclear unit Kanupp.
22
Romania
Start of operation of Cernavoda-2 (CANDU) plant is planned in 2007. The government plans
additionally to construct Cernavoda-3 (CANDU).
Slovakia
One plant (Bohunice-1) has been shut down in 2006 and a second one (Bohunice-2) is
planned to be shut down in 2008 as part of an agreement with the European Union. Plans have
been announced to complete nuclear units Mohovce-3 and 4 with operation expected to begin
after 2009.
South Africa
Development of the pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR) is ongoing (see Section 2.4.6).
Additionally, plans are being developed to add additional LWRs to the existing two PWR
units.
Spain
The government is planning to enact a phase out policy but no specific time table has been
defined. One unit (Jose Cabrera) was shut down in 2006.
Sweden
The government remains committed to the phase out policy over the next 30 to 40 years.
However, power uprates of the existing units are planned.
Switzerland
In 2005, a new nuclear law was adopted that keeps open the option for deploying new nuclear
units and does not limit lifetime of existing units.
Ukraine
One unit (Khmelnitsky-3, WWER-1000) is under construction (expected start of operation in
2012) and a second one is planned to be completed shortly. A lifetime extension of 15 years
of the operating nuclear units is planned. Additional 20 TW(e) nuclear capacity should be
commissioned until 2030.
United Kingdom
Due to economical reasons (low electricity prices) nine gas cooled power reactors
(Magnox type) were shut down till 2007. The remaining gas cooled reactors (AGR type) are
scheduled to be shut down beginning in 2011 till 2023. The PWR at Sizewell is supposed to
be shut down in 2034. The option to build new nuclear power plants in the future is being
discussed in public hearings. In 2007, the UK government announced to include several new
nuclear units (replacing old ones) into their energy plan to assure a balanced supply of energy
and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
2.3. Development of water cooled reactors
This and the following sections provide some illustrative examples of reactor designs
currently under development in different countries in the form of a short overview. Detailed
information on the status of ongoing development of nuclear reactors can be found in
Refs [10–14].
At first, the water cooled designs will be laid out. During the last decades continuous
technical development of the classical water cooled nuclear reactor systems has been
23
performed. In the following sections examples of such advanced LWR as well as HWR
systems are shortly presented.
2.3.1. WCR developments in Argentina
Since more than a decade an innovative small PWR concept is under development in
Argentina, which is called CAREM (Fig. 2.5). The main design goal is to create a small
reactor system suitable for developing countries with small grids. Also a special focus is on
the inherent safety of the system.
Main features
- Thermal power: 100 MW(th)
- Electric power: 25 MW(e)
- Simple, modular and safe design
- Integrated primary circuit
- Natural convection cooling
- Self-pressurization
- Passive shutdown and emergency cooling systems
- Fuel: Enriched uranium
- Moderator/coolant: Light water
Applications
- Electric power generation
- Water desalinization
FIG. 2.5. CAREM PWR concept [15, 16].

The CAREM primary system is fully contained inside the pressure vessel, to reduce the
possibility of a large loss of coolant accident. Also the reactor concept foresees:
• a self-pressurized system with passive safety (natural circulation);
• internal control rod drives;
• other safety features, like two independent shutdown systems (AgInCd and boron, both
gravidity driven), a residual heat removal system, an emergency injection system and a
pressure suppression type containment.
The CAREM-25 type will operate at 100 MW(th) (27 MW(e)), with low enriched uranium
fuel (initial enrichment 3.4%) [16]. Recently, studies have been performed to increase the
power output up to 300 MW(e).
2.3.2. WCR developments in Canada
Canada has continued to build on the success of its proven CANDU-6 design (Fig. 2.6), a
pressure tube reactor with heavy water as moderator and coolant. New CANDU-6 reactors,
such as those built in China, include evolutionary improvements to the design and materials
used in the reactor systems. Because of its pressure-tube design, high neutron economy and
24
on-line refuelling, it would be easily adaptable to a number of fuel cycles ranging from the
use of natural uranium, slightly enriched uranium, recovered uranium from reprocessed PWR
or BWR fuel, MOX fuel, or direct use of spent PWR fuel (the DUPIC fuel cycle) in CANDU
reactors. The reactor would also be capable of utilizing thorium-based fuel, or even inert
matrix fuels. The latest design of this type of CANDU reactor is called CANDU-9 with a
capacity of about 900 MW(e).
E v o lu tio n o f th e C A N D U C AND U X
R e a c to r 50 - 85 y ea rs
C A N D U SC W R
25-60 y ear s n
Innovation
io
ul t
o
E v
A d v a nc e d
C A N D U R ea c to r u c t
3-35 y e ars od Co n tinu a lly e n ha n ce b o th
P r
th e de s ig n an d
ap p lic a tio n s, b u t m a in ta in
th e C AN D U c o nc e pt
C u rren t 20 30 40 50 60 70
G en e ration C AN D U
Y e a rs from tod a y
FIG. 2.6. Evolution of the CANDU reactor (starting in 2004).
Advanced CANDU reactor (ACR-700)
The ACR (Fig. 2.7) is a heavy water moderated but light water cooled, pressure-tube reactor
with a smaller lattice pitch than the CANDU-6 reactor. Like earlier CANDU reactors, the
ACR has a small, simple fuel bundle design and on-power refuelling. It shares the fuel cycle
flexibility of the CANDU-6 and, because of its larger size, has somewhat improved neutron
economy and achieves higher fuel burnup. The ACR also offers a much lower capital cost
than present reactors and a lattice design that can provide a coolant void reactivity. As well,
ACR fuel cycles will exploit the enhanced thermal-hydraulic properties of the advanced
CANFLEX fuel bundle. The reactor is designed to run on low enriched uranium with high
burnup, but is also exceptionally well-suited for burning MOX fuels. The original design of
700 MW(e) capacity has been extended to 1200 MW(e).
25
FIG. 2.7. ACR-700 reactor assembly [17].
Supercritical water reactor (SCWR)
The fuel channel SCWR (Fig. 2.8) is being developed within the Generation IV framework
(to be discussed further in Section 2.6.1). This reactor extends the design concepts of the ACR
to supercritical water conditions, to achieve higher thermodynamic efficiency and reduced
capital cost.
FIG. 2.8. Canadian supercritical water reactor.
2.3.3. WCR development in China
In China, a 1000 MW(e) PWR is being developed called CNP1000. It is based on a

standardized 3 loop PWR. Some modification have been incorporated into this design, e.g. to
decrease cost and increase the safety level with the goal to fulfil some internationally
recognized utility requirements as for example the EPRI URD and the EUR.
26
A medium sized PWR called AC-600 is been developed using the design of the nuclear units
Qinshan as a reference. The goal is to simplify the plant design to achieve economic
competitiveness but in parallel increase the safety level. A similar PWR design called
QS-600/W is under investigation, also using the Qinshan units as a reference, but with the
additional capability to generate electricity and potable water. Also a 200 MW(th) integral
PWR reactor for heat and desalination — called NHR-200 — has been designed and
engineering studies concluded in mid-2006.
2.3.4. European WCR developments
Three water cooled reactor designs have been developed that meet the European Utility
Requirements (EUR) of French and German utilities, with very stringent safety requirements:
EPR, ABWR and SWR-1000.
EPR
The first one is the large European Pressurized Water Reactor (1550 to 1750 MW(e)), called
EPR4, because it is a follow-up development to a joint German–French development started
already in 1995 under this name (Fig. 2.9). The goals of this new large EPR are very
ambitious: it should generate 10% cheaper power, reach a fuel burnup of 65 GW·d/t·U, and
achieve 36% thermal efficiency and 92% availability over a 60 years life time.
Double-wall
EPR
containment Core melt
with ventilation and spreading area
filtration system
Containment
heat removal
system
Four-train
redundancy
for main
Inner refueling safeguard
water storage tank Le projet EPR
systems
FIG. 2.9. Main features of the EPR.

SWR-1000
An innovative BWR has been developed by Siemens, called SWR-1000 with a power range
of 1000 to 1300 MW(e). Many passive safety features have been added up to control
accidents with a melting core. High burnup fuel can provide fuel cycle lengths of up to
24 months.
4
In the meantime EPR is also interpreted as Evolutionary Pressurized Reactor.
27
ABWR 90+
The ABWR 90+ has been developed in Sweden by Westinghouse together with Scandinavian
utilities. The size is planned to be 1500 MW(e) and it also shall meet the above-mentioned
EUR requirements.
At CEA in France the concept of a medium sized integral PWR, called SCOR, with around
630 MW(e) is being developed [11].
2.3.5. WCR developments in India
The programme in India for advanced nuclear power systems has to be understood on the
background of two specific targets for the future nuclear fuel cycles in India (Fig. 2.10):
• the use of the rich thorium resources in India;
• to minimize the long term burden of waste.
India is following a closed nuclear fuel cycle linking their three-stage [18] nuclear power
programme based on PHWR, LMFBR and 232Th – 233U fuelled advanced self-sustaining
reactor, for judicious utilization of indigenous modest uranium but vast thorium resources.
FIG. 2.10. Roadmap for a future Indian nuclear energy system (TWG NFCO 2007).
The PHWR fuelled with natural uranium oxide is the backbone of the programme. The
plutonium and depleted uranium from these reactors will be utilized in liquid metal cooled
fast breeder reactors (LMFBR) in the form of mixed uranium plutonium ceramic fuel. In the
LMFBRs, initially depleted uranium but later thorium would be used as blanket material; the
233
U thus produced would be used in combination with 232Th as self-sustaining fuel in some
advanced thermal reactor system.
28
AHWR-300
As part of long term thorium utilization programme in the third-stage, detailed design of an
advanced heavy water reactor of 300 MW(e) (AHWR 300) has been completed (Fig. 2.11).
Like the Canadian ACR the 250 MW(e) design is light water cooled. The main part of the
core is subcritical with Th/233U oxide, mixed so that the system is self-sustaining in 233U. A
few seed regions with conventional MOX fuel will drive the reaction and give a negative void
coefficient overall. The AHWR will utilize a unique 54 pin fuel assembly consisting of thirty
(Th, 233U)O2 and twenty-four (Th, Pu)O2 fuel pins.
FIG. 2.11. Advanced heavy water reactor of 300 MW(e).

The AHWR includes various important innovative features for improved safety and economy,
e.g.:
• natural circulation heat removal under normal operation and shutdown conditions;
• low core power density;
• slightly negative void coefficient of reactivity;
• direct spray of Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) water into fuel pins during
Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA);
• advanced accumulator with fluidic device for ECCS;
• gravity driven cooling system ensuring core cooling for 3 days without operator
intervention during LOCA;
• passive containment cooling and isolation;
• utilization of moderator heat;
• utilization of low grade heat for desalination.
2.3.6. WCR developments in Japan
In Japan several types of water cooled reactors have been designed or are under development.
29
Advanced pressurized water reactor (APWR)
The 1500 MW(e) APWR design has been developed by four utilities with Mitsubishi (MHI)
and (earlier) Westinghouse. The APWR is in the process of being licensed in Japan with the
prospect to be the first 1538 MW(e) units being constructed at Tsuruga (units 3&4) in 2009.
Approval by Fukui prefecture was given in March 2004. The design is simpler than present
PWRs, combines active and passive cooling systems to greater effect, and achieves over
55 GW·d/t burnup. Design work continues and will be the basis for the next generation of
Japanese PWRs.
The next version is called APWR+ is a 1750 MW(e) unit and is designed for a full-core MOX
capability. MHI is planning to market its 1750 MW(e) APWR in the USA. MHI intends to
lodge an application for US design certification in 2008. MHI also participated in developing
the Westinghouse AP-1000 reactor, but now that Westinghouse has been sold to Toshiba,
MHI will develop PWR technology together with AREVA.
Advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR)
The Japanese version of the ABWR was developed jointly by GE, Hitachi Ltd and Toshiba
Corp. under the sponsorship of the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). Hitachi is also
developing 600, 900 and 1700 MW(e) versions of the ABWR. The ABWR-II has a capacity
of 1717 MW(e).
In 1987, TEPCO announced its decision to proceed with a two-unit ABWR project at its
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa (KK) nuclear power station, 220 kilometres north-west of Tokyo, as
power station unit KK-6&7 began commercial operation in November 1996 and July 1997,
respectively. Each is rated 1315 MW(e) (net). The results of the first ten reactor years of
combined operating experience for TEPCO KK-6&7 are indicated below:
• The ABWRs are performing up to expectations.
• Unplanned shutdowns have been due to conventional problems and do not suggest there
are any ABWR-specific problems.
• BWR technology is becoming safer and more economic.
• Compared to earlier BWR technology, ABWRs have lower occupational radiation
exposure, increased availability, higher load factors and lower O&M costs.
• ABWRs would operate more efficiently under less severe operating constraints and with
improved management strategies.
In mid-2005, the Nuclear Energy Policy Planning Division of the Agency for Natural
Resources and Energy instigated a 2-year feasibility study on development of next generation
LWRs. The new designs, based on ABWR and APWR, are to lead to a 20% reduction in
construction and generation costs and a 20% reduction in spent fuel quantity, with improved
safety, a 3-year construction time, and a 60-year life time. Projected sizes range from 800 to
1700 MW(e).
An ABWR-II (Fig. 2.12) is being developed which will be even more economical than
existing ABWRs. In order to cut the cost of plant construction per kW, it is most effective to
increase the power output (1700 MW(e) class). The new design concept permits increasing
power output without reducing design margins and improves plant safety and reliability
[19, 20].
30
Control Rod Drive
(Upper Drive)
Secondary Coolant Outlet

Reactor Pressure Vessel
Secondary Coolant Inlet

Internal Steam Generator
(Condensation Type)
Core Chimney
(Enhancing Natural Recirculation)
FIG. 2.12. ABWR II reactor pressure vessel and reactor internals.

Small and medium sized reactors (SMR)
In addition to the large reactors discussed above several concepts of water cooled SMRs are
studied. Examples are a small BWR called CCR with 300 MW(e), an integral PWR with
350 MW(e), called IMR, and a pressure tube reactor called KAMADO with 300 MW(e) (for
further details see Ref. [11]). The concept of a special type of SMR without on-site refuelling
is also under investigation; examples are the PSRD and PFPWR50 concepts (for further
details see Ref. [12]).
2.3.7. WCR developments in the Republic of Korea
In the Republic of Korea, two tracks have been considered for the enhancement of
commercial nuclear systems on the basis of PWR technology. One is the development of
advanced large size PWR, called APR-1400, and the other one is a small size PWR called
SMART for dual uses of electricity generation and seawater desalination.
APWR-1400
The APR-1400 is a two-loop 1400 MW(e) pressurized water reactor, which is an extension of
the current Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant (KSNP) design (Fig. 2.13). Numerous
changes from the KSNP design had been made in the component sizes and design parameters
primarily due to the increase in power. The APR-1400 obtained a design certification from the
Korean national regulatory agency in May 2002, and now is placed in construction
preparation and scheduled to reach its first commercial operation by 2013.
31
FIG. 2.13. APR-1400 design concept
SMART
The SMART (system-integrated modular advanced reactor), is an innovative
technology-embedded PWR for seawater desalination and electricity generation (Fig. 2.14).
In 2002, KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) successfully completed the basic
design of 330 MW(th) SMART as a part of national R&D project. In 2003, KAERI and
Doosan Heavy Industry launched a design & construction project of a 65 MW(th) pilot plant
named SMART-P.
Recently, the Republic of Korea has announced that instead of constructing the pilot plant
SMART-P they are considering to build a reference plant SMART with the full power of
350 MW(e).
32
FIG. 2.14. SMART, system-integrated modular advanced reactor.
2.3.8. WCR developments in the Russian Federation
Several types of WCR were developed in the Russian Federation.

WWER-1000 V-392 reactor
An advanced WWER-1000 (V-392) with 1000 MW(e) (Fig. 2.15) was developed and is under
construction at Novovoronezh.
The basic difference of this design from other designs of WWER with high power output
consists of applying advanced equipment and implementing of additional passive safety
systems in combination with active and traditional passive systems. The design improves
reliability of equipment and allows preventing and mitigating consequences of design basis
and beyond design basis accidents (BDBA) more effectively.
33
FIG. 2.15. Concept of WWER-1000 (V-392) with 1000 MW(e).
In addition another advanced WWER-1000 (V-91) has been developed with western control
systems. Two of them are being built in China at Jiangsu Tianwan, one in the Islamic
Republic of Iran, and two in India.
WWER-1500 (V-448) reactor
A WWER-1500 (Fig. 2.16) is being developed on the basis of the WWER-440 and
WWER-1000 design. The conceptual design of the WWER-1500 adheres to the principles
and approaches contained in the requirements of European Utility Requirements (EUR) and
IAEA recommendations regarding the basic technical characteristics and safety level.
The design concept includes:
• application of WWER design experience with realization of the evolutionary succession
principle;
• development of plant main equipment with orientation towards the Russian industrial
base;
• consideration of work results on enhancement of equipment reliability and increase of
service life in operating WWER-1000 and WWER designs of new generation;
• maximum usage of R&D achievements for WWER-1000;
• introduction of alternative solutions subsequently to their comprehensive and
representative perfection;
• following the basic principles of safety, including requirements of domestic and foreign
standards and regulations, i.e. IAEA recommendations, EUR standards, and application
of certified calculation procedures and programmes;
• ensuring economic competitiveness.
34
FIG. 2.16. Sketch of WWER-1500 reactor.
The WWER-1500 design of the steam generators (Fig. 2.17) allows the following provisions:
• enhancement of reliable operation of the tubing due to improvement of natural
circulation;
• enhancement of the efficiency of sludge removing and washing-off at the vessel bottom
and inter-tube space;
• enhancement of easiness of tubing test and examination from the secondary side;
• enhancement of reliability and convenience of tubing metal automatic control due to
increase of bending radius.
FIG. 2.17. Steam generator of WWER-1500.
Table 2.9 shows the schedule for the development and deployment of the WWER-1500
reactor.
35
TABLE 2.9. DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE FOR AN NPP WITH A WWER-1500
REACTOR
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Design
development
Design
licensing
NPP 2011–2012
construction
and startup
KLT-40C reactor
The KLT-40C [21] takes advantage of the experience gained through the operation of the
KLT-40 reactors used to provide power for icebreaker propulsion. The KLT-40C utilizes a
PV/loop nuclear steam plant configuration similar to a conventional PWR, incorporating
forced reactor coolant circulation at power (Table 2.10). The major unique aspect of the
KLT-40C nuclear power plant design is the incorporation of two KLT-40C reactors into a
comprehensive barge, referred to as the floating (Fig. 2.18) nuclear power system.
FIG. 2.18. Russian floating nuclear power system based on KLT-40C nuclear reactor.
TABLE 2.10. BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF NSSS WITH KLT-40C REACTOR
Characteristics Values
Number of reactors 2
Reactor type Pressurised water
Reactor heat generating capacity, MW 2 × 135
Steam generating capacity, tonnes/hour 2 × 240
Steam temperature, °C 290
Feed water temperature, °C 170
Steam pressure, MPa 3.7
Containment type Single, steel
36
The engineers of OKBM and JSC Malaya Energetica (Russian Federation) and CANDESAL
Technologies (Canada) have joined efforts to develop a floating energy block KLT-40 reactor
that will be coupled with a floating desalination system.
Rosatom is also planning to construct seven further floating nuclear power plants in addition
to the one now under construction, each with two 35 MW(e) KLT-40S nuclear reactors. Five
of these will be used by Gazprom for offshore oil and gas field development and for
operations on the Kola and Yamal peninsulas. One is planned for 2012 commissioning at
Pevek on the Chukotka peninsula, another for Kamchatka region, both in the far east of the
country. Further far east sites being considered are Yakutia and Taima. Electricity cost is
expected to be much lower than from present alternatives.
VBER-300
OKBM's VBER-300 PWR is a 295 MW(e) unit developed from naval power plants and was
originally envisaged in pairs as a floating nuclear power plant. As a cogeneration plant it is
rated at 200 MW(e) and 1900 GJ/hr for heat or desalination. The reactor is designed for
60 year life and 90% capacity factor. It is now planned to develop it as a land-based unit with
Kazatomprom, with a view to exports, and the first unit could be built in Kazakhstan.
VK-300
The VK-300 boiling water reactor is being developed for both power (250 MW(e)) and
desalination (150 MW(e) plus 1675 GJ/hr). It has evolved from the VK-50 BWR at
Dimitrovgrad, but uses standard components wherever possible, e.g. the reactor vessel of the
WWER-1000. A feasibility study on building four cogeneration VK-300 units at Archangelsk
was favourable, delivering 250 MW(e) power and 31.5 TJ/a heat.
RUTA-70
This concept is being developed by IPPE and Rosatom jointly. It is a small integral PWR with
70 MW(th) to be used for district heating.
SMRs without on-site refuelling
Several concepts of water cooled small reactors with long intervals between refuelling are
investigated in the Russian Federation, e.g. UNITHERM, ELENA, ABV, VKR-MT, etc. (for
more details see Ref. [12]).
2.3.9. WCR developments in the USA
Advanced boiling reactor (ABWR)

As mentioned before, GE together with Toshiba and Hitachi developed the ABWR, two
examples of which are now in commercial operation in Japan since 1996 and 1997, and two
more started up in 2005, and two are under construction in Taiwan (China). This ABWR has
also been certified meeting EPRI and European utility requirements for advanced reactors and
its design was licensed also in the USA in 1997.
System 80+
The System 80+ developed by Westinghouse (formerly Combustion Engineering), an
advanced pressurized water reactor, is now ready for commercialization. The Korean
Standard Reactors incorporated some design features of the System 80+.
Advanced pressurized reactor AP-600
The AP-600 from Westinghouse is a small advanced PWR with innovative passive safety
features, which decrease the probability of a core melt down accident by a factor of 100
37
compared to the present USNRC requirements. NRC granted final design certification for this
reactor design in 1999. Simplification has reduced plant components and should reduce
construction costs. The AP-600 has been bid overseas but has never been built. Westinghouse
has de-emphasized the AP-600 in favour of the larger AP-1000, which has a potential to be
even less expensive (on a cost per kilowatt or capacity basis).
Advanced pressurized reactor AP-1000
The AP-1000 (Fig. 2.19) is an enlargement of the AP-600, designed to almost double the
reactor's target electricity output without proportionately increasing the total cost of building
the reactor. Westinghouse anticipates that operating costs should be below the average of
reactors now operating in the United States of America. While Westinghouse owns rights to
several other designs, the AP-1000 is the principal product that the company now promotes in
the United States of America for near term deployment. The AP-1000 includes innovative,
passive safety features and a much simplified design intended to reduce the reactor’s material
and construction costs while improving operational safety. The AP-1000 design is favoured
for construction at several potential sites in the United States of America. During 2007 or
2008, it is anticipated that the AP-1000 will be the subject of combined licence (COL)
applications to build and operate new reactors in the United States of America. In early 2005,
Westinghouse submitted a bid to build as many as four AP-1000s at two sites in China. In
January 2006, the NRC approved the final design certification for Westinghouse Electric
Co.’s AP-1000 advanced design reactor. The Chinese government announced in 2007 that
two units are considered to be built at Haiyang in the Shandong province. The AP-1000 is
also called EP-1000 (European passive plant) in Europe.
FIG. 2.19. AP-1000 design.

ESBWR
This is an advanced design (Fig. 2.20) developed by GE with a 1390 MW(e) output based on
an earlier concept called SBWR. It incorporates innovative, yet proven features to further
simplify (11 systems are eliminated from previous designs, 25% fewer pumps, valves and
38
motors) the inherently simple direct cycle nuclear plant. As an example of these new features,
there is no need for reactor coolant pumps as the core flow is maintained during all
operational stages via natural convection. Another example is the passive cooling system used
for containment cooling after hypothetical accidents.
The design is currently in the US design certification process and submissions of construction
and operating licence are expected in 2007.
SMR
Several concepts of SMRs without on-site refuelling are developed in the USA, e.g.
MASL-WR and AFPR (for details see Ref. [12]).
Several additional designs are evaluated in the USA, as for example: A pebble bed boiling
water reactor with superheated steam, using ceramic cladded microfuel elements (MFE), as
proposed by Batelle, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) [22].
FIG. 2.20. ESBWR design features [10].
2.3.10. The international cooperative development programme IRIS
IRIS (International Reactor Innovative and Secure) is an advanced (pressurized) light water
cooled modular reactor being developed by an international consortium consisting of
22 organizations, led by Westinghouse. It is a modular, integral, light water cooled, medium
power reactor (335 MW(e)/module), (Fig. 2.21) with three innovative design features [23]:
• safety by design (e.g. no need of a spray system);
• optimized maintenance (48 months);
• long core life (4 years refuelling time).
IRIS provides a viable bridge to Generation IV reactors (to be discussed in Section 2.6.1) and
has excellent capability to satisfy in the near/mid-term timeframe the Global Nuclear Energy
Partnership (GNEP, to be discussed in Section 2.6.2) requirements for small scale reactors.
39
FIG. 2.21. The IRIS reactor design.
The 6.78 m outside diameter by 21.4 m in height IRIS integral vessel houses the reactor core,
its support structures, upper internals, eight steam generators, internal shields, pressurizer and
heaters, and eight reactor coolant pumps.
Because of the rather small size and the high level of inherent safety it is particular intended
to be proposed for small and still developing countries.
2.4. Development of high temperature gas cooled reactors (HTGR)
In the following sections, examples of gas cooled reactor designs are shortly described that
are in different stages of development. Most of design work of HTGR started already a long
time ago but did not reach (full) commercial application up till now.
2.4.1. Short history of HTGR development
The development of HTGR began in the 1950s. The 20 MW(th) Dragon reactor operated in
the UK from 1964 through to 1977 within a framework of the OECD/NEA international
collaboration as a productive research tool for the development of HTGRs. Following the
Dragon reactor, the 15 MW(e) AVR and the 40 MW(e) Peach Bottom HTGR were
constructed and successfully operated in Germany from 1967 to 1988 and USA from
1967 to 1974, respectively. The AVR used uranium in coated particles in the form of balls as
the fuel, the HTGR had a core with high enriched uranium mixed with thorium.
The commercialization was approached thereafter via the FSV-HTGR of 330 MW(e) in the
USA (operated from 1976 to 1989) and the THTR of 300 MW(e) in Germany (operated from
1971 to 1989). Both reactors used a mixture of uranium and thorium as fuel.
Further continued interest in development of larger steam cycle HTGR plants included the
German HTR-500, the Russian VG-400 and the US HTGR-SC, etc. However, these plants
had not been constructed, mainly due to less economic competitiveness compared to LWRs.
In the 1980s, the 80 MW(e) HTR module (HTR-MODUL) concept was first developed by
Siemens/Interatom, Germany, which had passive safety features, coupled with attractive
characteristics of a modular concept.
The modular HTGR concept was followed by the gas turbine modular HTGR to improve the
efficiency and economy, as exemplified by the South African PBMR Project and the
USA/Russian GT-MHR Project (to be discussed later).
40
HTGRs potentially can use thorium-based fuel (Sections 3.4.2 and 3.5.1), such as highly
enriched uranium (HEU) with Th, 233U with Th, and Pu with Th.
From the beginning the purpose of the HTGR development was to generate helium
temperatures as high as up to 950°C for direct industrial (e.g. chemical) application or to
directly drive gas turbines to produce electricity with thermal efficiencies of up to 48%.
Currently, HTGR developments promise more practical designs; however, a key question is
the integrity of the direct cycle system. Some of these national developments of HTGR
underway are laid out in the following sections.
2.4.2. HTGR development in China
Research and development work in China on high temperature gas cooled reactors started in
beginning of the 1970s. At that time, the research and development work was focused on
gas cooled breeders using a thorium fuel cycle. The R&D and design work was carried out for
a helium cooled thorium breeder of 100 MW output, using spherical fuel elements.
In March 1992, the state government approved the project of constructing the 10 MW pebble
bed high temperature gas cooled test reactor (referred to as HTR-10). The high temperature
gas cooled reactor — pebble bed module (HTR-PM) is a modular high temperature gas
cooled reactor (HTGR) plant which is designed by the Institute of Nuclear and New Energy
Technology (INET), Tsinghua University of China (Fig. 2.22). The current HTR-PM design
falls into the category of innovative small and medium sized reactors, featuring 160 MW
electrical output per module. The HTR-PM is being promoted for an industrial demonstration
plant.
Basic design of HTR-10 was completed in 1994, and the construction permit was issued after
licensing review of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report and other relevant application
documents. The construction of HTR-10 formally started with the first concrete being poured
in June 1995. In parallel to the engineering design and construction work, a number of
engineering tests were made, including tests for the fuel handling system, reactor shutdown
system, once-through steam generator, etc. By the end of 1998, key components like pressure
vessels, the steam generator and helium circulator were manufactured, and installation and
commissioning work started. In the meantime, spherical fuel elements were manufactured and
qualified through irradiation experiments. In December 2000, the HTR-10 reactor was loaded
with nuclear fuel and went critical.
In January 2003, the HTR-10 reached full power of 10 MW. The HTR-10 reactor is currently
in operation, and safety experiments are being performed. At the same time, development of
helium turbine technologies is ongoing, as it is planned to couple a helium turbine power
generation system to the HTR-10 reactor.
41
FIG. 2.22. High temperature gas cooled reactor – pebble bed module (HTR-PM).
With the HTR-10 being successfully constructed and operated, effort is being made to start
developing an industrial modular HTGR demonstration plant. The commercial HTR units will
be 160–200 MW(e) reactors with pebble bed fuel, similar to that being marketed by South
Africa.
2.4.3. HTGR development in France
Besides continuing LWR and SFR development, presently the priorities with new advanced
reactor technology focus on gas cooled systems (Fig. 2.23) which not only offer increased
effectiveness for the production of electricity but also the option for process heat at very high
temperatures of first 850°C (in the very high temperature gas cooled reactor, VHTR), and
later of >950°C (in the gas cooled fast reactor, GFR, to be discussed further in Section 2.5.3).
There are already quite detailed ideas on the necessary R&D, at least for the VHTR
development (Fig. 2.24).
42
FIG. 2.23. Sequential development of gas cooled systems by CEA in France [24].
FIG. 2.24. French R&D for the systems PMR + VHTR.

A helium cooled reactor concept, called ANTARES [25], is developed by French industry;
the design has a thermal power of about 600 MW(e), uses SiC TRISO UO2 particle fuel, and
is intended to provide a combination of power and process heat.
2.4.4. HTGR development in Japan
Interest in the HTGR as an advanced nuclear power source for cogeneration application of
electricity production and high temperature heat for industrial process has resulted in the
construction of the high temperature engineering test reactor (HTTR) at the Japan Atomic
Energy Research Institute (formerly JAERI, now called JAEA) (Fig. 2.25). The HTTR
attained the first criticality on 10 November 1998 and achieved its full power of 30 MW and a
reactor coolant outlet temperature of about 800°C on 7 December 2001, and 950°C on
19 April 2004. The fuel uses a hexagonal block arrangement (prism). On the basis of the
43
HTTR, JAEA is developing a larger (600 MW(th) module) version directly coupled to a gas
turbine for electricity production.
FIG. 2.25. Outlay of HTTR.

The purpose of the HTTR project is to establish and upgrade HTGR technology and enable
irradiation tests for innovative basic research in the field of high temperature engineering. It is
widely recognized in the nuclear community that the timely and successful operation of the
HTTR and experiments using the HTTR are major milestones in HTGR development, and in
the development of high temperature nuclear process heat application.
In addition to accumulation of the HTTR operation and performance data, extensive tests are
planned in the HTTR, e.g. the tests for the development of advanced fuel and graphite
materials as well as safety demonstration tests to verify the inherent safety of HTGR. A
hydrogen production system is designed applying a steam reforming process of natural gas
using nuclear heat (10 MW, 950°C) supplied by the HTTR [26] (Fig. 2.26). This system is
tested in an out-of-reactor loop facility under construction to confirm the design of the heat
application system and its performance prior to the HTTR coupling. In parallel to the HTTR
project, some Japanese industries are exploring the feasibility of HTGR commercialization. A
further industrial effort is expected to follow for commercialization HTGR.
SMR
Several modular gas cooled small reactor concepts are studied in Japan. One example is a
274 MW(e) unit, called GHTR-300, with prismatic fuel elements. Another is the
FABIG-HTGR design with pebble bed fuel (for details see Ref. [11]).
44
FIG. 2.26. Flow diagram of HTTR hydrogen production system.
2.4.5. HTGR development in the Republic of Korea
The Republic of Korea is much interested in future innovative nuclear energy system
concepts preparing for the post-APR-1400 period. It considers within the Generation IV
concept (Section 2.6.1) a nuclear hydrogen production reactor as a future innovative system.
A plan to develop this GEN IV system through international collaboration has been prepared
focusing on reactor system and relevant proliferation resistance fuel cycle. A nuclear
hydrogen production programme for providing hydrogen economy as one of clean energy
resources in the near future was started in the Republic of Korea with a reference concept of
VHTR (Fig. 2.27).
FIG. 2.27. Korean development of the VHTR concept (IAEA TWGNFCO 2006).
45
2.4.6. HTGR development in South Africa
A pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR) is being developed since 1993 by the consortium
ESKOM in South Africa, using German expertise.
The PBMR Module power conversion is based on a closed cycle circuit, utilizing a single
loop direct gas cycle system that utilizes a helium cooled and graphite-moderated nuclear core
assembly as a heat source (Fig. 2.28). The coolant gas transfers heat from the core directly to
the power conversion system consisting of gas turbo-machinery, a generator, gas coolers and
heat exchangers. The reactor has a thermal power of 268 MW with an electrical output of
110 MW.
In 1999, a half scale model went critical at Moscow's Kurtchatov Institute demonstrating an
efficiency of 45%. Control rods in the side reflector shall provide very high load flexibility.
FIG. 2.28. Pebble bed modular reactor – 268 MW(th) (110 MW(e)).
The PBMR project entails the building of a demonstration reactor project at Koeberg near
Cape Town and a pilot fuel plant at Pelindaba near Pretoria. The current schedule is to start
construction in 2009 and for the first fuel to be loaded four years later. Construction of the
46
first commercial PBMR modules are planned to start three years after the first fuel has been
loaded into the demonstration reactor.
Since 2004, the South African government has allocated significant funding to the project,
while the Ministry of Public Enterprises stated an intent to eventually produce 4000 MW to
5000 MW of power from pebble bed reactors in South Africa. This corresponds to between
20 and 30 PBMR reactors of 165 MW each. In June 2004, the South African cabinet also
approved a complimentary programme to train nuclear scientists.
The government funding enabled PBMR to secure the contracts for the development of key
components such as the turbine machinery and the helium test facility. In November 2004, a
contract was awarded to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) of Japan for the Basic Design
and Research and Development of the PBMR helium driven Turbo Generator System, as well
as the core barrel assembly.
An important milestone was also reached on 22 November 2004, with the turning of the first
sod for the construction of a helium test facility (HTF) at Pelindaba. The HTF is a high
temperature, high pressure rig which will test the complete helium cycle system for the
PBMR. It will also simulate the fuel-handling, reactivity control and shutdown systems.
Many countries, in particular those interested in small reactor capacities, are following this
development closely.
2.4.7. HTGR development in the Russian Federation
In the 1970s–1980s the Russian Federation (OKBM) undertook substantial research on high
temperature gas cooled reactors, in particular with an operating prototype reactor working at
3000 K outlet temperature.
In the 1990s, it took a lead role in the international GT-MHR (gas turbine – modular helium
reactor) project based on a General Atomics (USA) design (additional partners AREVA NP
(France) and Fuji (Japan)). The design was completed in 2001 (Fig. 2.29) and the prototype is
to be constructed at Seversk (Tomsk, Siberian Chemical Combine) by 2010, with construction
of the first 4-module power plant (4 × 285 MW(e)) by 2015. Initially it will be used to burn
pure ex-weapons plutonium, and replace Pu production reactors which still supply electricity
there. But in the longer term perspective HTGRs are intended to be used for burning actinides
and later (via water dissociation) for hydrogen production.
47
FIG. 2.29. Russian high temperature helium cooled reactor HT-MHR [27].
2.4.8. HTGR development in the USA
A gas cooled modular helium reactor with a gas turbine (GT-MHR) [28] is under
development in the USA with modules of 285 MW(e) and a thermal efficiency of 48%
(Fig. 2.30). As discussed above this reactor is being developed by General Atomic in
partnership with the Russian Federation's ROSATOM (Ministry for Atomic Energy), and
supported by AREVA NP (France) and Fuji (Japan). Its annular core consists of
102 hexagonal fuel element columns of graphite blocks with channels for the He coolant and
for control rods.
GT-MHR’s technical concept is based on the following advanced technologies:
• modular helium reactor, in which core destruction and melting is impossible;
• ceramic fuel design in form of small coated particles with thermo-radiation resistant
coatings;
• modern technologies based on large gas turbines;
• electromagnetic bearings;
• high efficiency compact heat exchangers.
48
FIG. 2.30. GT-MHR module.
Regulatory review is already underway now. The Russian design is intended to be converted
to US standards and to be licensed by the USNRC.
2.5. Development of fast neutron reactors (FR)
In the following section a short overview of the history of FR is given and then the situation
in different countries is shortly laid out.
2.5.1. Short history of FR
The FR history is as old as that of thermal reactors. During the first 20 years of their
existence, these two systems advanced side by side. The first FR was called Clementine sited
at Los Alamos (USA) in 1946 with a power of 150 kW (see Table 2.11). The first nuclear
reactor in the world to generate electricity was also a FR, the EBR-1 in the United States of
America, in 1951. In the former Soviet Union a 100 kW FR called BR-2 started up in 1956 at
the Obninsk site.
Around the sixties, four experimental fast reactors (DFR, RAPSODIE, EBR-2, and BOR-60)
of about the same power went critical. The oldest and largest of these four, the DFR
(72 MW(th)) in the UK, was successfully operated over 18 years; a similar operation time was
achieved by the French FR RAPSODIE later on. The EBR-2 in the USA was in operation for
30 years and the BOR-60 in the Russian Federation is even still in operation now.
After DFR, which used sodium–potassium, sodium was adopted as primary coolant for FR.
The first prototype fast reactor for power generation was the US Enrico Fermi reactor
(EFFBR). After three years of operation, this reactor suffered a fuel melting incident and was
finally shut down in 1972.
From 1972 to 1974, three prototypes of comparable size were successively brought into
operation: BN-350 in the former USSR (now in Kazakhstan), Phenix in France and PFR in
49
the UK. The second one, Phenix, is still in operation in France. BN-350 and PFR were finally
shut down in 1999 and 1994, respectively. The cores of these two plants operated
satisfactorily, but the plants experienced steam generator problems.
An SNR-300 prototype was built in Germany by a German-Belgian-Dutch consortium;
construction of the plant and manufacturing of the MOX fuel were completed in 1985, but
owing to a political impasse, the plant was never allowed to start up. The FFTF facility in the
USA operated from 1985 to 1993, but it was not a power station but a large test facility5. The
first criticality of the Japanese FR prototype Monju occurred in April 1994. Monju
experienced a sodium leakage in the secondary loop in December 1995 and remains shut
down till today but is scheduled to restart in 2008.
The stage of the large (pre-industrial) demonstration plants began with the startup of BN-600
(600 MW(e)) in the former USSR (Russian Federation) in 1980 (still in operation) and
SUPERPHENIX (1240 MW(e)) in France in 1986 (shut down in 1996). These achievements
are further discussed below in more detail, together with those in Japan and other countries.
Due to technical difficulties associated with the use of sodium as a coolant and economic
problems in a saturating rather than expanding nuclear energy market, BN-600 and
SUPERPHENIX remained the only industrial scale fast reactors, meaning that the experience
base for such reactors is much smaller than that for thermal reactors.
The nuclear breeder technology has not really become commercially up to today, at least not
in an open market. On the contrary, promising advances like in France (SUPERPHENIX)
were stopped in 1997 mainly due to political reasons. In the USA, this development was
stopped much earlier, i.e. in 1977, by the decision of the US president Carter to stop and stay
away from reprocessing irradiated fuel from commercial plants. Incidents in breeder
prototypes in the United Kingdom, France and Japan, general anti-nuclear politics (especially
in Germany) in combination with public opposition against nuclear reduced significantly (or
even stopped) the commercial breeder programmes in these countries.
However, in the Russian Federation the fast breeder reactor (FBR) BN-600 is successfully
providing electricity to the grid for 15 years since 1981 showing the best operating and
production record of all Russian nuclear power plants. The BN-350 FBR operated
successfully in Kazakhstan for 27 years and about half of its output was used for water
desalination.
The motivation for building fast reactors has progressively changed. At the outset, the main
objective for developing the FR was breeding in order to conserve uranium resources. It is
easy to see the advantage of such a technology in an era of uranium shortage and price
increase, as was forecast in the nineteen-seventies. In reality, however, uranium remained
abundant and cheap, mainly because the growth rate of nuclear energy was lower than had
been expected.
Consequently, the use of FRs in a burner mode for managing excess plutonium gained in
importance and remains today a particular focus of fast reactor R&D activities. Moreover, the
desire to further optimize the back end of the fuel cycle including the disposal of high level
waste has recently been stimulating an increasing interest in extending the application of the
FR from the burning of plutonium to the burning (transmutation) of all transuranic actinides.
5
In August 2006, the US DOE indicated a possible re-commissioning of FFTF as part of the GNEP
programme.
50
TABLE 2.11. MAIN FEATURES OF FAST REACTORS IN THE WORLD
Reactor name State Location First Shutdown Thermal Electric Fuel Primary Primary T-Primary
critical date capacity capacity circuit coolant (ºC)
(MW)
(MW) In/Out
Clementine USA Los Alamos 1946 1953 0.025 Pu metal Mercury 140/40
EBR-1 USA Argo (Idaho) 1951 1963 1.4 0.2 U Na/K
BR-2 RF Obninsk 1956 1957 0.1 Pu metal Mercury 70/40
BR-5 RF Obninsk 1959 1971 5 PuO2, UC Sodium 450/375
DFR UK Dounray 1959 1977 60 15 U-Mo Loop Na/K 350/230
EBR-2 USA Argo (Idaho) 1961 1991 62.5 20 U–Zr, U-Pu–Zr Loop 482/370
EFFBR USA Detroit 1963 1972 200 66 U–Mo Loop Sodium 427/268
Rapsodie France Cadarache 1967 1983 20/40 MOX Loop Sodium 510/404
b
BOR-60 RF Dimitrovgrad 1968 55 12 MOX Loop Sodium 550/360
SEFOR USA Arkansas 1969 1972 20 MOX Loop Sodium 430/370
BR-10 RF Obninsk 1971 2002 8 MOX, UN Loop
BN-350 CISc Chevenko 1972 1999 750 150a UO2 Loop Sodium 500/300
b
Phenix France Marcoule 1973 563 250 MOX Pool Sodium 552/385
PFR UK Dounray 1974 1994 650 270 MOX Loop Sodium 560/400
b
Joyo Japan Oarai 1977 50–75/100 MOX Loop Sodium 500/370
KNK-II FRG Karlsruhe 1977 1991 58 21 MOX/UO2 Loop Sodium
b
BN-600 RF Beloyarsk 1980 1470 600 UO2 Pool Sodium 550/450
FFTF USA Hanford 1980 1993 400 MOX Loop Sodium 590/370
b
FBTR India Kalpakkam 1985 40 (U, Pu)C Loop Sodium 518/400
Superphenix France Creys-Malville 1985 1997 3000 1240 MOX Loop Sodium 545/395
b
Monju Japan Tseruga 1994 714 280 MOX Loop Sodium 529/397
PFC Italy Brasimone - 1990d 125 MOX Loop Sodium 525/375
SNR-300 FRG Kalkar - 1991d 770 327 MOX Loop Sodium 560/380
CRBR USA Clinch River - 1983d 975 380 MOX Loop Sodium
e
BN-800 RF Beloyarsk 2000 800 Sodium 550/350
e
CEFR China 65 Sodium
e
PFBR India 1250 Sodium
a
and heat for desalination b
in operation in 2007 c
Kazakhstan d
abandoned e
under construction in 2007
51
Table 2.12 provides a summary of experience gained with the operation of fast reactors.
TABLE 2.12. ACCUMULATED OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH FAST
REACTORS
Country Operational period

Russian Federation 110
USA 67
France 62
Japan 43
UK 38
Kazakhstan 27
India 22
Germany 14
Fast neutron reactors may be used as ‘breeders’, producing a surplus of 239Pu from 238U
(breeding ration >1), or as ‘burners’ with just burning the produced 239Pu (breeding ratio ~1).
Today the main technological development goes in three directions using Na, Pb, or gas as
primary coolant.
A recent IAEA report (Ref. [29]) lays out in detail information on all types of liquid metal
cooled FR, such as experimental, demonstration and commercial size reactors. It includes
operational parameters, physical, hydraulic and thermomechanical characteristics,
technological requirements, methods and criteria to ensure safe operation; it includes design
data like dimensions, materials information and main design features and performance
parameters of reactor cores, components, and various systems, along with sketches and
drawings.
In the following sections some illustrative examples of development activities in countries in
regard to FR (liquid metal and gas cooled) are laid out.
2.5.2. FR development in China
The experimental sodium cooled fast reactor (CEFR-25) with a thermal power of 65 MW(th)
and electric power of 25 MW(e) is the first step (Table 2.13) of the FR development in China
(Fig. 2.31). At the end of 1993, the conceptual design was finished and is now under
construction. The final safety analysis report (FSAR) is being prepared. Much progress is
made on the topics required by the nuclear safety authority. The testing procedure, testing
guideline and testing safety criteria for each system are under preparation. For the physics
startup, the test list and test methods have been determined, and the related instruments and
equipments have been ordered. Due to the delay of the delivery of the reactor main vessel, the
project schedule was updated. The first criticality is postponed to the end of 2009.
Table 2.13 provides an overview of the Chinese FR programme.
TABLE 2.13. 3-STEP PROGRAMME OF FR DEVELOPMENT IN CHINA
Step Reactor name Power (MW(th)/MW(e)) Commissioning

1st CEFR 65/25 2009
2nd CPFR 1500/600 2020
Extension CMFR n × CPFR On needs
3rd CDFR >2500/1000 2035
Extension CCFR >2500/1000 ～2040
Legend: CEFR = China experimental fast reactor CPFR = China prototype fast reactor
CMFR = China modular fast reactor CDFR = China demonstration fast reactor
CCFR = China commercial fast reactor
52
The CEFR reactor has inherent and passive safety features, such as negative feedback of
reactivity, and removal of residual heat by natural convection and natural circulation.
FIG. 2.31. Reactor block of CEFR.

The CPFR is proposed to the government as an important project of the Eleven’s Five-Year
Plan (2006–2010) with the target to complete its construction in 2020.
In order to shorten the fast reactor engineering development period from CEFR to CDFR and
to decrease technical-economic risks and for their follow-up, maximum continuity will be
emphasized in the main technical selections for these reactors, such as coolant, primary circuit
structure, decay heat removal system, fuel handling systems, etc., as shown in Table 2.14. The
demonstration fast reactor (CDFR) will be constructed around 2035.
TABLE 2.14. TECHNICAL CONTINUITY OF CHINESE FBR DEVELOPMENT
CEFR CPFR CDFR

Power, MW(e) 25 600 1000～1500
Coolant Na Na Na
Type Pool Pool Pool
Fuel UO2 MOX MOX
MOX Metal Metal
Cladding Cr–Ni Cr–Ni, ODS Cr–Ni, ODS
Core Outlet Temp, 530 500～550 500
°C
Linear Power, 430 450～480 450
W/cm
53
TABLE 2.14. TECHNICAL CONTINUITY OF CHINESE FBR DEVELOPMENT (cont.)
CEFR CPFR CDFR

Burnup, MW·d/kg 60～100 100～120 120～150
Fuel Handling DRPs DRPs DRPs
SMHM SMHM SMHM
Spent Fuel Storage IVPS IVPS IVPS
WPSS WPSS WPSS
Safety ASDS ASDS + PSDS PDHRS ASDS + PSDS PDHRS
PDHRS
DRPs: Double rotating plugs
ASDS: Active shutdown system
SMHM: Straight moving handling machine
PSDS: Passive shutdown system
IVPS: In-vessel preliminary storage
PDHRS: Passive decay heat removal system
WPSS: Water pool secondary storage
2.5.3. FR development in France
In France, the targeted objectives for future systems as well as the choice of key technologies
necessary in achieving them have become the object of very active international cooperation,
particularly within the framework of the Generation IV International Forum (GIF, to be
discussed later in Section 2.6.1).
The French interest into the nuclear future [24] goes into 4 directions (Fig. 2.32).
FIG. 2.32. Future French nuclear energy systems.

Gas cooled fast reactor
Guidelines have been drafted to implement an R&D programme to establish the viability of a
gas cooled fast reactor (GFR) and to complete a conceptual design. The guidelines include
consideration of an experimental GFR of limited power (the Experimental Technology
Demonstration Reactor, ETDR) to help taking the decisions of building a prototype GFR
system to be placed into operation by 2035 (Fig. 2.33).
54
The ETDR will be the first GFR ever built. It will be a low power experimental reactor
(20 to 50 MW(th)) to demonstrate the viability of the specific technologies of GFR (e.g. fuel,
safety systems) and also to bring elements of demonstration for the whole gas cooled reactors
technological pathway. Considering a start of operation in 2015, it will be an essential step in
the decisions to be taken by 2019 for launching a prototype GFR (Figs 2.34 and 2.35) system
to be placed into operation by 2035. As such, it intervenes in particular in the fuel
development plan in between the irradiation phase of materials and fuel samples in MTRs and
available fast reactors prototypes and the full scale demonstration phase in the prototype GFR
of which the ETDR has to be considered as a precursor.
FIG. 2.33. The French development programme for GFR.
55
FIG. 2.34. French gas cooled fast reactor design.
FIG. 2.35. Containment of the French gas cooled fast reactor (GFR).
Common technologies for materials and components can be developed in line with the VHTR
(considered in GIF) dedicated to hydrogen production (Section 2.6.1). But anyway there is a
need for a large R&D programme enabling both a fast spectrum and high temperature.
The main characteristics of the GFR are an attractive power density (~100 MW/m3),
self-generating (i.e. with a high conversion ratio) cores with a fast neutron spectrum, robust
refractory fuel, a high operating temperature, direct energy conversion with a gas turbine, full
actinide recycling possibly associated with an integrated on-site fuel reprocessing facility,
high level of fission products confinement, and increased resistance to severe accidents.
Additionally, the coolant (gas) does not undergo a phase change (as e.g. in water cooled
reactors), it is chemically inert and optical transparent.
56
Sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR)
In France, there is one sodium cooled FR in operation, called PHENIX, mainly for
experimental purposes. PHENIX went critical in 1973 and reached full power in 1974, after a
rapid construction period (1968–1973) without difficulties.
PHENIX is a pool-type reactor; the primary circuit is enclosed in the main vessel reactor
(11.8 m diameter), filled with 800 t of sodium, containing three primary mechanical pumps
and six intermediate heat exchangers (IHX) connected to three independent secondary loops.
Each secondary loop contains a steam generator (SG) consisting of three stages: evaporator,
super-heater and re-heater, twelve modules each. Between 1974 and 1990, the plant was used
for irradiation experiments and electricity production (250 MW(e) electrical output), with a
very satisfactory operational record for a prototype (51 cycles, 61% average load rate and
more than 20 billion kW·h produced).
During these 16 years of operation, mainly two periods of unsettled operation (with shutdown
or at 2/3 of nominal power) occurred in order to repair and modify IHX (1976–78) and
SG (1982–83). In addition some very limited sodium fires occurred due to small sodium leaks
(few kg) in the secondary circuit. Safety analyses of these incidents showed that they could be
seen as a possible common mode failure of the secondary circuits. For future reactors, an
effective separation of the circuits has been asked for as a safety criterion. In 1989 and 1990,
four emergency shutdowns were activated by negative reactivity signals; analysis of the origin
and research into the potential consequences required a long development. A complete review
of the different scenarios of reactivity change was set and renewed for SUPERPHENIX
(similar scenarios could not jeopardize the SUPERPHENIX safety).
The development of sodium cooled fast reactors in France is shown in Fig. 2.36.
FIG. 2.36. French development of Na cooled FR.

In the mid-1990s, the role of the PHENIX reactor changed: it was to be used as an irradiation
tool acting as a support to the R&D transmutation programme of the CEA within the
framework of the 1991 French law concerning long lived radioactive waste management. As
57
the initial lifetime of the reactor was 20 years, the reactor should have been shut down
in 1994, but this new objective required an extension of the planned reactor lifetime.
Therefore, a large renovation programme was defined and performed till February 2003.
Resuming power happened in June 2003: six operating cycles are foreseen, covering about
five years and a half, to carry out the irradiation experimental programme on minor actinides
and long lived fission products transmutation and on future reactor options.
From the beginning, PHENIX appeared as a reactor quite easy to control and operate. Similar
to RAPSODIE, it was a very efficient irradiation facility thanks in particular to an adjacent
hot cell allowing intermediate examination of pins and return to the reactor. Records of
burnup on oxide and dose on materials (155 dpa) were achieved and contributed to the
optimisation of fast reactor fuels.
But also in the fields of physics and sodium technology, the contribution of PHENIX is
considerable: as an example, it was the first reactor to confirm the breeding capacity of a fast
reactor, by recycling Pu from its own previous core elements; it demonstrated also, at several
occasions, the possibility to remove big components (e.g. intermediate heat exchangers or
primary pumps), to clean and repair them, then to reintroduce them in reactor for further
operation.
The sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) is one of the systems selected by the roadmap of the
Generation IV International Forum (Section 2.6.1), and the CEA is engaged in a substantial
effort in the viability phase. The considerable amount of experience accumulated in France
over the past 40 years of R&D and feedback experiments will be used but some
improvements are needed on the SFR to meet the GEN IV goals. A set of four projects is
under preparation to meet the corresponding objectives:
• design and safety;
• advanced fuels and materials;
• component design and BOP;
• fuel cycles (front end and back end).
The CEA will participate in the four projects, providing both significant expertise and original
work.
2.5.4. FR development in India
India’s roadmap for development of their nuclear energy system was discussed shortly in
Section 2.3.5.
In the first step of its liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) programme, India could leap
frog and introduce an advanced mixed uranium plutonium mono-carbide driver fuel, of
hitherto untried plutonium rich composition in the FBTR at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic
Research (IGCAR).
FBTR is a 40 MW(th)/13.2 MW(e), mixed-carbide fuelled, sodium cooled, loop type reactor
with two primary and two secondary sodium loops. Each secondary loop has two
once-through serpentine type steam generators (SG). A turbogenerator (TG) and a 100%
steam dump condenser (DC), to facilitate reactor operation without TG, are also provided.
The first criticality of the reactor was achieved in October 1985 with a small core of 22 fuel
subassemblies (SA) of MK-I composition (70%PuC + 30%UC), with a design power of
10.6 MW(th) and peak linear heat rating (LHR) of 250 W/cm. The TG was synchronized to
the grid in July 1997 for the first time.
58
The core has since been progressively enlarged by adding SA at the peripheral locations. The
peak LHR of the MK-I had been raised to 400 W/cm, and the reactor has been operated up to
a maximum of 17.4 MW(th). Several irradiation campaigns have been completed. In 2004,
the core had 39 fuel subassemblies; the reactor had logged 1374 d of cumulative operation of
which 704 d has been at high power with SG in service; the total thermal energy generated is
208 GWh; TG had operated for a cumulative of 4173 hrs, generating 3.948 million units of
electricity; and the carbide driver fuel (70% PuC + 30% UC) in the first ring has accumulated
a burnup of 123.43 GW·d/t without clad failure. A few irradiated low burnup (25000 MW·d/t)
MC fuel pins from FBTR have been successfully reprocessed.
On 18 July 2006, the fast breeder test reactor (FBTR) completed 20 years of its successful
operation at Kalpakkam. The 13th irradiation campaign with 43 fuel subassemblies was
completed. During this campaign, the reactor was operated at high power (16 MW(th)) and
logged a continuous run of 37 days. Four Mark-I subassemblies loaded also accumulated
155 GW·d/t burnup. The eddy current flow meter was installed and sodium flow through
subassemblies was measured as a prerequisite for getting safety clearance for the next
irradiation campaign. SARCOP clearance was obtained for the 14th irradiation campaign.
Documents, including the safety report for the Hybrid Core, were submitted for periodic
safety review by AERB.
Based on the experience gained with this reactor and with cooperation of research centres and
industry, IGCAR has completed detailed design and technology development of the
500 MW(e) prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR 500) with mixed uranium plutonium oxide
as reference fuel (Fig. 2.37). Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), a
government company was incorporated on 22 October 2003 at Chennai, Tamilnadu, for
implementing the India’s first commercial fast breeder reactor project.
FIG. 2.37. Sketch of the 500 MW(e) PFBR.
59
In 2006–2007 the civil construction of Nuclear Island buildings for PFBR made progress. The
construction of the outer peripheral wall around nuclear island connected buildings (NICB)
raft, which acts as a retaining wall with counter forts for retaining the earth, was completed.
The construction of super structures on the NICB raft commenced and progressed at various
elevations. The construction of electrical building 1&2 and control building was completed up
to operating floor level. Construction of the service building was completed up to roof level.
Important works planned include the PFBR shielding experiment, testing of a transfer arm in
air, boron enrichment, post-irradiation examination of FBTR fuel subassembly after a burnup
of 100 GW·d/t, structural integrity testing and reprocessing of FBTR carbide fuel.
A concept of a liquid metal cooled reactor (although not a FR) is being developed in India
called compact high temperature reactor (Fig. 2.38). It has the following features:
• passive core heat removal by natural circulation of liquid heavy metal coolant;
• passive power regulation and shut down mechanism;
• passive rejection of entire heat to the environment under accident condition.
The background for this system is the use of Th-fuel.
This reactor system roadmap can only be fully understood on the background of the fuel cycle
concept in India, which was discussed shortly in Section 2.3.5.
Compact High Temperature Reactor
Shutdown System
Major Design Guidelines
Heat Exchange Vessels • Use of thorium based
Heat Pipes fuels
Gas Gap Filling • Passive c by natural

System circulation of liquid
heavy metal coolant
Upper Plenum
• Passive power
50
Fuel Channel regulation and

Beryllia Moderator shutdown mechanism.
and Reflector • Passive rejection of
Graphite Reflector entire heat to the
atmosphere under
Lower Plenum accidental condition
Passive Power • Compact design to
Regulation System minimise weight of the
reactor
FIG. 2.38. Schematic of compact high temperature reactor (India).
2.5.5. FR development in Japan
In Japan many studies are being performed [30] in many different potential technological
directions. However, the focus of efforts appears still to be the fast reactor systems
(Refs [31, 32]) considering all today known coolant technologies (Na, Pb + Bi, He and H2O),
as well as all kinds of today known U and Pu fuel materials. There are large, medium and
small sizes of reactors investigated.
60
Sodium cooled fast reactor
The history of the development of sodium cooled FR in Japan is shown in Fig. 2.39.
The experimental fast reactor JOYO has been supporting the development of sodium cooled
fast reactors by providing valuable irradiation testing of advanced fuels and materials and
improvements in fast reactor safety and operation since criticality was first achieved in 1977
as the MK-I breeder core. The first major upgrade of JOYO to the 100 MW(th) MK-II
irradiation-test-bed was successfully operated from 1982 to 2000.
Work began in 2000 on the 140 MW(th) MK-III programme, which was the second major
upgrade to enhance the irradiation capability of JOYO. For the MK-III programme, the entire
core and major heat transport components were redesigned and replaced to provide increased
neutron flux and irradiation testing capability.
FIG. 2.39. History of sodium cooled FR development in Japan.

Functional and performance testing verified the design parameters of the JOYO MK-III core.
The pre-service inspection by MEXT was completed on 27 November 2003. A utilization
plan for future fuels and materials development and safety testing in the JOYO MK-III core
has been developed.
The prototype FBR MONJU (280 MW(e)) reached first criticality in 1994 and started
generation of electricity in 1995. Since that time it is under pre-operation test conditions to
master the power plant technologies, improve performance and establish economic efficiency.
However, the pre-operational test of the plant was abruptly interrupted by a sodium leak
accident in the secondary heat transport system in December 1995 during a 40% power
operation test. After carrying out the root cause investigation and the comprehensive safety
review for two years and the necessary licensing procedure, the permit for plant modification
(countermeasures against potential sodium leaks, etc.) was issued in December 2002 by the
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
JAEA has started preparatory work for modification, after given prior approval by the local
governor of Fukui in February 2005, and the main modification work is in progress since
September 2005, and has achieved 63% completion by the end of April 2006. After
61
modification work, the functional tests will be carried out for the modified systems and for the
system as a whole, especially considering the long period of plant shutdown, and the required
refuelling. Criticality is expected to be achieved early in 2008.
In January 2003, the Kanazawa Branch of Nagoya High Court approved the local resident’s
appeal which requires the nullification of government’s licence on MONJU installation. The
lawsuit was then brought up to the Supreme Court, which finally accepted the government’s
appeal on 30 May 2005. This means the lawsuit against MONJU fought for more than
20 years is now over and there is no legal obstacle for MONJU operation any longer.
Currently the R&D operation plan for MONJU after restart is planned in the two stages. In the
first stage of MONJU operation, it is expected to demonstrate its reliability as a FR power
plant and establish sodium handling technologies. The operational data from MONJU will be
used to assess and validate the design of the core, plant systems and components.
In the second stage, MONJU should be used to verify the elemental technologies towards
commercialized FR cycle systems, including the demonstration of burning minor actinides in
FRs to reduce the environmental burden caused by high level radioactive wastes. At the same
time, MONJU can be used as a valuable tool for the international cooperation. The long term
R&D programme includes demonstration tests of a long-life and high burnup advanced fuel,
MA bearing fuel, etc.
JNC has performed a feasibility study [33] on commercializing a FR cycle system with
participation of all parties concerned in Japan, i.e. the electric utilities, Japan Atomic Energy
Agency (JAEA), Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), and
Japanese manufacturers since July 1999. The feasibility study had the aim to define the most
promising FR system technologies (Fig. 2.40) available for commercialization by around
2015. Such a FR system could supply sustainable energy both to allow long term use of
nuclear power by recycling TRU fuel and to have a potential to be harmonized with the
environment by burning miner actinides (MA) and transmuting long-life fission products
(LLFP).
FIG. 2.40. Design improvements of the Japanese sodium cooled fast reactor (JSFR).
62
An advanced fuel cycle system selected in the feasibility study will be demonstrated in
engineering scale R&D facilities, such as the recycle equipment test facility (RETF) in Tokai
Works by using spent fuel from JOYO and MONJU in JNC. These sequential approaches will
address the optimization of the FR fuel cycle system by the year 2015 (Fig. 2.41).
As for the feasibility study on commercialized fast reactor cycle systems, a three-year period
from JFY 2001 to 2003 was the initial term of phase II. During this term, research activities
were focused on the design of the candidate concepts and on the fundamental tests of key
technologies.
FIG. 2.41. Development steps of the NFC for FR in Japan.

The interim evaluation has been completed for the combinations of several of these concepts,
and the feasible candidate concepts are clarified. Also crucial R&D items have been identified
and summarized as a roadmap of the key technology development for each candidate
(Table 2.15).
TABLE 2.15. EVALUATION OF ACHIEVEMENT TO FR DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
S o d iu m -c o o le d F R W a te r -c oo l e d
(75 0, 1 50 0M W e) L B E - c o o le d H e l iu m -c o o le d
R e a cto r
F R (7 1 0 M W e ) F R (1 1 2 4 M W e )
(13 56M W e)
Ite m s T a r g e ts M OX M e ta l M N F uel M N F uel
M O X F uel
averaged over
> 1 5 0G W d/t 1 5 0 G W d /t 1 5 0 G W d /t 1 5 0 G W d /t 1 2 0 G W d /t 9 0 G W d /t
core
B u r n -u p
averaged over 6 0 ( a) -1 1 0 ( b ) 6 0 ( a) -1 4 5 ( b ) 1 0 5 (a ) -1 4 0 ( b) 6 0 ( a ) -8 0 ( b )
> 6 0G W d/t 4 5 G W d /t
c o r e + b la n k et G W d/t G W d/t G W d/t G W d/t
abou t 1 .0 4 ( b ) - 1 .0 3 ( b ) –
B r e e d in g r a ti o 1 .0 4 ( b) - 1 .1 5 ( a ) 1 .0 4 ( b ) - 1 .1 7 ( a ) 1 .0 3*
1 .0 ~ 1 .2 1 .1 6( a ) 1 .1 7( a )
C om p ou nd S ystem
- 5 0 years 40 years 50 years 7 0 years > 2 0 0 years
D o u b li n g T im e
4 .5 ( a) – 6( b ) 4 ( a ) – 7 ( b)
P u F i s sile In v e n t o r y - 6 t/G W e 1 0 t/G W e ≅ 1 1 t/ G W e
t/ G W e t/ G W e
1 8 ( a) - 2 6 ( b ) 2 0 ( a) - 2 8 ( b )
O p e r ati o n c y cl e le n gt h > 1 8 m o n th s 1 8 m on th s 2 0 m o n t hs 1 8 m o n th s
m o n th s m o n th s
P r im a r y c o o la n t t e m p er at ur e - 5 5 0 / 3 9 5 ºC 5 5 0 / 3 9 5 ºC 4 4 5 / 2 8 5 ºC 8 5 0 / 4 6 0 ºC 2 8 7 / 2 8 3 ºC
T h e r m a l e ffi ci e n cy - 42% 42% 38% 47% 35%
C o n s t r u c ti o n co s t < 1 0 0 p o in t s 9 1 ( L ) – 9 4 (M ) p o in ts 1 0 8 p oi n ts 1 1 0 p o in ts ≅ 1 0 0 p o in t s
* T o t a l S u r vivin g R a t io o f P u F is s ile ( a ) C o r e o f h ig h b r e e d in g r a tio , ( b ) C o r e o f lo w fu e l c y c le c o s t
17
63
As the base load power source, a large scale FR (1500 MW(e)) and a medium scale modular
FR (750 MW(e)) are under investigation (Fig. 2.42). The former is pursued to reach the lower
construction cost by using the economy of scale merit, and the latter is pursued to reduce the
cost by modular construction.
FIG. 2.42. Current status of Japanese design study on sodium cooled FR system.
The feasibility study on commercialized fast reactor cycle systems was finalized in 2006 with
the selection of the sodium cooled fast reactor with oxide fuel, an advanced aqueous
reprocessing and the simplified palletizing fuel fabrication process. As a follow up project the
fast reactor cycle technology development project (FaCT, Ref. [34]) was started.
SMR
In addition to the concepts of large size FR also modular small and medium reactors (SMR)
with sodium cooling and a fast neutron spectrum are studied. An example is the reactor MDP
with 325 MW(e) [11], and two other ones called RAPID (1 MW(e)) and 4S (10 or 50 MW(e))
that do not require on-site refuelling [12].
Lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) cooled fast reactor
A comparative design study is performed on a medium scaled modular FR (750 MW(e)) with
nitride fuel. In this concept, several advanced technologies using the characteristic of the LBE
have been adopted to achieve the development targets (Fig. 2.43).
In the design of a LBE cooled FR, the fuel pin cladding temperature and flow rate at fuel
bundle are limited to 650°C and 2 m/s respectively to control LBE corrosion. Therefore, an
LBE cooled FR could not achieve the high coolant temperatures as expected from LBE
boiling point (1670°C) and nitride fuel melting point (2750°C). But reactor core performance
still would have a potential to attain the development targets on condition that the safety
objectives are obtained.
By applying nitride fuel, the lead–bismuth cooled reactor has the potential to achieve core
performance equivalent to the sodium cooled reactor and meet all the design requirements.
Concerning technical feasibility, essential issues include the corrosion of steel such as the fuel
cladding in addition to the development of the nitride fuel. Accordingly, fundamental R&D is
64
needed to develop corrosion prevention technology and corrosion resistant material, which
will determine the conceptual applicability.
FIG. 2.43. Design study on Japanese lead–bismuth cooled FR system.

Although the lead–bismuth cooled reactor was also selected as one of the candidate reactor
types at the GIF project, originally no country has taken leadership in its development thus
far, but it might be possible that the new member (as of 2006) of GIF, the Russian Federation,
might take the lead in this area.
Helium cooled coated-particle-type fuel fast reactor
A helium gas cooled FR (1124 MW(e)) has been examined with high thermal efficiency by
achieving high core outlet temperatures (up to 850°C) and introduction of a compact gas
turbine system and coated particle fuel concept. Reactor core performance in accordance with
design requirements would be attained by introducing nitride coated particle fuel for both
high and low breeding ratios with high burnup of TRU fuels. However, it was found that the
core performance is lower than a sodium or LBE cooled reactor. Nevertheless the high
temperature gas cooled FR has the attractive feature as a high temperature heat source, which
can be used for multipurposes such as hydrogen generation (Fig. 2.44). It can be defined as a
promising concept, if the related fuel materials and subassemblies can be developed
(Section 4.6.5).
65
FIG. 2.44. Status of Japanese design study on helium gas cooled FR system.
Water cooled fast reactor
Boiling water type and pressurized water type FR have been examined by JAEA (Fig. 2.45),
and a supercritical water type (SCFBR) has also been studied by Tokyo University.
Furthermore, the issues with core disruptive accidents of SCFBR have been examined in
collaboration with FZK/Germany. Hereafter, BWR type reduced moderation water reactor
concept is described because the design work of BWR type has made more progress
comparing to other types at this stage.
The water cooled FR concept is expected to use LWR operational experiences especially in
service inspection and repair (ISI&R) aspects, and thus the plant reliability should be higher
than other FR concepts.
FIG. 2.45. Design study on Japanese water cooled FR system (R&D of JAEA).
On the other hand, the specific FR issue, also common to the water cooled concept, is the FR
core performance. Namely the breeding ratio and the burnup is limited even when highly
66
decontaminated U/Pu fuel is used, and also the fuel inventory tends to be larger, which would
increase the fuel cycle cost. When low decontaminated TRU fuel is used, the core
performance would become worse due to the fact that the void reactivity has to be negative in
the core and the fuel enrichment is required to be under an allowable level from viewpoints of
fuel fabrication and reprocessing. In addition, the water cooled reactor has lower performance
in accepting and burning minor actinides (MAs) that are recovered by the reprocessing of
spent LWR fuel, compared with other reactor concepts. It has the potential of meeting the
other design requirements such as safety, economy, and nuclear proliferation resistance.
In order to proof its technical feasibility, the water cooled reactor concept has difficulties,
which are, however, limited to fuel-related issues. It is necessary to develop cladding material
and to discuss countermeasures for the mitigation of the consequences of core damage. In
addition, since a boiling water reactor (BWR)-type FR, which was discussed in this study,
was not selected as a candidate reactor type at the GIF project, international cooperation is
limited to basic research topics at this time.
2.5.6. FR development in the Republic of Korea
Future nuclear power plants should meet several challenges: effective resource utilization,
minimized waste and reduced environmental impact, economic competitiveness, enhancement
of safety and reliability, proliferation resistance and physical protection.
In order to meet these challenges the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)
established the Comprehensive Nuclear Energy Promotion Plan (CNEPP) of 2001 which sets
the basic framework of nuclear R&D. CNEPP proposed developing liquid metal reactor
technologies for the efficient utilization of uranium resources with an emphasis on basic key
technologies; and CNEPP also suggested participating in international collaborations
including the GEN IV programme. Furthermore, as a result of Nuclear Technology Roadmap
activities in the Republic of Korea, the sodium cooled fast reactor was chosen to be one of the
two future types which should be deployable by 2030.
The fast reactor technology development project is funded by the MOST under the National
Medium and Long term Nuclear R&D Programme. The objective of the project is to develop
basic key technologies for the liquid metal reactors which can meet the goals of sustainability,
safety and economic competitiveness. The work scope of the project includes reactor design
studies, development of computational tools, and development of sodium technologies.
Sodium cooled fast reactors
The sodium cooled fast reactor technology development project has been carried out as shown
in Fig. 2.46. During Phases 1&2, basic technologies and the conceptual design of
KALIMER-150 with 150 MW(e) capacity has been developed.
67
FIG. 2.46. Sodium cooled FR technology development in the Republic of Korea.
In Phase 3 from the year 2002 to 2004, basic key technologies and the advanced concepts of
KALIMER-600 with a capacity of 600 MW(e) were developed (Fig. 2.47). During this phase,
efforts were made to develop basic key technologies and to establish advanced concepts with
emphasis on:
• proliferation resistant core design and fuel cycle concepts;
• system design for enhancement of economics and safety;
• high temperature structural analysis technologies;
• safety analysis methodologies.
FIG. 2.47 Design concept of KALIMER-600 system.
68
In 2003, the preliminary KALIMER-600 design concept was established, and several
experiments were performed for the validation of computer codes and models.
The 3rd national mid and long term nuclear R&D programme is currently being finalized in
order to establish a detailed R&D plan for the years from 2007 to 2016. It is envisioned that
the SFR technology development in the Republic of Korea will enter a new phase from 2007
with the participation in the Generation IV SFR collaboration.
Several components of KALIMER-600 have been designed in 2007 [35], e.g. the core with a
single enrichment without blanket assemblies and a passive residual heat removal system. The
inherent safety characteristics have been verified by a safety analysis.
Based upon the experiences gained during the development of the conceptual designs for
KALIMER, KAERI is planning to develop advanced design concepts. There are three main
categories of R&D activities under consideration:
1) conceptual design of an advanced SFR;
2) development of advanced SFR technologies necessary for its commercialization;
3) development of basic key technologies.
According to the current draft of the national mid and long term nuclear R&D programme, the
objective of the SFR R&D programme is to develop an advanced SFR conceptual design with
a schedule consistent with Generation IV SFR collaboration. The R&D endpoints, which are
specified in the Generation IV Technology Roadmap Report, will be utilized to define the
design activities and deliverables. The KALIMER-600 design will serve as a starting point for
this effort, and a new advanced design will be developed to have features with a potential to
better meet the Generation IV technology goals of sustainability, safety and reliability,
economics and proliferation resistance and a physical protection.
S eco n d ary E M P u m p
IH T S P ip in g
R e a c to r H e a d
S /G
DHX
IH X
P r im a r y P u m p
R e a c to r C o re R e a c to r V e s s e l
C o n ta in m e n t
Vessel
FIG. 2.48. Arrangement of KALIMER-600 systems and components.
69
For the development of advanced technologies, there are four areas: safety, fuels and
materials, reactor systems and balance-of-plant. R&D will be performed for the improvement
of economics and assurance of safety. For the development of the basic key technologies, the
main focus will be on validating the computational tools and developing sodium technologies.
In addition to the KALIMER-600 a smaller version of a SFR is being studied with
150 MW(e) [11].
Lead cooled fast reactors
As an alternative fast spectrum reactor to the SFR, a project to study Pb alloy cooled fast
reactors (called PEACER, Ref. [11]) was launched in 2002. This project aimed at developing
the system design of the medium-sized integral power reactor that can produce electricity as
well as transmuting transuranics and long lived fission products.
Preliminary designs on the 900 MW(th) Pb cooled breakeven and TRU transmutation core
have been performed and further studies on alternative coolants, analysis of anticipated
transients without scram events, basic cross-section verification and feasibility studies on
passive decay heat removal are ongoing.
The preliminary neutronic designs of the 900 MW(th) Pb alloy cooled breakeven cores with
nitride and metal fuel were performed. The cores were designed such that their conversion
ratios (CR) with no blanket assemblies are slightly larger than unity to minimize the amount
of excess fissile materials and fresh single enrichment fuels to be loaded. The flattening of
power distributions is achieved by either using a fixed number of tie rods (TR) filled with B4C
burnable absorber (BA) or changing the number of empty tie rods (NST) within an assembly.
In the aforementioned designs, the zone-wise conversion ratios are found to be slightly
different. In a core with the single enrichment, CR values are desired to be constant
throughout the whole core so that a discharged fuel might be reprocessed independently
regardless of its origin. This goal was fulfilled by filling the space within the empty tie rods
with graphite moderator. In this way, the zone-wise CRs are different at most by 0.006.
In addition to the breakeven cores, the design studies for a TRU transmutation core were
performed in case of metallic fuel with different coolants of Pb and Pb–Mg. Analyses on the
plant efficiency according to the operating temperature regime and a preliminary evaluation
of reactor and guard vessel integrity upon the earthquake were done to derive the best
possible combination of an operating temperature and a thickness of each component. With a
modified version of SSC-K for the lead coolant, ATWS events analyzed showed no
significant safety issues except that the passive decay heat removal using air cooling
demanded a large vessel diameter as wide as 9 m. With the large volume of heavy metal
coolant in the reactor vessel, a concern was raised on the sloshing of the reactor vessel upon
an earthquake.
To investigate the corrosion behaviour of the (core) structure materials such as HT-9, T91 and
316L at high temperature, KAERI constructed three lead alloy corrosion test facilities. They
are also used to develop methods to prevent corrosion if the corrosion damage is too severe.
One method is to form a stable oxide layer on the material through oxygen control in the lead
alloy. The first one is a static test facility, the second a Pb–Bi loop, and the third a Pb loop.
The lead alloy loop is called KPAL (KAERI Pb Alloy Loop). The Pb–Bi and Pb loop are
named KPAL-I and KPAL-II, respectively.
The static test facility KPAL is mainly composed of tube furnaces, a gas system and a glove
box. The furnace is a 3 zone type. It minimizes the temperature variation (±1 K) for each
section along the test tube made of quartz. The capacity is 10 kW and the maximum operation
temperature is 800 C. There are two furnaces which are connected to the glove box. Oxygen
70
control is performed by flowing Ar/H2 gas mixed with H2O vapour. The static corrosion test
facility also can be used as the facility to calibrate the oxygen sensor which is used to measure
the oxygen content inside lead alloy.
FIG. 2.49. KAERI’s Pb–Bi corrosion loop KPAL-I.

The Pb–Bi loop KPAL-I (Fig. 2.49) is an isothermal loop. The flow velocity in the test
section was designed to be around 2m/s in the range of 450~550°C and the charging volume
of the Pb–Bi is around 0.03 m3. The Pb–Bi loop is mainly composed of a main test-loop,
bypass-loop for filtering Pb–Bi and a mixture-gas supplying system. The liquid metal in the
main test loop circulates in the following order: Electromagnetic (EM) pump — EM flow
meter — oxygen controller — test section — magnetic filter —EM pump. The Pb–Bi loop is
being tested and the operation started in 2006.
The Pb loop KPAL-II is designed to be operated with flexible ∆T, ∆Thot and ∆Tcold. The
minimum ∆Tcold and maximum ∆Thot are 450 C and 600 C, respectively. The Pb loop consists
of an EMP, flow meter, heater, cooler and oxygen control system. EMP and EM flow meter
will have the same configuration as the ones used for the Pb–Bi loop. The construction of the
isothermal part of the Pb loop was completed and test runs were performed for 300 hours at
450°C. The mixed gas of 14% H2O vapour and H2 was forced to flow over the surface of Pb
inside the oxygen control tank. The oxygen content of the Pb was estimated to be
4.0 × 10 wt%. The non-isothermal part of the Pb loop was completed in 2006.
-7
2.5.7. FR development in the Russian Federation
The Russian Federation’s nuclear energy policy, carried out by Rosatom, is defined in the
programme for nuclear power development in the Russian Federation in 1998–2005 and in
the period up to the year 2010. The programme sets forth the objectives of assuring safe and
cost-effective operation of the nuclear power complex and developing advanced NPPs for
construction in the next decade.
71
Figure 2.50 shows a tentative scenario of the growth of nuclear power in the Russian
Federation including deployment of fast reactors.
7000
6000
A ll plants
Plant capacity, GWe
5000
NPPs
4000
F ast
reac tors
3000 (U -P u)
Therm al
2000 reactors
1000
(T h-U ) 2 3 3
235
U
Y ear
1980 2000 2020 2040 2060 2080 s
2100
FIG. 2.50. Tentative scenario of nuclear capacity growth, including fast reactors.
Currently, there are two fast reactors in operation in the Russian Federation (BOR-60 reactor
in Dimitrovgrad and BN-600 reactor in Zarechny). The first fast reactor in the Russian
Federation was the BR-10.
BR-10 experimental reactor
The experimental BR-5 reactor with a thermal power of 5 MW was put into operation in IPPE
in 1959. After modernization in 1971–1973, the reactor was renamed BR-10 and its power
had increased up to 8 MW. After operation during about 44 years BR-10 was finally shut
down on 6 December 2002 and is currently prepared for its decommissioning.
Current status of the BR-10 reactor is as follows:
• all fuel subassemblies have been unloaded from the core and replaced by the dummy
subassemblies;
• sodium has been drained from the primary and secondary circuits to the storage tanks
and frozen;
• the inner surfaces of the primary circuit have been cleaned from sodium and
decontaminated.
72
Figure 2.51 shows the history of development of Russian fast reactors after the BR-10.
FIG. 2.51. Development of fast reactors in the Russian Federation.

BOR-60 experimental reactor
The BOR-60 reactor started up in 1968. In 2003, BOR-60 reactor power was up to 55 MW.
According to the decision made by the government, BOR-60 reactor operation is permitted till
31 December 2009, taking into account measures on assurance of safe operation.
In the framework of preparation for BOR-60 licence prolongation and substantiation of its
safety the following activities were performed in 2005:
• creation of an updated and approved list of initial events of beyond design basis
accidents that should be analyzed for BOR-60 safety justification;
• analysis of an external shock event of rated magnitude (10 kPa) as applied to the reactor
building and preliminary estimation of response spectra and acceleration;
• irradiation of samples of BOR-60 reactor vessel material;
• design and fabrication of packages for removal of cesium radionuclides from the
primary coolant, and testing of the procedure of coolant purification;
• inspection of condition of various components and systems and extension of their
lifetime, including:
o performance of technical certification of CSS elements and equipment of BOR-60
reactor;
o inspection of welds in the secondary loops and replacement of elbows expansion
joint on the secondary pipeline.
After 2009, two stages of BOR-60 reactor adaptation are planned in order to replace it with
the new reactor BOR-60М.
On the first stage, there will be special activities for startup including:
• BOR-60 reactor decommissioning (putting in final storage);
• construction of BOR-60М reactor with all systems assuring its design operating
conditions and connection to the existing primary circuit;
• creation of additional systems and bringing of existing systems into the accordance with
requirements of regulatory documents.
73
The 1st stage includes complete replacement of safety-related components and systems
(primary and secondary loops, fuel handling system, auxiliary systems, measuring equipment,
power supply systems, automatic control systems etc.).
The 2nd stage implies adaptation of water-steam circuit and systems not influencing safety,
which will be converted as their lifetime is expired. During 2003, BOR-60M basic design was
developed.
Figure 2.51 provides an overview of the planned development of fast BN reactors.
FIG. 2.51. Scheme of BN technology development in the Russian Federation.

BN-350 reactor decommissioning
The BN-350 reactor was in operation from 1972 till 1999, supplying heat, electricity and
water to a nearby city of Aktau. Currently, Russian institutions participating in the work on
designing, construction and supervision of operation of the BN-350 reactor (located in
Kazakhstan) are invited for consultations and participation in the work on the BN-350 reactor
decommissioning.
Reactor BN-600
The BN-600 reactor started up in 1980. Design lifetime of the BN-600 reactor plant
(Fig. 2.52) expires in April 2010. During the period 2002–2005, the first stage of the BN-600
lifetime extension (LTE) by 15 years was accomplished.
74
Control rods Electricity to the consumer
Turbine
Cooling
water pond
Generator
Fuel
FIG. 2.52. BN-600 nuclear power reactor.

Results of performed work (comprehensive examination of the systems and components of
the power unit and estimation of its current safety level) were used to form in 2005 the basis
of the investment project on LTE showing cost effectiveness and attractiveness of further
work in this area. According to the estimates, specific cost of LTE of the BN-600 power unit
is ~US $250 per kW of installed power. The Russian Federation plans to reconfigure the
BN-600 to burn weapon-plutonium.
BN-800 reactor
Construction of BN-800 (Fig. 2.53) as unit number 4 at Beloyarsk site is currently underway.
It is for the first time in practice of the contemporary Russian Federation that construction of
this unit is under the intense attention of the leadership of the country. Moreover, the
guaranteed financial support of the BN-800 construction is from the state budget with
increasing rates with time. Commission of the BN-800 is due in 2012. With commissioning of
the BN-800 reactor four directions can be identified providing additional impulse of
development and perfection of FR:
• increasing safety;
• improving economic parameters of fast reactors and their nuclear fuel cycle;
• mastering of MOX fuel fabrication at industrial scale;
• mastering of closed fuel cycle elements for innovative nuclear power systems.
75
1. Vessel
2. Guard vessel
3. Reactor core
4. Pressure chamber
5. Confinement device
6. Vault
7. Main circulation pump
8. Upper fixed shielding
9. Large rotation plug
10. Central rotation plug
11. Protection hood
12. Reloading mechanism
13. Small rotation plug
14. Intermediate heat exchanger
FIG. 2.53. The reactor BN-800.
The BN-800 design uses all the principal technical solutions that have been realized in the
BN-600 reactor and proven by its operation during many years. At the same time there are
new technical solutions envisaged in the BN-800 reactor which substantially increase nuclear
safety. Such innovative solutions are the following:
• The first time introduction by design of a zero or even negative figure of the sodium
void reactivity effect by changing size and structure of the upper axial blanket so that in
case of sodium boiling in the fuel subassembly, the neutron leakage sharply increases
upward and out of the core.
• Addition of scram rods based on passive activation into the reactor control system so
that once forced coolant circulation stops these scram rods fall down into the core under
gravity and shut down the reactor.
A proposal was considered giving international status to the BN-800 reactor project by
offering interested countries to join within a framework of international cooperation.
BN-1800
The Russian Federation also plans to develop BN-1800 (Fig. 2.54) in order to:
• maximize the use of gained experience (pool type reactor design, three-circuit heat
removal system, design of the main components);
• increase of unit power up to 1800 MW(e) (taking into account trends in the
development of thermal reactor design etc.);
• increase of thermal efficiency up to ~46%;
• decrease of the number of systems and components;aiming at high efficiency fuel cycle
using high density fuel.
76
FIG. 2.54 Advanced sodium cooled fast reactor BN-1800.
Lead cooled BREST-ОD-300 reactor
The Russian Federation has experimented with various lead cooled FR cores and has a lot of
experience with lead–bismuth cooling from 41 years of operating submarine reactors.
The basic specific features of the BREST fast reactors are:
• use of high density and high thermal conductivity mono-nitride fuel;
• lack of uranium blanket;
• use of lead coolant and reflector;
• uranium enrichment is not required.
FIG. 2.55. BREST-300 reactor.
77
It has a design power of 300 MW(e) or more (Fig. 2.55), uses supercritical steam generators
and (U + Pu)-nitride fuel. It is inherently safe; no weapon grade Pu can be produced (there is
no U-blanket) and spent fuel can be recycled indefinitely.
By today, the conceptual designs have been prepared for the 300 MW(e) and 1200 MW(e)
modifications of the BREST reactor, design and calculation studies have been performed.
Reactor physics was validated in experiments at U–Pu–Pb critical test facilities, and nuclear
data were corrected. Long term corrosion testing of steels was performed in circulation
Pb loops and experiments were carried out to study the interaction of Pb with air and water, as
well as nitride fuel with Pb and steel cladding, etc. A pilot plant is planned to be built at
Beloyarsk and a 1200 MW(e) unit is designed.
SVBR-75/100 reactor
Within the framework of conceptual design of a multi-module NPP with two power units of
1600 MW(e) each, development of the conceptual design of SVBR-75/100 reactor with
lead-bismuth as coolant was completed. Currently, the concept of a seaside nuclear
desalination power complex is under development on the basis of the SVBR-75/100 reactor
with scientific supervision by the SSC RF-IPPE (Fig. 2.56). Preliminary estimates have
shown that construction of such complexes can be profitable for developing countries lacking
electricity and fresh water.
It is envisaged within this concept that desalination and turbogenerator units are constructed
at the expense of country user (customer) and connected to a transportable reactor unit (TRU)
manufactured in the Russian Federation, equipped and transported with frozen coolant to the
site and provided to the country for operation on a leasehold basis. Upon completion of its
lifetime, TRU is replaced with a new one and returned to the Russian Federation for
refuelling, preventive repair work and preparation for the next operation cycle.
Separator
Feed water
MCP
Reactor module
SG module
Gas system
condenser
Heat
exchange
Membrane
Reactor core
FIG. 2.56. SVBR-75/100 RI flow diagram.
78
Two-circuit NPP with sodium cooled fast reactor and gas turbine
One of possible ways of improvement of sodium cooled fast reactor technology and extension
of area of their application is the use of a two-circuit heat removal system design (instead of
three-circuit design) with a gas turbine. This would make it possible:
• To improve reactor safety by eliminating the risk of sodium–water contact.
• To simplify power unit design, decrease specific steel consumption owing to
elimination of an intermediate circuit with steam generators and relevant reduction of
the number of safety systems and, hence, significantly decrease capital cost.
• To increase efficiency of power unit by increasing upper temperature level, using a
gas-turbine cycle instead of a steam-water cycle and upgrading the thermodynamic
cycle of the plant by approaching an ideal cycle (Carnot cycle).
• To expand the area of fast reactor application by means of increasing parameters of
primary sodium and production of high temperature process heat usable for various
technologies, such as that of hydrogen production.
Conceptual design studies on a two-circuit NPP with sodium cooled fast reactor with a
gas-turbine cycle were carried out at the SSC RF-IPPE in two areas: large size NPP
(1200-1600 MW(e)); small and medium size modular transportable cogeneration NPP (up to
300 MW(e) (ATES-BN-GT-300/100) (Fig. 2.57).
FIG. 2.57. NPP with BNGT-300/100.

Change-over to a two-circuit layout with a gas-turbine cycle will provide, on the one hand,
complete implementation of sodium coolant benefits for cooling the reactor core with a
79
fast-neutron spectrum at a high enough temperature level; on the other hand, it will minimize
sodium coolant drawbacks due to its chemical reactivity against air and water (i.e. primary
circuit should be completely integrated; heat removal system should operate without water
inventory).
WWER-SCWR fast reactor
Concept of a once-through reactor cooled with supercritical water (SCWR) is promising
because of its following advantages:
• high efficiency of power unit;
• low specific steel consumption of reactor plant using one-circuit NPP arrangement with
vessel-type reactor design;
• high indices of fuel use owing to the application of supercritical pressure and tight fuel
pin lattice.
Conceptual analysis of a reactor design based on the use supper critical water as a coolant
(called WWER-SCP) has been performed at the SSC RF–IPPE. The main features of this
design are as follows:
• one-circuit NPP arrangement using once-through coolant flow;
• two turbines with steam re-heater;
• vessel-type reactor design;
• tight lattice of MOX fuel pins assuring sufficiently high energy neutron spectrum (close
to that of fast reactor) and fuel breeding ratio close to one (0.94);
• presence of internal blankets of depleted uranium and zirconium hydride as interior
axial layers in the core.
2.5.8. FR development in the UK
The UK continues to support the international development of fast reactor technology, mainly
through participation in European and international collaborations. All work is currently
funded by BNFL, and is carried out by BNFL, NNC, and SERCO Assurance (formerly
AEA-Technology). UKAEA provides assistance with archiving activities related to the
originally government-funded fast reactor development programme, which was terminated in
1994.
The principal programmes of work related to fast reactor and accelerator-driven systems are
as follows.
The CEA-led CAPRA programme initially focused on the incineration of Pu in a fast reactor
core. Subsequently, the complimentary CADRA programme was initiated, with the aim of
broadening the scope of CAPRA to include the incineration of minor actinides and long lived
fission products. UK participation in these programmes has been focused in the areas of core
physics, fuel performance modelling, and fuel cycle (scenario) modelling.
UK organizations participate in several EURATOM 5th Framework programmes which are
concerned with fast reactors or accelerator-driven systems, and their associated fuel cycle
technologies. Examples of these include:
• GCFR — gas cooled fast reactor study (completed in 2003);
• MUSE — basic nuclear data measurements in the CEA Masurca facility;
• CONFIRM — fabrication and in-reactor performance of Pu and minor-actinide nitride
fuels;
• FUTURE — studies of fabrication and properties of transuranic oxide fuels;
80
• PDS-XADS — accelerator-driven systems technology and design studies.
In addition, BNFL and its partners have participated in the preparation of several proposals
for the 6th Framework programme, and already participate in the RedACT study, which
examines the technical options and consequences of alternative strategies for the management
of actinides, including the use of fast transmuter systems.
The UK participated in the development of the International Generation IV Technology
Roadmap, and will participate in the R&D programmes which are currently under discussion
amongst the GIF partners. Amongst the 6 concepts identified for development under
Generation IV, the UK has indicated that it will participate in the following reactor
development programmes:
• the very high temperature reactor, VHTR (seen as a natural continuation of the UK’s
interests in graphite moderated gas cooled systems, and complimentary to nearer-term
interests in the PBMR);
• the gas cooled fast reactor, GFR;
• the sodium cooled fast reactor, SFR.
Currently, R&D plans for each of these systems are nearing completion, and plans for
conducting the R&D collaborations are under consideration. Task sheets have been prepared
and submitted to the coordinators for each system, detailing the proposed R&D contributions
in each area (design and safety, fuel, materials, fuel cycle, balance of plant, etc.).
In addition to these multilateral activities, BNFL pursues bilateral collaborations with CEA
and JNC. These are wide in scope, but include aspects of fast reactor technology. It is likely
that in the future, the UK will conduct the majority of its research into fast neutron systems
within the Euratom Framework Programme and within the Generation IV collaboration.
The Dounreay site was opened in 1955 in support of the UK’s fast reactor programme, and
three reactors were built over the next 20 years — the Dounreay fast reactor (DFR), prototype
fast reactor (PFR) and the Dounreay materials test reactor (DMTR). All are now closed, and
management at the site is now focused on decommissioning the reactors, ancillary nuclear
facilities and the restoration of the environment. This represents a major activity, and staffing
levels have risen from 1100 in the mid-1990s to over 2000 at present. The Dounreay Site
Restoration Plan is expected to take 50–60 years to complete and cost in the region of
£4 billion.
Construction of the sodium disposal plant (SDP) has been completed at a cost of some
£17 million. The plant, which is situated in the former turbine hall of PFR, destroyed around
280 t of sodium during commissioning, and has now received regulator approval to start work
on the 1500 t of sodium in PFR.
A water vapour nitrogen (WVN) process has been developed to allow the removal of pockets
of sodium (Fig. 2.58) which will remain in the PFR vessel once sodium draining has been
completed, and the process has been qualified during the decommissioning of the PFR sodium
tank farm and secondary sodium circuits. Completion of the sodium removal and vessel
cleaning is expected around 2009.
81
FIG. 2.58. Study of likely areas for remaining sodium pools in the PFR main vessel.
Decommissioning and demolition of the facility D1249 has now been completed. This facility
was originally constructed to house critical assembly tests, and was subsequently modified to
accommodate the Supernoah rig for the study of sodium–water reactions. The facility was last
used for experiments to support the design of the EFR steam generators, which were
completed in 1995.
2.5.9. FR development in the USA
Historically, there was an intensive development and deployment programme for FRs going
on in the USA till the beginning of the 1990s. In total, five different FRs (see Table 2.11)
have operated in the USA and additionally several more have been designed during that
period. However, in the middle of the 1990s the operation of all FRs had been stopped, and
only conceptual design studies (e.g. integral fast reactor) and development of fuel for FRs
(AFCI, see Section 3.4.4) had been continued.
Currently, the USA is showing interest in pursuing FR again, as illustrated by two
international activities initiated by the USA called Generation IV International Forum (GIF)
and Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), discussed further in Sections 2.6.1 and 2.6.2,
respectively.
A primary goal of the current US national energy policy is to add supply from diverse sources
(Fig. 2.59).
FIG. 2.59. US nuclear energy development goals.
82
It can be expected that the main stream of developing innovative nuclear energy systems in
the USA will follow the Generation IV roadmap. The long term strategy of the USA in regard
to nuclear energy is shown in Fig. 2.60.
FIG. 2.60. Long term US strategy for nuclear energy.

The priority on fast reactors (Fig. 2.61) responds to the sustainability goals of the
Generation IV Roadmap (to be discussed in more detail in Section 2.6.1), and reflects their
excellent potential to make significant gains in reducing the volume and radiotoxicity, and
increasing the manageability of spent nuclear fuel. With a successful fast reactor programme,
the USA may be able to avoid the need for a second geological repository for many decades.
The most promising fast-spectrum Generation IV Systems are the gas fast reactor (GFR), the
lead fast reactor (LFR) and the sodium fast reactor (SFR). Among these, the LFR and GFR
are given the most emphasis in order to resolve technical issues and uncertainties, since these
reactors offer strong potential benefits that have not been fully demonstrated.
The SFR is already at a fairly advanced state of development, with many of its technologies
having been demonstrated internationally. All of these systems should be brought to a state
where a down-selection can be undertaken based on demonstrated performance of their
economics, safety and reliability, sustainability, and proliferation resistance and physical
protection.
The remaining two technologies identified during the roadmap, the supercritical water cooled
reactor (SCWR) and the molten salt reactor (MSR), are also included in the Generation IV
USA programme. The current programme includes significant international collaborative
efforts on the SCWR, and exploratory collaborations on the MSR.
83
Figure 2.61. US DOE Generation IV priorities.
The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) is discussed further in Section 2.6.2.
Another example of a concept pursued in the USA is the Encapsulated Nuclear Heat Source
(ENHS) (Fig. 2.62), as proposed by the Argon National laboratory (ANL) [36]. The idea is to
provide a small rating, turnkey power plant with a liquid metal cooled fast reactor, which like
a nuclear battery could be delivered already fuelled to the client’s site, would provide energy
for 15 to 20 years without refuelling.
Figure 2.62. ENHS reactor.

At the end of lifetime it would be changed out for a replacement battery ENHS module and
returned to a regional centre for back end fuel cycle services. The ENHS module would be
inserted into a permanently sited secondary heat transport circuit driving a Rankine steam
cycle at the client’s site.
84
Figure 2.63 shows the concept of a transportable Star-LM HLMC Natural Convection
Reactor, as proposed by the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) [37].
FIG. 2.63. STAR-LM features.

As of 2007, this concept is being further developed and renamed SSTAR with a power of
20 MW(e), using Pb as primary coolant and a supercritical S–CO2 Brayton cycle energy
conversion.
There was a Super PRISM6 FBR under development by GE for a modular pool-type reactor
with passive cooling. The pool-type module is cooled by sodium. The commercial concept
used six reactor modules to provide 2280 MW(e). The design meets Generation IV
requirements.
2.6. Multinational programmes for development of advanced reactor concepts
There are many considerations and studies going on internationally to prepare options and
plans for the further development of nuclear energy technology in the near (15–25 years) and
in the more distant ( >25 years) future. Most of them are aware that this development has to
take care of and to synthesize demands of sustainability, i.e. of economics, safety and
security, environment, waste, infrastructure and proliferation resistance.
And most of them understand those efforts as part of necessary activities that include the
whole nuclear fuel cycle. In this section, only the considerations regarding reactor systems are
very shortly reviewed.
By far, the largest and strongest effort of this kind is the Generation IV and the GNEP
initiative. However, there are also studies and investigations underway performed under the
umbrella of EURATOM, bilateral Russian–US programmes and various national activities, as
in France (e.g. gas cooled fast reactors) and in Japan.
6
The name comes from a former modular 150 MW(e) liquid metal cooled inherently safe reactor
(GE design). But this design and another Advanced liquid meal FBR (ALMR) of 1400 MW(e) (ANL + GE
design) were withdrawn from NRC review at an early stage.
85
2.6.1. The Generation IV initiative
In 2001, an initiative has been started by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the two
US national laboratories Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL)
and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to promote an international cooperation in research
for a future generation of nuclear energy systems, called Generation IV [38]. Figure 2.64
shows the basic idea of Generation IV as a new step after three generations of reactor
technology in the past.
FIG. 2.64. Basic idea of Generation IV. A technology roadmap for Generation IV nuclear
energy systems (December 2002).
The United States of America and seven other governments7 of nations signed a charter
creating the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) [39]. The charter establishes the GIF as
an international group dedicated to developing the next generation of nuclear reactor and fuel
cycle technologies over the next several decades.
Working Groups have been set up and organized as shown in Fig. 2.658.
7
GIF starting members were: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the UK
and the USA. In 2003, two more countries joined: South Africa and Switzerland. In 2006, EURATOM, China
and the Russian Federation joined.
8
As of 2007, there are 3 technical working groups still active dealing with economics, risk and safety,
and proliferation resistance and physical protection.
86
FIG. 2.65. Generation IV working groups and their targets.
GIF operations are overseen by a Policy Group and supported by an Experts Group. The
Policy Group acts as a decision making body for high level initiatives and issues, while the
Experts Group oversees the various cross-cutting and methodology collaborations. Both
groups include representatives from all members.
The GIF has no permanent facilities, budget or staff; members contribute staff time and the
use of facilities as needed. The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency serves as a Technical
Secretariat to the GIF.
Beginning in 2001, over 100 experts from 10 countries and international organizations began
work on defining the goals for new systems, identifying many promising concepts, and
evaluating them, and defining the R&D needed for the most promising systems.
Also right from the beginning, GIF members sought to have the most flexible working
arrangements to define Generation IV systems and their R&D. As with many other large scale
R&D initiatives, the GIF adopted a roadmapping approach to setting goals for Generation IV
nuclear energy systems. The results of these efforts were updated several times per year and a
‘final’ Technology Roadmap for Generation IV for Nuclear Energy Systems has been
achieved by the end of 2002 [38]. The time horizon extends to 2030 or earlier.
GIF identified the following reactor systems as of potential importance for the future of
nuclear energy systems:
• Gas cooled fast reactor system (GFR) (Fig. 2.66);
• Lead cooled fast reactor system (LFR) (Fig. 2.67);
• Molten salt reactor system (MSR) (Fig. 2.68);
• Sodium cooled fast reactor system (SFR) (Fig. 2.69);
• Supercritical water cooled reactor system (SCWR) (Fig. 2.70);
• Very high temperature reactor system (VHTR) (Fig. 2.71).
The six systems feature increased safety, improved economics for electricity production and
new products such as hydrogen for transportation applications, reduced nuclear wastes for
disposal, and increased proliferation resistance.
87
Generation IV nuclear energy systems are future, next generation technologies that will
compete in all markets with the most cost-effective technologies expected to be available over
the next three decades.
Comparative advantages include reduced capital cost, enhanced nuclear safety, minimal
generation of nuclear waste, and further reduction of the risk of weapons materials
proliferation. Generation IV systems are intended to be responsive to the needs of a broad
range of nations and users.
In addition to selecting these six concepts for deployment between 2010 and 2030, the GIF
recognised a number of (international near-term deployment) advanced reactors available
before 2015.
Most of the six systems employ a closed fuel cycle to maximise the resource base and
minimise high level wastes to be sent to a repository. Three of the six are fast reactors and one
can be built as a fast reactor, one is described as epithermal, and only two operate with slow
neutrons like today's plants.
Only one is cooled by light water, two are helium cooled and the others have a lead–bismuth,
sodium or fluoride salt coolant. The latter three operate at low pressure, with significant safety
advantage. The last one has uranium fuel dissolved in the circulating coolant. Temperatures
range from 510°C to 1000°C, compared with less than 330°C for today's light water reactors,
and this means that four of them can be used for thermo-chemical hydrogen production.
The sizes range from 150 to 1500 MW(e), with the lead cooled one optionally available as a
50–150 MW(e) nuclear battery with a long core life (15–20 years without refuelling) as
replaceable cassette or entire reactor module. This concept is designed for distributed
generation or desalination.
At least four of the systems have significant operating experience already in most respects of
their design, which may mean that they can be in commercial operation well before 2030.
Currently, the thirteen members of the GIF (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Euratom,
France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Switzerland, the
United Kingdom, and the United States of America) are working together as the
Generation IV International Forum (GIF) to lay the groundwork for the fourth generation of
nuclear energy systems — Generation IV.
The 6 reactor systems have been categorized with regard to various basic goals of energy
conversion:
• Energy products, i.e. to produce either electricity or process heat, in particular to
produce hydrogen, or both;
• Types of fuel cycles, to be operated in a once-through fuel cycle or with actinide
management to a best case deployment date (Table 2.16).
TABLE 2.16. GENERATION IV BEST CASE SCHEDULES FOR DEPLOYMENT
Generation IV Best case deployment
System Date
SFR 2015
VHTR 2020
G FR 2025
MSR 2025
SCW R 2025
LFR 2025
88
For costs of R&D look into the report called A Technology Roadmap for Generation IV
Nuclear Energy Systems [38]. It has to be stated here, that these schedules for deployment,
even if they are called Best Case Data appear more than optimistic for most of the envisaged
advanced systems, except for the SFR, where, as already mentioned above, there exists
already quite some experience in several countries involved in or at least cooperating with
GEN IV.
However, for each of these six reactors systems reactor parameters and reference values have
been defined. Necessary R&D is discussed, including R&D crosscutting between the
individual reactor concepts. Schedules and cost are being estimated.
In the following text schematic figures and some technical information are given for the six
selected reactor types.
Gas cooled fast reactor (GFR)
This type (Fig. 2.66, Table 2.17) features a fast neutron spectrum, helium cooled reactor with
a closed fuel cycle.
FIG. 2.66. Generation IV gas cooled fast reactor system (GFR).

Like other helium cooled reactors which have operated or are under development, these will
be high temperature units (~850°C), suitable for power generation, thermo-chemical
hydrogen production or other process heat. For electricity, the gas will directly drive a gas
turbine (Brayton cycle). Fuels would include depleted uranium and any other fissile or fertile
materials. Spent fuel would be reprocessed on-site and all the actinides recycled to minimise
production of long lived radioactive wastes. While General Atomics worked on the design in
the 1970s (but not as fast reactor), none has so far been built.
89
TABLE 2.17. GAS COOLED FASTS REACTOR: REACTOR PARAMETERS AND
REFERENCE VALUES
Reactor parameters Reference value

Reactor power 600 to 3000 MW(th)
(300 to 1500 MW(e))
Net plant efficiency (direct cycle helium) >45%
Coolant inlet/outlet temperature Up to 850°C
Core pressure drop/primary coolant pressure Consistent with gas natural circulation /
5–7 MPa
Average power density 50–100 MW(th)/m3
Reference fuel compound (U, Pu, MA) – C, or N or O2
Candidate fuel concepts Dispersion fuel, solid solution, particle
fuel
Volume fraction, fuel/gas/SiC 50/40/10%
Conversion ratio Self-sustaining core
Burnup, damage ~10 at%
Lead cooled fast reactor (LFR)
This type (Fig. 2.67, Table 2.18) features a fast spectrum, lead or lead–bismuth eutectic liquid
metal cooled reactor, and a closed fuel cycle for efficient conversion of fertile uranium and
management of actinides.
FIG. 2.67. Generation IV lead cooled fast reactor system (LFR).

Liquid metal (Pb or Pb–Bi) cooling is by natural convection. Fuel is depleted uranium metal
or nitride, with full actinide recycling from regional or central reprocessing plants. A wide
range of unit sizes is envisaged, from factory-built nuclear battery with 15–20 year life for
small grids or developing countries, to modular 300–400 MW(e) units and large single plants
of 1400 MW(e). Operating temperature of 550°C is readily achievable but 800°C is envisaged
with advanced materials and this would enable thermo-chemical hydrogen production.
90
TABLE 2.18. LEAD COOLED FAST REACTORS: REACTOR PARAMETERS AND
REFERENCE VALUES
Reference values
Reactor parameters Pb–Bi battery Pb–Bi module Pb large Pb battery
(nearer-term) (nearer-term) (nearer-term) (far-term)
Coolant Pb–Bi Pb–Bi Pb Pb
Outlet temperature (°C) ~550 ~550 ~550 ~750–800
Pressure (at) 1 1 1 1
Rating (MW(th)) 125–400 ~1000 3600 400
Fuel Metal or Metal Alloy Nitride Nitride
Nitride
Cladding Ferritic Ferritic Ferritic Ceramic coatings
or refractory
alloys
Average burnup ~100 ~100–150 100–150 100
(GWD/MTHM)
Conversion ratio 1.0 d >1.0 1.0–1.02 1.0
Lattice Open Open Mixed Open
Primary flow Natural Forced Forced Natural
Pin liner heat rate Derated Nominal Nominal Derated
This design concept corresponds to the Russian Federation's BREST fast reactor technology
which is lead cooled and builds on 40 years experience of lead–bismuth cooling in submarine
reactors. Its fuel is U + Pu nitride. The GIF proposal appears to arise from two experimental
designs: the US STAR and Japan's LSPR, these being lead and lead–bismuth cooled
respectively.
Molten salt reactor (MSR)
This type (Fig. 2.68, Table 2.19) produces fission power in a circulating molten salt fuel
mixture with an epithermal-spectrum reactor and a full actinide recycle fuel cycle.
The uranium fuel is dissolved in the sodium fluoride salt coolant which circulates through
graphite core channels to achieve some moderation and an epithermal neutron spectrum.
Fission products are removed continuously and the actinides are fully recycled, while
plutonium and other actinides can be added along with 238U. Coolant temperature is 700°C at
very low pressure, with 800°C envisaged. A secondary coolant system is used for electricity
generation, and thermo-chemical hydrogen production is also feasible.
During the 1960s, the USA developed the molten salt breeder reactor as the primary backup
option for the conventional fast breeder reactor and a small prototype was operated. Recent
work has focused on lithium and beryllium fluoride coolant with dissolved thorium and
233
U-fuel. The attractive features of the MSR fuel cycle include: the high level waste
comprising fission products only, hence shorter lived radioactivity; small inventory of
weapons-fissile material (242Pu being the dominant Pu isotope); low fuel use (the French
self-breeding variant claims 50 kg of thorium and 50 kg 238U per billion kW·h); and safety
due to passive cooling up to any size.
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FIG. 2.68. Generation IV molten salt reactor system (MSR).
TABLE 2.19. MOLTEN SALT REACTORS, REACTOR PARAMETERS AND

REFERENCE VALUES

Net power 1000 MW(e)
Power density 22 MW(th)/m3
Net thermal efficiency 44 to 50%
Fuel-salt – inlet temperature 565°C
– outlet temperature 700°C (850°C for hydrogen production)
– vapour pressure < 0.1 psi
Moderator Graphite
Power cycle Multi-reheat recuperative helium Brayton
cycle
Neutron spectrum burner Thermal-actinide
Sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR)
This type (Fig. 2.69, Table 2.20) features a fast spectrum, sodium cooled reactor with a closed
fuel cycle for efficient management of actinides and conversion of fertile uranium.
This builds on more than 300 reactor-years experienced with fast neutron reactors over five
decades and in eight countries. It utilises depleted uranium in the fuel and has a coolant
temperature of 550°C enabling electricity generation via a secondary sodium circuit, the
primary one being at near atmospheric pressure. Two variants are proposed: a 150 to
500 MW(e) type with actinides incorporated into a metal fuel requiring pyrometallurgical
processing on-site, and a 500–1500 MW(e) type with conventional MOX fuel reprocessed in
conventional facilities elsewhere.
92
FIG. 2.69. Generation IV sodium cooled fast reactor system (SFR).
TABLE 2.20. SODIUM COOLED FAST REACTOR: REACTOR PARAMETERS AND
REFERENCE VALUES

Outlet temperature 530–550oC
Pressure ~1 Atmospheres
Rating 1000–5000 MW(th)
Fuel Oxide or metal alloy
Cladding Ferritic or ODS ferritic
Average burnup ~150–200 GWD/MTHM
Conversion ratio 0.5–1.30
Average power density 350 MW(th)/m3
Supercritical water cooled reactor (SCWR)
This type (Fig. 2.70, Table 2.21) is a high temperature, high pressure water cooled reactor that
operates above the thermodynamic critical point of water to give a thermal efficiency about
one third higher than today's light water reactors from which the design evolves.
93
FIG. 2.70. Generation IV supercritical water cooled reactor system (SCWR).
The supercritical water (25 MPa and 510–550°C) directly drives the turbine, without any
secondary steam system. Passive safety features are similar to those of simplified boiling
water reactors. Fuel is uranium oxide, enriched in the case of the open fuel cycle option.
However, it could be built also as a fast reactor with full actinide recycling based on
conventional reprocessing. Most research on this design has been done in Japan.
TABLE 2.21. SUPERCRITICAL WATER COOLED REACTOR: REACTOR

PARAMETERS AND REFERENCE VALUES

Plant capital cost US $900/KW
Unit power and 1700 MW(e),
neutron spectrum thermal spectrum
Net efficiency 44%
Coolant inlet and outlet temperatures 280°C/510°C
and pressure 25 MPa
Average power density ~100 MW(th)/m3
Very high temperature reactor (VHTR)
This type (Fig. 2.71, Table 2.22) is a graphite-moderated, helium cooled reactor with a
once-through uranium fuel cycle;
94
FIG. 2.71. Generation IV very high temperature reactor system (VHTR).
These are graphite-moderated, helium cooled reactors, based on substantial experience. The
core can be built of prismatic blocks such as the Japanese HTTR and the GT-MHR under
development by General Atomics and others in the Russian Federation, or it may be a pebble
bed such as the Chinese HTR-10, and the PBMR under development in South Africa with
international partners. Outlet temperature of 1000°C enables thermo-chemical hydrogen
production via an intermediate heat exchanger, with electricity cogeneration, or direct high
efficiency driving of a gas turbine (Brayton cycle). There is some flexibility in fuels, but no
recycling. Modules of 600 MW thermal are envisaged.
TABLE 2.22. VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE REACTOR: REACTOR PARAMETERS

AND REFERENCE VALUES

Reactor power 600 MW(th)
Coolant inlet/outlet temperature 640/1000°C
Core inlet/outlet pressure Dependent on process
Helium mass flow rate 320 kg/s
Average power density 6–10 MW(th)/m3
Reference fuel compound ZrC-coated particles in blocks, pins or pebbles
Net plant efficiency >50%
The international effort of GIF reached a major milestone on 28 February 2005, as five of the
forum's member countries signed the world's first agreement aimed at the international
development of advanced nuclear energy systems, the Framework Agreement for
International Collaboration on Research and Development of Generation IV Nuclear Energy
Systems.
95
As of January 2007, this agreement was in force for the following countries:
TABLE 2.23. COUNTRIES THAT SIGNED THE GIF R&D FRAMEWORK
AGREEMENT
Country Implementing agent(s)
Canada Department of Natural Resources

Euratom Joint Research Centre
France Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique
Japan Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Republic of Korea Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)
Korea Science and Engineering Foundation
(KOSEF)
Switzerland Paul Scherrer Institute
United States of America Department of Energy
An important milestone for the GIF was reached in March 2007 with the signature of the first
Project Arrangement, regarding Advanced Fuel for the SFR System. Signed by the five
partners to the SFR System Arrangement, the project agreement sets out a detailed plan for
research and development activities in this area and details the schedule, funding and
deliverables expected to achieve this. Other project arrangements are expected to be signed
soon.
2.6.2. Global nuclear energy partnership (GNEP)
In February 2006, the US government announced an initiative called GNEP [40]. The
initiative proposes the expansion of nuclear power in the USA and worldwide, an aggressive
plan to manage spent fuel in the USA, the development of advanced nuclear fuel cycles
including advanced reprocessing technologies with enhanced proliferation resistance and less
waste [41], a fuel service programme enabling nations to acquire nuclear energy while
limiting proliferation risks, the development of new types of reactors such as small reactors
for export and advanced burner (fast) reactors (ABR) [42] to reduce actinides in waste, and
the reduction of separated civilian plutonium.
However, the GNEP concept also includes some political aspects: It proposes to confine the
international fuel service market (see Ref. [43]). Primarily, the Nuclear Weapons States i.e.
the USA, the UK, France, the Russian Federation and China and some additional nations to be
selected (like Japan) would become Fuel Cycle Nations supplying nuclear fuel to the rest of
the nuclear community called Reactor Nations. Receiving fuel would require the Reactor
Nations committing to forgo national enrichment and reprocessing activities. Spent fuel
would have to be sent back to the Fuel Cycle Nations, only who would be entitled to recycle
and reuse all materials such as Pu.
As of September 2007, sixteen countries have signed a Statement of Principles: China,
France, Japan, the Russian Federation, and the USA as the original partners, of GNEP, and
Australia, Bulgaria, Ghana, Hungary, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Poland, Romania,
Slovenia, and Ukraine. These principles promote cooperation on a series of key issues:
• the need to deal with waste materials in a responsible manner;
• the costs involved with developing the necessary infrastructure;
96
• the need to develop and deploy technologies that will increase the efficiency of the fuel
cycle;
• the risks posed by the potential for proliferation of nuclear materials and sensitive
technologies.
GNEP will move the USA from a once-through to a closed or recycling fuel cycle. Three new
nuclear facilities are to be developed in the USA: A nuclear fuel recycling centre (CFTC)
reprocessing spent fuel from LWRs, an advanced fuel cycle facility (AFCF) producing fuel
with transuranics added, and the advanced recycling reactor (ABR) burning the transuranics
while generating electricity.
2.6.3. The EURATOM research on future nuclear systems
The European Commission funds studies and investigations on the future of nuclear systems
in accordance with a Green Paper on the security of energy supply in Europe presented by the
European Commission in 2000 [44]. Those studies focus on future systems for:
• energy production;
• waste management such as partitioning and transmutation (P&T).These activities
mainly involve the EURATOM research centres and their activities are as follows:
• Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU) – Karlsruhe:
o P&T (partitioning techniques and actinide fuel for transmutation);
o improved and safer fuel fabrication routes.
• Institute for Energy (IE) – Petten:
o actinide and innovative fuel irradiation in HFR Networks.
• Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) – Geel:
o neutron data for transmutation.
Work is performed in cooperation with the nuclear industry, other research centres
(e.g. ORNL/USA studies on molten salt reactor (MOST)), and Universities (e.g. Tokyo
University studies on high performance light water reactors (HPLWR), operating in
thermodynamically supercritical regime).
The European Commission (EC) has joint the Generation IV International Forum in 2006.
Within the 6th Framework Programme (FP6)9, the EC initiated a research programme on gas
cooled fast reactors called GCFR STREP, lead cooled reactors (ELSY), and very high
temperature reactors (e.g. RAPHAEL, PUMA).
2.6.4. The USA–Russian Federation collaborative programme
In the Russian Federation, many studies and research activities are underway to investigate
the potential and to prepare the future of advanced reactor systems. Some of them are now
(since 2002) being performed in collaboration with the USA [27].
This collaboration includes:
• fast liquid metal cooled reactors (with Na, Pb + Bi, Pb only);
• fast and thermal high temperature He cooled reactors;
• reactors fuelled with molten salts;
• light water reactors with supercritical coolant parameters.
9
See web site: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp6-euratom.
97
There is also collaboration on various fuel cycle alternatives and special waste management
methods, which will be discussed later.
The Russian Federation is also a strong supporter of the programme The International Project
on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) which is in progress since 2002
under the umbrella of the IAEA.
2.7. Very advanced reactor systems
There are very ambitious systems under consideration, some of them already under first
investigations that are today far away from becoming commercial. In fact, even the
development of prototypes is still rather far away. However, there are concepts under
consideration with very promising perspectives for the future of nuclear energy and its
political and social acceptance.
Those concepts promise substantial progress with regard to the present long term burden on
the final disposal of waste and/or spent fuel. And they also promise serious progress with the
non-proliferation issue. Interestingly, those concepts are, historically speaking, not fully new.
In the very early days of nuclear energy there were already all basic ideas available, however
the existing possibilities of the technology and also the political and market requirements just
did not provide realistic chances for those ideas. This holds true in particular for accelerator
driven systems (ADS), and for other highly efficient (actinide) burners and/or breeders, like
the molten salt reactor (MSR) concept. In some concepts both systems are combined.
2.7.1. Accelerator driven systems (ADS)
The idea of this concept is to shoot highly accelerated particles (e.g. protons) at a heavy
material target. This bombardment produces a very intense neutron source (a process called
spallation). These neutrons enter a subcritical core (also called a blanket) where they can be
multiplied.
With these neutrons Pu, for example from nuclear weapons, could be burnt, a U–Th fuel cycle
may be started, and very long living radioactive isotopes like the minor actinides can be
transmuted by fission into short living less heavy isotopes. Thus, there are several very
promising perspectives for the development of such a system. Many conceptual studies and
also experimental investigations are presently underway worldwide (to be discussed further in
Section 5.4). However, there is still a long — and costly — way to go to end up with a
commercially applicable solution.
2.7.2. The molten salt reactor (MSR)
As all recently returning advanced concepts, also this one has a long history. The first reactor
of this kind was the 2.5 MW(th) aircraft reactor experiment that in 1954 demonstrated
maximum operating temperatures of up to 860ºC. This was followed, in the 1960s, by the
molten salt reactor experiment, an 8 MW(th) reactor to investigate for the first time key
features for a molten salt breeder reactor (MSBR). This is the rather old but anyway existing
experience basis for the today again rising interest in this reactor concept due to its attractive
perspectives for advanced fuel cycles.
Molten salt reactors (MSR) can be used for production of electricity, actinide burning,
production of hydrogen, and production of fissile fuels. Concept development studies have
been performed in various places, like in France [45], the USA [46, 47], and the Russian
Federation.
98
Fissile, fertile and fission products are dissolved in a high temperature molten fluoride salt
with a very high boiling point (1400ºC) that is both the reactor fuel and the coolant. The
reactor, in principle, can be built in large sizes with passive safety systems (Fig. 2.72).
This reactor concept features unique possible applications [47]:
• destruction of long lived radionuclides of a wide range of possible fuel cycles
(once-through, waste burning, fissile fuel production, e.g. in a thorium uranium fuel
cycle) without major changes in the reactor design;
• limiting the radioactivity in the reactor core by on line removal and solidification of the
mobile fission products;
• limited excess reactivity requirements in the core due to online fuel management.
FIG. 2.72. Molten salt reactor [46].
2.7.2.1. French studies of MSR
Because of the particularly attractive perspectives of deploying a MSR system within a Th/U
fuel cycle, providing the possibilities of using the large natural recourses of thorium, as a
specific example the concept of the reactor physics group of the Laboratoire de Physique
Subatomique et de Cosmologie at Grenoble in France is described shortly in the following
paragraphs.
The core of the reactor is cylindrical (Fig. 2.73). It is a block of graphite with holes in which
the molten salt circulates. The graphite serves as a neutron moderator and is the solid structure
of the reactor. The molten salt circulating in the channels is both the fuel and the coolant. It
contains the thorium and uranium needed to sustain the chain reaction.
99
FIG. 2.73. View of a molten salt reactor model.
In a simulated reactor model providing 2500 MW(th) thermal power, equivalent to
1000 MW(e) electric power, at the chosen operating temperature (salt temperature) of
approximately 700°C in the heat exchanger, the thermal efficiency gets up to 40%. The carrier
salt is a mixture of lithium fluoride (LiF) and of beryllium fluoride (BeF2), or 4LiF-BeF2, to
which the fuel is added. The salt passes into a tank above the core to facilitate salt circulation,
and from there to the heat exchanger. The salt, cooled to approximately 600°C, returns to the
tank below the core, from which it enters into the core.
The on-line chemical processing takes the salt through the following steps:
• Extract the uranium and put it back in the reactor.
• Extract the protactinium, let it sit for three months and, once it has decayed to uranium,
put it back in the circuit.
• Extract the fission products.
• Replace the thorium consumed.
If the reactor operates as a breeder, extract the excess uranium.
An important feature is the fact that all heavy nuclei (uranium and transuranics, called minor
actinides) remain in the reactor (except some leaking out during processing). Because they
remain in the salt indefinitely, almost all heavy nuclei will eventually fission. The actinides
produced in the reactor are thus incinerated in the reactor. The only radioactive nuclei that
escape the reactor are the fission products. In Fig. 2.74 the schematics of the fuel processing
are shown.
100
FIG. 2.74. Schematic of the fuel processing system. (TRU: transuranics; MSR: molten salt
reactor; FP: fission products)
A thorium-based molten salt reactor cannot be started without fissile material. The performed
simulations have shown that plutonium taken from a PWR's spent UO2 fuel can be used to
start a thorium-based molten salt reactor. As the plutonium is incinerated, it is progressively
replaced with 233U. The irradiation of plutonium generates more minor actinides than that of
233
U. These are progressively incinerated in the reactor but it takes more than a hundred years
to reduce the minor actinides to the amount in a Th–233U reactor that was started directly with
233
U. Such a reactor, with its on line fuel processing, is at least a converter. Thus, it
burns ~100% of its fuel.
Reactor safety has not been examined in detail at this stage (2001). All the simulations apply
to a critical reactor but at least during the testing phase of an experimental reactor, and
perhaps finally, it could be operated as a subcritical reactor, associated to a proton accelerator
to produce the missing neutrons via a spallation reaction. A subcritical reactor can stay safe
even if the effective multiplying coefficient, keff, changes, within limits.
This study shows, as an example of many more others presently performed, the large
promising potential of the concept. But it also shows how far this interesting concept still is
from realization. And it has to be clear that this reactor concept faces extreme material
problems, due to the very aggressive liquid medium at very high temperatures. The graphite
may be able to resist to this highly aggressive medium. In the chemical industry there is
experience with similar media but not at these high temperatures. And if materials are found
withstanding for a reasonable time, the cost of those materials and their replacement from
time to time may raise immense economic obstacles.
101
2.7.2.2. Russian studies of the MSR
The following Russian contribution describes some of the problems involved with the molten
salt reactor concept in more detail.
A major liquid salt reactor (LSR) development problem is the selection of the fuel salt. The
major criteria for this selection are:
• low neutron absorption cross-sections of the salt components;
• sufficient solubility of fuel components at acceptable operation temperatures;
• stability in the accumulation of difficult to remove fission products;
• radiation and chemical stability of the salt (no decomposition, no low volatility of
components);
• adequate hydrodynamic and thermal characteristics;
• possibility for effective fuel recycling for FP and PK (economic reprocessing).
The range of nuclides with a small neutron capture cross-section that could be potentially
considered as coolant (fuel) components is rather broad, but different combinations of four
fluorides (7LiF, BeF2, ZrF4, NaF) have been largely considered in liquid-salt systems for
already 50 years.
The basic fuel compositions studied in the LSR development are the following (% mol.):
• ARE – 53,0 NaF; 41,2 ZrF4; 5,8% UF4;
• MSRE – 65,0 LiF; 29,1 BeF2 ; 5,0 ZrF4; 0,9 UF4;
• MSBR – 71,772 LiF; 16,0 BeF2; 12,0 ThF4; 0,228 UF4.
As the NaF-ZrF4 system was used in the first LSR, the conversion to the LiF-BeF2
composition was mainly connected with the development of breeder reactors for which the
neutron economy is a top priority issue.
The major drawbacks of the LiF-BeF2 systems are:
• Generation of tritium in neutron reactions of lithium even with removal of a large
portion of the 6Li isotope.
• High cost of the 7Li isotope and beryllium.
• High toxicity of beryllium. The permissible content of Ве in a production room air is
equal to 1.10-4 mg/m3.
Drawbacks of NaF-ZrF4 are:
• high pressure of zirconium tetra-fluoride vapours;
• a higher melting temperature (732 K) than in the lithium–beryllium composition.
The selection requirements of fuel salt for dissolution of irradiated fuel elements and their
subsequent gas-fluoride reprocessing with production of highly purified uranium are:
• low cost of the fluoride system components for dissolution of irradiated fuel elements;
• low melting temperature (less than 550–600 C);
• low viscosity;
• small vapour pressure at working temperatures.
The mixtures of the LiF-BeF2, KF-LiF, KF-ZrF4, NaF-ZrF4, KF-ZrF4-LiF, KF-ZrF4-AlF3 salts
meet these conditions.
Uranium–zirconium fuel elements are dissolved in these melts by bubbling through fluorine
hydrogen. Uranium and zirconium pass into a highly soluble form of UF4 and ZrF4, and noble
gases and highly volatile FP pass into a gas phase and are delivered to the gas treatment
102
system. To recover the LSR waste fluorine melts, there were used the NaF-ZrF4 and LiF-BeF2
systems that were fluorinated at 550 C with the subsequent UF6 purification by a sorption
method. The existing structural materials limit the maximum working FS temperature with a
maximum of ~750 C.
But it is not the eutectics temperature value that is of importance for the practical selection of
the fluoride system, i.e. the lowest melting temperature, but the actual temperature, with
which the dissolution of a large quantity of actinide fluorides can be achieved, and the width
of the fluoride composition concentration range, which includes the system in a molten state.
None of the most advanced salt compositions (LiF-NaF) with a melting temperature of 650 C
meets this criterion.
Since some FP fluorides (СеF3, ВаF2, SrF2) in the melt reduce the solubility of actinides,
actually for maintaining all actinides, lanthanides and other fission products present in the
irradiated product in a solved state, the fluoride solution should have the working temperature
of 600–700 C. The americium and curium solubility can be roughly assessed based on the
solubility data of rare-earth metals (REM), i.e. their close chemical analogs.
The NaF-ZrF4 system has advantages over the LiF-BeF2 system in terms of the solubility of
both actinides and lactinides. This factor is important as both the LSR life and the irradiated
fuel reprocessing cost depend on it. To achieve a high UF4, PuF3 and REM fluoride solubility,
the 3LiF-BeF2 system should be used whose melting temperature (540 С) is higher than the
melting temperature of the NaF-ZrF4 system (510 C). However, the total cost of the LiF- BeF2
composition is approximately 100 times as high as the NaF-ZrF4 cost.
An additional drawback of the LiF-BeF2 system is a very high hygroscopicity of BeF2, which
causes difficulties in the production, use and recovery of irradiated fuel.
For a fuel based on the NaF-ZrF4 melt, the recovery technology can be simplified with respect
to the removal of REM fluorides having high neutron entrapment cross-sections and reducing
the MA solubility. The technology of purifying the spent working melt is reduced to its
cooling to a temperature at which only REM fluorides would be separated. Thereafter, high
temperature filtration or centrifugation and the sludge washing with a fresh NaF-ZrF4 melt
will be required. The residue after the washing is supplied for the controlled storage and the
melt purified of REMs is returned to the reactor or for dissolution of the irradiated fuel. The
MA behaviour during this operation requires additional studies.
The final selection of the transmutation LSR FS primarily requires studies of the plutonium
and MA solubility in the candidate FS. The problem can be solved also through development
of new structural materials that raise the temperature ceiling and, thus, the solubility of
transmuted elements in the FS. Of major importance for LSR as a reactor with a closed fuel
cycle is the maximum economic FS reprocessing. Less operations, plutonium and MA
inventories in the reprocessing cycle and secondary waste amounts do not only reduce the
cost of the TS reprocessing and RW disposal, but also the risk caused by occurrence of any
emergency situations.
2.7.2.3. US studies of MSR
Currently, within the Generation IV project [48] a concept of a modular MSR with TRISO
fuel is studied in the USA, called AHTR.
2.8. Perspectives of nuclear power
There is no easy answer to the question how the use of nuclear energy will develop during the
next decades, regionally and worldwide. Certainly the energy demand will grow worldwide
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due to the urgent need in many areas of this world to improve living conditions and also due
to the fact that the world population is still growing. Many prognostic scenarios were
elaborated on the quantitative development of this growth during the last 50 years. Some of
them were wrong, in particular with regard to the regional situation. Therefore, today studies
on the regional and worldwide growth of the energy demand and the role of nuclear energy
within this growth always provide a set (or family) of alternative scenarios (Fig. 2.75) as for
example the evaluation of SRES scenarios by the IAEA, performed within INPRO [1].
FIG. 2.75. Nuclear electricity production (EJ) for four selected SRES scenarios A1T, A2, B1
and B2 (Section 4.1.1 of Ref. [1]).
The four selected scenarios in Fig. 2.75 are characterized as follows:
• The A1T storyline and scenario family describe a future world of very rapid economic
growth, low population growth, and the rapid introduction of new and more efficient
technologies. Major underlying themes are convergence among regions, capacity
building, and increased cultural and social interactions, with a substantial reduction in
regional differences in per capita income.
• The A2 storyline and scenario family describe a very heterogeneous world. The
underlying theme is self-reliance and preservation of local identities. Fertility patterns
across regions converge very slowly, which results in high population growth.
Economic development is primarily regionally oriented and per capita economic growth
and technological changes are more fragmented and slower than in other storylines.
• The B1 storyline and scenario family describe a convergent world with the same low
population growth as in the A1 storyline, but with rapid changes in economic structures
toward a service and information economy, with reductions in material intensity, and
the introduction of clean and resource-efficient technologies. The emphasis is on global
solutions to economic, social, and environmental challenges, including improved equity,
but without additional climate initiatives.
• The B2 storyline and scenario family describe a world in which the emphasis is on local
solutions to economic, social, and environmental challenges. It is a world with moderate
population growth, intermediate levels of economic development, and less rapid and
more diverse technological change than in the B1 and A1 storylines. While the storyline
is also oriented toward environmental protection and social equity, it focuses on local
and regional levels.
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All four storylines project a significant total increase of nuclear power worldwide (see
Fig. 2.75 above) within the 21st century with significant differences in different areas of the
world, i.e. nuclear energy together with other energy sources will be needed to satisfy the
future global demand for energy. Some of the SRES scenarios above, however, show
stagnation or decline of the worldwide role of nuclear power after about 2080 based on
economic assumptions, e.g. solar energy would become cheaper than nuclear energy and
therefore the main energy source. However, as also stated in Ref. [1] the share of nuclear
power could not only be kept constant but even increased dramatically if its economic
competitiveness would be further improved continuously (concept of learning rates) in
comparison with alternative energy sources.
Figure 2.76 [5] shows the development of the installed electrical (nuclear) power since its
beginning till today and a projection thereof till 2030. By the end of 2007, the installed
nuclear capacity amounted to 370 GW(e).
FIG. 2.76. Development of installed nuclear power capacity (GW(e)) worldwide [5].
In Fig. 2.76 above the dark green bars show historical growth from 1960 through 2005. The
light green bars show the IAEA’s latest low projection for 2010, 2020 and 2030 (420 GW(e)).
The other colours show how much of the difference between IAEA’s low and high
projections (more than 600 GW(e) in 2030) is attributable to different regions of the world
(SEA: South-East Asia, LA: Latin America, ME&SA: Middle East and South Asia,
NA: North America, EE: Eastern Europe, WE: Western Europe).
For the next two to three decades the light water reactors with further enhanced safety and
increased competitiveness will most probably be the worldwide backbone for nuclear power
generation, i.e. electricity production. Additionally, it is expected that improved heavy water
reactors will contribute to this nuclear share of the overall generation of electric energy.
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CHAPTER 3.
NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE OPTIONS
In this chapter a short overview is laid out on the history of NFC strategies, the current status
of NFC technology globally and in some specific countries, and finally the mid term and long
term trends of NFC technologies.
3.1. Short history of NFC strategies
Already in the late 1940s and then in the 1950s most of the technological steps of the
uranium-plutonium nuclear fuel cycle were developed: mining, milling, conversion,
enrichment, fuel fabrication, and recycling of irradiated fuel for recovery of fissile. However,
in those times the driving force was the development of nuclear weapons and then the
necessity to fuel naval propulsion reactors.
In the 1970s and 1980s, commercial nuclear power was growing rapidly in the United States
of America, Japan and Europe (e.g. France, Germany and the United Kingdom).
The fuel cycle strategies in the above mentioned countries changed from the 1970s to the
1980s. In the 1970s, due to oil embargoes the security of energy supply became first priority
in most of these countries. Fuel recycling and fast breeder deployment was considered to be
of decisive importance. With the declining growth rate of nuclear power, decreasing uranium
fuel costs, and technological and operational progress, i.e. increased fuel burnup and load
factor in LWRs in the 1980s, however, the thermal reactor with a once-through and MOX
mono-recycling NFC became more and more dominant.
On the other hand, there were also political reasons influencing this development more and
more strongly as discussed in the following.
In the United States of America, a uranium oxide once-through cycle is currently employed.
This is because during the mid-1970s the political leaders in the United States of America
concluded that the most severe risks for nuclear proliferation result from fuel reprocessing
and recycling. The US administration (president Carter) decided in 1977 to stop commercial
reprocessing and recycling of separated plutonium. But also at that time the USA initiated
research programmes aiming at more proliferation resistant reprocessing methods capable of
recycling all actinides and of maintaining high radiation level at all stages of materials
providing a barrier against proliferation.
At the same time (during the 1970s) in several states in Europe (e.g. Belgium, France,
Germany and Switzerland) and in Japan, the recycling of Pu in thermal reactor as MOX
(mixed U–Pu oxide), was started and till up today developed into a mature commercial
technology (Table 3.1), i.e. MOX reaching about the same burnup as pure U fuel. However, it
should be mentioned that commercial reprocessing of this kind of fuel has been demonstrated
only in France and the UK. Other NFC than the U–Pu fuel cycle have not been deployed
commercially so far.
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TABLE 3.1. STATUS OF LARGE SCALE MOX FUEL UTILIZATION IN THERMAL
REACTORS (2007)
Number of thermal reactors1

Operating Licensed to use Loaded with Applied for
MOX FAs MOX FAs MOX licence
Belgium 7 2 2
France 58 20 20 52
Germany 17 12 10 4
Japan 55 4 1 1
Switzerland 5 3 3 1
Total 142 41 36 13
Legend:
1
There are a number of reactors, notably in Europe and India, not included in this table, which are licensed to use MOX
fuel on an experimental basis.
2
Technically capable reactors planned to be licensed.
Japan intends to use MOX in a total of 16 to 18 plants in 2010.
3.2. Current status of NFC technology
Presently, only the raw material uranium is used for commercial nuclear power production.
Uranium ore resources appear to be assured for several decades but they are expected to
become exhausted, at least for low cost uranium, in the middle (assuming high growth of
nuclear energy) and towards the end of this century (assuming low growth of nuclear energy).
Continued exploration efforts may further extend those uranium resources but probably at a
higher cost.
More efficient use of ore can be achieved in three ways by:
• more extraction of fissile material from existing stocks of depleted uranium;
• improved fuel-efficient reactors;
• more recycling of existing discharged SNF.
An attractive additional resource of natural fertile material will be the use of ores containing
thorium. There is some reactor technology know-how available how to use thorium, in
particular from the US development of the FSV-HTGR and the German development of the
THTR-300, which was designed in order to convert 232Th into 233U. Unfortunately, these
developments were stopped in 1989 and 1988, respectively, mainly for political reasons.
While the fuel cycle today contributes only about 20% to the overall cost of energy, these first
general remarks show already how important it is to have well adjusted nuclear fuel cycles
available to make the best use of the natural resources that are available on the long range.
3.2.1. Definition of closed and open fuel cycles
Any cycle is supposed to end where it started. In the case of Nuclear Fuel Cycles (NFC) this
means that the cycle ends there where the nuclear fuel raw material at the beginning was
taken from: in the ground.
In principle two types of NFC could be considered:
• a closed nuclear fuel cycle;
• an open nuclear fuel cycle, also called once-through cycles.
A closed fuel cycle means that — theoretically — all fissile material, left over or produced
during reactor operation, will be returned to the reactor for further conversion of energy. Back
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to the ground goes only the waste with no more potential for energy conversion, i.e. the
fission products and any other material that is not fissile within the used technology.
An open or once-through NFC sends all spent nuclear fuel (SNF) back to the ground, after
being used in a reactor only once and regardless how much fissile (and fertile) material is still
in this fuel.
Figure 3.1 shows the scheme of a closed NFC using uranium and plutonium as the fuel:
FIG. 3.1. Scheme of a closed U/Pu NFC.

The next Figure 3.2 shows an open NFC using only uranium as the fuel.
FIG. 3.2. Scheme of an open uranium NFC.

However, the historical development of nuclear energy has shown that a more differentiated
view is necessary to reflect the realities of nuclear fuel cycles. Following the NFC studies
109
within the Generation IV activities (Ref. [38] and Section 2.6.1), four different NFCs could be
defined (Fig. 3.3).
FIG. 3.3. Generation IV: Alternative nuclear fuel cycles.

In the following list, the four different NFC variants above (Fig. 3.3) are explained in more
detail.
(1) Once-through NFC: The fuel is fabricated from uranium (and thorium), irradiated in the
core, discharged as spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and stored for a period to allow for
reduction of decay heat, then directly disposed of as a high level waste (HLW). Light
water reactors (LWRs) in the United States of America currently use such a fuel cycle
with uranium.
(2) Partial recycle NFC: Some fraction of the SNF is processed, and some fraction of the
(actinide) fissile material is recovered by recycling, and new fuel is fabricated with this
material. The fuel is returned to the reactor one time or several times (generally not
exceeding three) to extract additional energy and the resulting SNF is then disposed as
waste. One example is the French recycling system, in which (i) low enriched uranium
SNF is recycled back to thermal reactors as MOX fuel, and (ii) the resultant MOX SNF
may be directly disposed of. A second example is the proposed DUPIC fuel cycle,
which converts LWR SNF into new CANDU fuel with direct disposal of this CANDU
SNF.
(3) Full fissile recycle NFC: All SNF is processed for recovery and recycle of fissile
material (235U, plutonium and/or 233U). The SNF is repeatedly processed and recycled to
fully consume all the fissile material through multiple usages in a reactor. Minor
actinides and fission products are separated and sent to the waste stream from the
processing operation. An example of this is the traditional liquid metal fast breeder
reactor (LMFBR) fuel cycle. However, this cycle has not yet been implemented at an
industrial scale.
(4) Actinide and long lived fission products recycle NFC: All SNF is processed, and all
actinides are multiply recycled to fully consume the fissionable material. One (or more)
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fission product(s) (e.g. 99Tc and 129I) may be recycled as well. An example of such a
fuel cycle is a combination of LWRs, liquid metal fast reactors (LMRs) and molten salt
reactors. In such a system the LWRs produce power, the LMRs produce power and
manufacture excess fissile material from fertile 238U (or 232Th) to fuel the LWRs, and
the molten salt reactor is used to destroy higher actinides that would otherwise be sent
to the final repository. This kind of an NFC is currently under development in some
countries at laboratory scale.
Figure 3.3 also shows qualitatively how the needed resources and the final waste decrease
from alternative number 1 to number 4, thus contributing more and more to the sustainability
of the variant.
3.2.2. Status of worldwide use of open and closed fuel cycle
According to an evaluation of the IAEA published in 2001 (Ref. [49]), ten countries were
practicing the closed NFC and six countries have decided to practice the open NFC. Ten
countries have not yet decided and eight countries did not provide relevant information.
Practically all fuel used in these two versions of NFC is U (Pu)-based.
That means that around 50% of the worldwide installed commercial nuclear power-plant
(gross) capacity of about 370 GW(e) is at least partially operating in a closed NFC with U and
as applicable Pu. The other 50% commercial reactor capacity works with an open fuel cycle
(and U-based fuel). About 35% operate with a political decision for the open NFC, the rest of
15% works de facto the same way, but without a clear decision.
Table 3.2 shows the current situation as of 2007. Compared to 2001, Belgium, Germany and
the Netherlands have changed to an open fuel cycle, and the USA has announced to change to
a closed fuel cycle.
For both parties, there would be more or less mature technology available for direct disposal
of HLW. But, currently, for none of the 100% commercial reactor's NFC a fully proven and
practiced HLW final disposal facility exists, not for the products after reprocessing and not
for spent fuel disposal. This is a big disadvantage for nuclear energy and of course,
unfortunately a strong argument for those who are opposing nuclear energy.
Up to now, only the U oxide-based NFC variants have reached a high enough industrial
maturity and experience base for the closed variant of the NFC. This of course leads to
consequences for the assessment of the future perspectives of coming NFC solutions.
TABLE 3.2. CLOSED AND OPEN NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLES APPLIED BY COUNTRY
(REPRODUCED FROM REF. [49] AND UPDATED IN 2007)
Country Closed Open Not yet Remarks

NFC NFC decided
Argentina x
Armenia x
Belgiuma xa xa
Brazil x
Bulgaria x
Canada x
China x
Czech Republic No information
Note: Belgium changed to an open fuel cycle after 1998.
a
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TABLE 3.2. CLOSED AND OPEN NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLES APPLIED BY COUNTRY
(REPRODUCED FROM REF. [49] AND UPDATED IN 2007) (cont.)
Country Closed Open Not yet Remarks

NFC NFC decided
Finland x
France x
Germany b xb xb
Hungary x
India x
Japan x
Kazakhstan No information
Republic of Korea x
Lithuania No information
Mexico No information
Netherlandsc xc xc
Pakistan No information
Romania No information
Russian Federation x
Slovakia x No information
Slovenia x
South Africa x
Spain x
Sweden x
Switzerland x
Ukraine x
United Kingdom x
USAd xd xd
Notes:
b
Germany changed to an open fuel cycle in 2005.
c
The Netherlands changed to an open fuel cycle in the 1990s.
d
The USA announced change to closed fuel cycle in 2006.
3.2.3. Current status and strategies of NFC in specific countries
Today NFC services are no longer being exclusively performed in OECD countries. Twelve
countries outside the OECD have built fuel cycle facilities, and many steps of the total fuel
cycle can be found under development or in operation in one or more of these countries. In
the following Sections 3.2.3.1 to 3.2.3.14 examples of national NFC practices are described as
far as there are clear national political decisions and legislative conditions on the use of a
closed or open NFC.
3.2.3.1. Situation in Belgium
In Belgium, there is no mining and milling, no conversion, no enrichment and no reprocessing

technology deployed. Uranium (U3O8) comes from various sources (Australia, Canada, China,
France, Niger, South Africa and the USA). Conversion to UF6 is performed in Canada,
France, the UK and the USA. Enrichment services are purchased in France, in the Russian
Federation, at URENCO (a British/Dutch/German-joint venture) and in the USA.
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The fuel for all PWR is now provided by AREVA NP (formerly called Framatome-ANP with
fabrication in France, Germany and the USA) and Westinghouse (with fabrication in Spain,
Sweden and the USA). 7 PWRs (together gross 6 GW(e)) are in operation.
Reprocessing of Belgian SNF has been performed in France till 1998. Thereafter, wet storage
of SNF is being used at the Tihange nuclear power plant and dry storage at the Doel nuclear
power plant.
For the low level waste, local partnerships in some municipalities are preparing integrated
projects, incorporating the disposal facility in a broader development of the region. For the
long lived, medium and high level waste, research is going on in the underground research
laboratory in the Boom clay, which has been recently extended. In the extension, large scale
experiments (heater and plug tests) are foreseen. A choice has also been made on the disposal
concept. The super container will be used in the future as the reference concept.
Belgium is involved in a number of research projects on partitioning and transmutation in the
European framework programmes. In particular, it is studying a multipurpose accelerator
driven system, which will allow many applications, including a study of the transmutation of
minor actinides and long lived fission products (PUMA, MARHA10).
There are no definite plans for introduction of fast breeder reactors or multiple recycling of
fissile material in Belgium. Only mono-recycling of plutonium is performed in two PWRs.
3.2.3.2. Situation in Canada
Canada retained its position as world leader in uranium production in 2002 with output
totalling 11607 t·U (tonnes of uranium metal), down slightly from the 2001 total, mainly due
to reduced Rabbit Lake mine output. As of 1 January 2005, Canada's recoverable uranium
resources amounted to 444000 t·U, down slightly from the 2002 total of 452000 t·U due to
extraction and ongoing deposit appraisal.
With over 85% of the resource base categorized as low cost, Canada is well positioned to
continue its leadership in uranium production. Canadian uranium production is supposed to
remain constant in 2005 at about 11600 t·U.
Milling is performed in Key Lake and Rabbit Lake. Conversion is performed in the Blind
River plant, and the Port Hope plant, both in Ontario. There is no enrichment and no
reprocessing in Canada.
GE Canada operates a fabrication plant for PHWR fuel assembly (CANDU-type) at
Peterborough, Ontario and a pellet fabrication plant in Toronto. Zircatec Precision Industries
operates a plant for PHWR fuel assembly (18 CANDU reactors with together gross
13 GW(e)) are in operation.
Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is stored on-site in pools or dry silos. For long term management of
this waste, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) has developed a deep geological disposal
concept, which is not yet publicly accepted. The year 2015 is considered an achievable target
date for bringing a long term waste management facility into service.
In accordance with their strategy to use an open fuel cycle, there are no plans for introducing
fast reactors into the NFC.
10
http://www.sckcen.be/marha/
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3.2.3.3. Situation in China
In China, mining and milling is being performed in several plants (Fuzhou centre, Chongyi
centre, Yining centre, Lantian centre and Benxi centre).
A UF6 conversion facility is operating near Lanzhou.
There are two enrichment plants; one is the Lanzhou Nuclear Fuel Complex, which originally
used the diffusion and now only applies centrifugal processes; the other one is the Shanxi
Nuclear Fuel Complex (Hanzhong), which also uses the centrifugal process. The total
separative work capacity is reported [49] to match the demands of the nuclear power
development programme (a total of 20 GW(e) nuclear capacity by 2010 and 32–36 GW(e) by
2020).
Fuel fabrication plants are in Ybin (PWR fuel, to be increased for the total fuel demand
according to the Chinese nuclear power plan) and in Baotou (CANDU fuel, operating since
2002).
A civil reprocessing pilot plant with a capacity of 300 kg HM/d is under construction in
Lanzhou. Also in Lanzhou a wet storage facility is under construction.
There are well defined programmes for introducing fast breeder reactors and high temperature
gas cooled reactors with their corresponding fuel cycles.
3.2.3.4. Situation in Finland
In Finland, there is no mining and milling, no conversion, no enrichment and no reprocessing

in operation. Uranium (U3O8) comes from Australia, Canada, China, the Russian Federation
and the USA. Conversion services are purchased in Canada, France, the Russian Federation
and the UK. Enrichment services are provided from the Russian Federation and URENCO
(a British/Dutch/German-joint venture).
There is no domestic fuel fabrication. All fuel assemblies are imported from the international
fuel vendors. (2 WWER plants with together gross 1020 MW(e) and 2 BWR with together
gross 1740 MW(e) are in operation; also a new PWR plant (EPR) is under construction).
Formerly, spent fuel from Loviisa NPP was sent to the Russian Federation. Now, an interim
spent fuel storage facility is in operation at the Loviisa NPP and an extension is underway.
Also, at the Olkiluoto NPP a wet storage facility for spent fuel is in operation. A project for
the final disposal is in a planning stage. Recently, an underground rock facility for final
storage of spent fuel is under construction.
3.2.3.5. Situation in France
In France, no more domestic mining and milling is in operation. However, the French
company Cogema (now part of AREVA FC) is running several operations abroad, i.e. in
Niger, Canada and the USA.
Conversion is performed in France, the USA and the Russian Federation.
Enrichment services are coming from France (Tricastin), the Russian Federation, URENCO
(a British/Dutch/German-join venture) and the USA.
Fuel (for 58 PWR with gross 65 GW(e)) is now mainly provided by AREVA NP (with
fabrication in France, Germany, and the USA) and to a smaller extent by Westinghouse (with
fabrication in Spain, Sweden, and the USA).
The French strategy regarding the fuel cycle is illustrated in the following Fig. 3.4.
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FIG. 3.4. France’s fuel cycle strategy.
French PWR fuel is sent to the French La Hague pools for cooling before undergoing
reprocessing at the Cogema UP2 plant. Also large quantities of foreign fuel are reprocessed at
Cogema’s UP3 plant located in La Hague.
Recovered plutonium is reused in the form of MOX fuel for which a specific fuel fabrication
plant called MELOX is operating in Marcoule. Part of the recovered uranium (or reprocessed
uranium RepU) is re-enriched and used for the fabrication of fresh uranium fuel feeding three
reactors [50]. High level wastes (HLW) are conditioned and stored for future transfer to the
French Agence Nationale pour la Gestion des Déchets Radioactifs (ANDRA) or — in case of
foreign fuel — back to the foreign customers. Low level wastes are already transported to the
ANDRA site.
3.2.3.6. Situation in Germany
In Germany, there is no mining and milling and no conversion. Uranium (U3O8) comes from
practically all international suppliers (using material from Australia, Canada, China, France,
Gabon, Niger, Portugal, South Africa and the USA). Conversion to UF6 is performed in
Canada, France, the UK and the USA.
However, Germany is one of the three participants of the enrichment company URENCO.
Enrichment services for German reactors are purchased in France, in the Russian Federation,
at URENCO (a British/Dutch/German-joint venture) and in the USA.
Fuel (for BWR and PWR) is now mainly provided by AREVA NP, and to a smaller extend by
Westinghouse.
There are no domestic reprocessing activities; however reprocessing was performed for part
of the spent fuel of German reactors in France (La Hague) and in the UK (Sellafield).
Reprocessed Pu (MOX) and U (RepU) is recycled in German reactors. Spent fuel not shipped
for reprocessing is stored partly in central interim storage facilities and partly on reactor sites.
High level waste from reprocessing comes back to a German central storage facility.
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The German nuclear phase out policy forbids reprocessing of spent fuel since 2005, i.e.
Germany applies an open fuel cycle strategy currently.
3.2.2.7. Situation in India
In India, four underground uranium mines (Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar and Turamdih) are
in operation. In addition, in three plants uranium mineral concentrates are recovered from
copper mill tails.
All the uranium ore together with uranium mineral concentrates are processed in a mill at
Jaduguda and converted into Magnesium-Di-Uranium (MDU) or yellow cake and sent to the
Nuclear Fuel Complex at Hyderabad (NFCH) for the conversion to UO2 and manufacturing of
Zircaloy clad PHWR fuel bundles. NFCH also supplies the fuel bundles for India's BWRs
(fabricated using enriched UF6). NFCH is also responsible for production of zirconium alloy
cladding tubes and fuel assembly components using zircon as starting material from the
Indian rare earth plants in southern India.
India has pilot plants for manufacturing mixed uranium/plutonium oxide (MOX) and
mono-carbide (MC) fuels. The MOX pilot plant has been utilized for fabrication of some
12 Zircaloy clad MOX fuel assemblies (6 × 6), which have been successfully irradiated in the
two BWRs at Tarapur to burnups in the range of 20000 MW·d/t. Recently 50 MOX fuel
bundles were loaded in one of the PHWRs (KAPS-1).
India developed a technology for reprocessing natural uranium oxide fuel from its CANDU
type reactors using a pilot plant at Tarapur. A second plant is in service at Kalpakkam.
A pilot plant, based on THOREX process, is in operation for reprocessing irradiated metallic
thorium and ThO2 from research and power reactors respectively. The 233U thus recovered has
been utilized as Al-20% 233U fuel for the 30 kW water cooled KAMINI research reactor for
neutron radiography.
Finally, several heavy water production facilities (in Baroda, Kota, Manuguru, Talcher and
Tuticorin) are in operation.
As mentioned before (Section 2.3.5) India is clearly working towards the introduction of fast
breeder reactors, and advanced HWRs (with a breeding capacity) using a Th/233U fuel cycle.
3.2.2.8. Situation in Japan
Japan has no indigenous resources of oil, gas and coal and is not connected to overseas
pipelines and, therefore, is developing a national strategy that includes MOX utilization in
LWR and FR.
There are no commercial mining and milling and also no conversion facilities. Uranium raw
material comes from Australia, Canada, China, France, Niger, South Africa and the USA.
Conversion to UF6 is performed in Canada, France, South Africa, the UK and the USA.
A commercial enrichment plant is operated at Rokkasho-mura in Japan. Its capacity is to be
expanded since so far about 80% of the enrichment was performed in Europe (URENCO),
France and in the USA.
Most of the uranium LWR fuel is fabricated in Japan in four facilities. MOX fuel has been
fabricated in three small scale plants (PFDF, PFFF, PFPF FBR) in JNC. The JNFL MOX
fabrication plant for LWR fuel will be operated with a production capacity of 130 t/a in
Rokkasho in 2009. In three plants Zircaloy tubes are fabricated.
116
Spent LWR fuel is reprocessed up till now at the small Tokai reprocessing plant (TRP) and
foreign plants (UK). Until May 2007, TRP has processed 1029 t of LWR fuel, 82 t of UO2
FUGEN fuel and about 30 t of FUGEN MOX fuel [51]. The commercial Rokkasho
reprocessing plant (RRP) with a planned capacity of 800 t/a has finished non-radioactive test
operation in January 2006. Testing with radioactive material has been started in March 2006
[52]. Recovered plutonium is to be reused in LWR and FR fuel; no decision for use of
uranium (RepU) has been made.
Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO) in will start the disposal of high
level radioactive waste about the mid-2030s.
Japan is aiming to continue the closed fuel cycle with mono-recycling of plutonium in thermal
reactors and multiple recycling in fast reactors.
3.2.3.9. Situation in the Republic of Korea
In the Republic of Korea there is no domestic mining and milling, no commercial conversion
(just one pilot plant), and no enrichment plant. Uranium (U3O8) comes from Australia,
Canada, China, France, Namibia, Niger, the Russian Federation, South Africa and the USA.
Conversion services are purchased in Canada, France, the Russian Federation and the UK.
Enrichment services are provided from France, the Russian Federation, URENCO (a
British/Dutch/German-joint venture) and the USA.
The Republic of Korea relies solely on overseas U yellow cake. It is expected that worldwide
uranium supply will be more than sufficient for the time being, and the price will remain
stable. Because the share of nuclear power in the world energy supply will steadily increase,
there may be, however, a possibility to see a rise of the uranium price in a long term
perspective. Therefore, in order to ensure long term undisturbed supply, it will be prudent to
diversify the supplying countries. Stable supply of yellow cake may be assured through both
long term purchase contracts and development of overseas uranium mines. Purchase from
spot markets will remain as a supplementary option to diversify supply sources and improve
contractual terms. In order to be prepared against unexpected energy crisis or emergency,
potential domestic uranium deposits will be explored as well.
Regarding enrichment, for the Republic of Korea it is necessary to rely on foreign services.
Services will be diversified to several countries to stabilize the availability.
Korean nuclear industry has achieved technical self-reliance to a great extent in the field of
nuclear fuel design and manufacturing. At present, design and manufacturing technology to
supply nuclear fuels to the operating CANDUs and PWRs is available in the Republic of
Korea from the Korea Nuclear Fuel Company Ltd (KNFC). KNFC has operated the
ammonium uranyl carbonate re-conversion process for scrap recycle and the dry
re-conversion process (capacity 400 t·U/a) from 1998, as well as converting imported
enriched uranium from UF6 to UO2.
But, as the number of plants increases, manufacturing capacity will be added in time to meet
the demand. Regarding fuel design and manufacturing, the capacity surplus, if any, may be
used to provide services to foreign countries.
Currently, all spent fuels are stored at each plant.
The Korean nuclear fuel cycle will be developed for better utilization of uranium resources,
minimization of radioactive wastes, and energy security. Efforts will be undertaken to fulfil
the requirement that the nuclear fuel cycle should be in harmony with reactor strategy, to
improve the overall economics and the safety of nuclear power (Fig. 3.5). Fuel cycle
technology will be established based upon understanding and support from the international
117
community in the frame of international non-proliferation regime of NPT and the spirit of
Declaration of Nuclear Non-Proliferation on the Korean Peninsula.
With the vision of better utilization of uranium resources, less generation of spent fuel, and
better economics of nuclear fuel, the Republic of Korea is paying attention to the technical
and commercial feasibility of the mixed oxide (MOX) fuel assemblies loaded in power
reactors.
If necessary, the Republic of Korea could consider the possibility of using foreign services for
spent fuel reprocessing and MOX fuel fabrication. The PWR spent fuel with remaining excess
reactivity can be a good fuel resource for CANDU reactors. As mentioned before, the
Republic of Korea has both PWRs and CANDU reactors in operation. Thus, the Republic of
Korea can anticipate synergistic benefits of saving CANDU fuel and reducing spent PWR
fuel storage requirement, by connecting the fuel cycles of the two reactor types (DUPIC, see
Section 3.4.1).
FIG. 3.5. Korean nuclear fuel cycle concept (IAEA TWG NFCO 2006).
3.2.3.10. Situation in the Netherlands
There is no mining, milling and conversion in the Netherlands. Only uranium enrichment is
carried out by a company called Urenco (owned by the Netherlands, the UK and Germany),
located at Marlow. The rest of the fuel cycle (i.e. the fuel elements) is purchased on the world
market.
In the Netherlands, a closed NFC was practiced with two plants (a BWR and a PWR) till the
1990s. Spent fuel of the two plants was partly reprocessed in France, and the plutonium
recycled is both stored in the country and sold to other foreign utilities for production of
MOX fuel.
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A private company, called NV Cora, is in charge of radioactive waste management. It is
owned by the major nuclear waste producers in the Netherlands, e.g. Dodewaard, Borssele,
ECN. A licence for a final depository of nuclear waste has not been granted yet.
3.2.3.11. Situation in the Russian Federation
The Russian Federation has full capability in all segments of the nuclear fuel cycle. Mining
and milling is performed in commercial scale (using open pit, underground and ISL extraction
methods) for the domestic demand and for the export of WWER and RMBK fuel.
Commercial conversion is performed in Angarsk, Ekaterinburg and Tomsk. Excess capacities
are offered commercially to foreign utilities.
Four commercial enrichment plants are operated in Sverdlovsk, Tomsk, Angarsk and
Krasnoyarsk. Again excess capacities are offered commercially to foreign utilities.
Fuel fabrication is performed at Electrostal near Moscow and in Novosibirsk. The operation
in Elektrostal provides fuel for WWER-440, WWER-1000, BN-350, BN-600 and RMBK
reactors, and the plant in Novosibirsk for WWER-1000 units (31 reactors are in operation
with gross 21,7 GW(e) capacity). A new line for pellet production at the Novosibirsk plant
started operation in 200011. Zirconium production for nuclear fuel is performed at the Glazov
plant. Also free fuel fabrication capacities are offered to foreign companies.
Reprocessing is done for the Russian LWRs and fast reactors, with the exception of RBMK
fuel, which shall be disposed as spent fuel. At present there is one plant in PO Mayak at
Ozersk (Chelyabinsk-65) operated to reprocess fuel from WWER-440 reactors, fast reactors
(and the propulsion reactors of ice-breakers and submarines).
The construction of a second reprocessing plant (RT-2) at Krasnoyarsk, has been postponed
indefinitely. Presently, the treatment and use of weapon plutonium has priority in the Russian
Federation. Reprocessed uranium is used for RBMK fuel production. Plutonium obtained at
the RT-1 in PO Mayak at Ozersk (Chelyabinsk-65) is temporarily stored on-site in dioxide
form.
Several wet AFR (away from reactor) fuel storage facilities are operated in PO Mayak at
Ozersk (Chelyabinsk-65) and at RT-1 and RT-2, and in GChK at Zheleznogorsk
(Krasnoyarsk-26), at several nuclear power plants. However, in future the dry storage
technology will be used.
The nuclear fuel cycle strategy is to recycle plutonium (currently produced in thermal
reactors) only in fast breeder reactors to be built in the future.
3.2.3.12. Situation in Switzerland
In Switzerland, there is no mining and milling, no conversion and no enrichment plant

operating. And there is also no domestic fuel fabrication. U-oxide and MOX fuel is imported
from western fuel suppliers (2 BWRs with together gross 1572 MW(e) and 3 PWRs with
together gross 1780 MW(e)) are in operation.
Spent fuel is reprocessed in the UK and in France. Mono-recycling of reprocessed plutonium
is performed. There are no plans for the introduction of fast breeders into the fuel cycle.
Dry spent fuel interim storage facilities are under construction (ZWILAG).
11
Originally, in Ust Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan) UO2 pellets were fabricated.
119
3.2.3.13. Situation in the UK
There is no mining and milling of uranium in the UK. All other parts of the NFC are
performed in the UK for domestic and foreign reactors.
Enrichment is performed by URENCO at Capenhorst. Fuel (uranium and MOX) is fabricated
at the BNFL’s Springfield site. Reprocessing is performed in the THORP facility at Sellafield.
High level waste is to taken care of by an organization called NIREX.
Currently, there are no definitive plans for recycling of spent fuel in thermal or fast reactors.
3.2.3.14. Situation in the USA
In the USA, 15 uranium mines and 7 milling facilities are in operation (2004), but only one
commercial UF6 conversion plant is operating. Two commercial enrichment plants are
operating at Paducah, Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio.
Fuel (BWR and PWR) is now provided by AREVA NP, Global Nuclear Fuel (former
GE nuclear fuel) and by Westinghouse.
About 95% of the spent fuel is stored on-site in reactor pools. Storage in many pools has been
increased over the years with high density racks. Some US utilities are using additional dry
storage systems at their reactor sites.
Licensing of a geologic repository is underway at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, launched in
2004, with the aim of potential retrievability of spent fuel for a period of up to 300 years. For
the near term, however, the trend toward increased use of onsite dry storage is expected to
continue.
As shortly laid out in Section 2.6.2, the US government has recently (2006) launched an
international initiative called GNEP that could have an impact on the back end of the
US nuclear fuel cycle by reintroducing reprocessing.
3.3. Trends of nuclear fuel cycle technologies
3.3.1. Introduction
A global survey on NFC trends considering economic, environmental and social aspects was
performed by the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) within OECD [53], discussing a broad
spectrum of NFC variants. According to this study:
• The short term developments will concentrate on efforts to reduce the cost of existing
NFC focusing on evolutionary changes, i.e. no investment in radically new
technologies.
• In a medium time range development efforts will mainly aim at solutions improving the
NFC back end, in particular the management of the long living transuranics in spent
fuel.
• Other possible developments are expected that may adapt the NFC to the re-use and to
new reactor systems such as the high temperature gas cooled reactor, that allow
non-electrical applications such as the generation of process heat.
• Only after the next 20 years development of more advanced NFC technologies may be
envisaged, aiming at improved back end solutions in three directions:
o Introducing additional waste management options, such as partitioning and
transmutation, i.e. closing the NFC not only for Pu but also for the minor
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actinides; these strategies will first still rely on LWR technology, and later also
include fast reactor systems.
o Going to fully integrated cycles, such as 100% fast reactors cycles or even molten
salt fuel cycles.
o Changing from the U/Pu cycle to a Th/233U cycle, where the impact of long lived
radioisotopes is reduced; those concepts could use modified LWR, HTR, or MSR.
While any requirements for economics, safety and non-proliferation can be solved primarily
by technological approaches, requirements for sustainability and environment fundamentally
include the issue of available resources and their adequate use. Therefore, before starting
considerations on promising further developed or new technologies over medium (<25 years)
to long (25–50 years) ranges, an analysis of the present situation and future perspectives of
nuclear energy is necessary that evaluates the availability and adequate use of the resources
needed for a long range development of nuclear power production.
National and international institutions considering the interaction of available nuclear
resources and potential nuclear technologies have performed many studies (an example is
presented in Section 3.3.3). Most of these studies come to the conclusion that with the
existing U/Pu thermal fuel cycle the today known and economically acceptable U resources
will be exhausted before the end of this century, if the present level of nuclear energy
production is about maintained. This time horizon may be longer with unexpected new
U resources, but it will be also shorter, if the volume of nuclear energy production increases
during the next decades.
Therefore, there is general agreement that a reasonable contribution of nuclear energy to
satisfy the overall long range worldwide energy demand can only be achieved by using
nuclear breeder technologies within closed nuclear fuel cycles.
An example of such a system is the self consistent nuclear energy system SCNES [54], a
Japanese concept that is sustainable in the long term with a high efficiency regarding use of
resources, increased proliferation resistance and minimization of the impact on the
environment.
3.3.2. Technical potential of NFC
Political trends appear to change slowly. Sustainability of the energy resources and global
climate change issues are becoming more and more important worldwide. In the USA, energy
independence is again becoming a political issue due to changes of strategic targets and again
increasing uncertainties of oil supplies. Slowly also the public acceptance of nuclear power
appears to change, in particular today in the USA.
On the one side, an advantage of nuclear energy becomes more evident, i.e. nuclear raw
materials have a much smaller energy specific volume as compared to any other energy
relevant raw materials. Therefore nuclear raw materials can be handled and stored much
easier than other energy sources. This can be a big help to ensure a reliable national energy
supply.
On the other side, the resources of nuclear energy raw materials are limited too, but with a
chance to increase the effectiveness of their use dramatically. The already visible technical
possibilities of much improved use of these resources have to be understood as a big chance
for a much less politically sensitive energy supply worldwide.
The technical potentials of NFC are:
• achieving higher burnup in once-through cycles (with higher enrichment), but burnup
has only very limited influence on natural U-consumption;
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• decreasing the lower tails in enrichment processes;
• introducing advanced reactors with higher thermal efficiencies;
• extending the thermal uranium and plutonium recycling, which includes of course a
broader deployment of reprocessing;
• starting reactor and NFC technologies to use thorium as a fertile feed material.
The introduction of advanced NFC technologies for better resource effectiveness has to go
along towards minimizing their environmental impacts. This holds particularly for mining and
milling technologies of the front end of the NFC. At the back end the minimization of spent
fuel and wastes is a big challenge for the future NFC technologies. As already discussed in
Section 3.2, the more closed a NFC were, the more automatically both targets would be met
together with better use of the ore resources.
In principle transmutation of long lived fission products in symbiotic fuel cycles will be able
to reduce especially the burden on future generations to take care of safe final depositories for
extremely long time. Various concepts are proposed with enough excess neutrons available in
critical or subcritical systems, and some of them are presently studied extensively.
There remain two targets to be mentioned for the development and deployment of advanced
NFC technologies. One target is a political one: to provide NFC technologies with improved
proliferation resistance. There are concepts available also for this target [55]. The other target
is mainly an economical one: so far during the five decades of development of the peaceful
use of nuclear energy almost only the production of electricity was promoted. This left a huge
market out of the perspectives for nuclear energy application: the production of high
temperature heat for industrial processes. Of course one of the reasons was that for those
applications the nuclear systems have to be localized very close to the industrial facility
potentially using this process heat. Therefore, this target is strongly linked to the possibility to
further increase the safety of the energy producing nuclear system. The high temperature gas
cooled reactor theoretically has the potential for this demand. However, this reactor type still
requires the development of a NFC technology handling efficiently the back end, i.e. the
processing of the special U oxide- or Th oxide or U/Th–carbide-based fuel (e.g. the coated
particles fuel). Of course, a once-through cycle would be technical feasible also for those fuel
types; however, that would limit the potential of the high temperature gas cooled reactor in a
very unattractive way and would make the use of thorium in the fuel non-effective.
3.4. NFC technologies with potential industrial deployment in <25 years
From what was shown in the previous section it is clear that, from the technical point of view,
any improvement of reactor technology or fuel cycle components that are based on the long
and broad experience of the U–(Pu)-based fuel will have a preferred starting position for any
NFC using advanced nuclear reactor solutions deploying this type of fuel, like the advanced
CANDU reactor, a supercritical water cooled reactor system (SCWR), or any fast reactor
system staying with U–(Pu) oxide.
3.4.1. The nuclear fuel cycle DUPIC
One advanced NFC system of particular interest for near term realization is the direct use of
spent PWR fuel in CANDU reactors, or DUPIC fuel cycle. It promises recycle without
reprocessing [56]. This fuel cycle concept involves recycling spent PWR fuel into CANDU
fuel for a single pass through a CANDU reactor.
The DUPIC fuel cycle employs thermal oxidation and reduction processes to mechanically
break down the spent PWR fuel into a powder. In the process, most of the volatile fission
122
products (particularly cesium) are driven off and captured for disposal. The resulting powder
is then pressed and sintered into new pellets and assembled into fuel bundles for a CANDU
reactor.
There are obvious advantages of this NFC concept:
• proliferation resistance, because:
o no production of an un-irradiated direct weapon use material;
o highly radioactive material throughout the process;
o the process is incapable of producing separated Pu and cannot be readily modified
for it;
o the characteristics of materials produced during the DUPIC fuel cycle are
unusable for nuclear explosives.
• minimization of process waste by applying a dry thermal/mechanical process; reducing
the amount of spent fuel generation from CANDU reactors by a factor of 2.
However, there are also drawbacks:
• Remote fuel fabrication technology.
• Remote fresh fuel handling in CANDU plant.
• According to the GEN IV Fuel Cycle Assessment Report it may take up to some time
between the years 2010 and 2100, that CANDU reactors are built at a sufficient rate (for
example, for achieving the ratio of 2 PWRs to 1 CANDU reactor) so that almost all
LWR spent fuel, including PWR spent fuel, could be mono-recycled through CANDU
reactors, i.e. all LWR SF is mono-recycled; none goes directly to waste.
• Also according to this GEN IV study the over all cost of this fuel cycle may be not
increased, but also not reduced significantly.
• The effect on saving ore is assumed to be low, compared to a standard LWR open fuel
cycle.
The DUPIC NFC development is an international programme with the participation of Korea
Atomic Energy Research Institute, the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, and the
US Department of State. It is performed within participation of the IAEA Safeguards
Department.
The R&D programme for DUPIC started in 1991 with a feasibility study; in 1994, the
technical development began with first irradiation tests in the NRU from 1999 to 2002; a
second irradiation phase in Hanaro in the Republic of Korea and in the NRU has started in
2000. The R&D programme is planned to end in 2007.
Strategy for DUPIC technology in the Republic of Korea
In order to maintain sustainable growth of nuclear energy, it is necessary to develop a fuel
cycle technology, which reuses spent fuel in an economic and proliferation resistant way.
Taking advantage of Korean nuclear power reactor strategy of having both PWR and
CANDU for electricity generation in the Republic of Korea and potentially an attractive
energy resource for recycling of the spent PWR fuel in a CANDU reactor because CANDU is
the most neutron-efficient reactor available commercially, the concept of DUPIC (Fig. 3.6,
direct use of spent PWR fuel in CANDU reactors) has been suggested as one of the solutions
of spent PWR fuel management.
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Fuel Rods
Skeleton
Spent PWR
Fuel
Cut to Size Volatiles
Decladding
Cladding Hulls
Oxidation/Reduction
Volatiles & Semi-volatiles
Pelletizing/Sintering
Structural Welding
Parts
DUPIC Fuel Rods

DUPIC Fuel Bundle
FIG. 3.6. Schematic drawing of DUPIC fuel fabrication process.

Figure 3.7 shows the long term strategy of the Republic of Korea regarding the NFC for
existing PWR, CANDU, and planned FR and ADS facilities.
FIG. 3.7. Korean advanced fuel cycle schemes.

As illustrated above applying a DUPIC fuel cycle (Figs 3.6 and 3.7) in the Republic of Korea,
would provide multiple benefits, and the main process (OREOX) of DUPIC fuel cycle is
oxidation and reduction for re-fabricating a spent PWR fuel into a CANDU fuel, which is a
124
dry process without any separation of fissile materials (Fig. 3.8). It releases only volatile
fission products, and it is thus highly proliferation resistant.
151 Mg U3O 8 128 MTU 86.7 SWU 18.0 MTU 17.84 MTU
Mining/ LEU Fuel PWR

Conversion Enrichment
Milling Fabrication (0.727GWe-yr)
109 MT DU 17.84 MTHM 17.66 MTHM 17.66 MTHM

DUPIC Fuel CANDU AFR Permanent
Fabrication (0.273GWe-yr)
Storage Disposal
FIG. 3.8. Schematic mass flow sheet of DUPIC fuel cycle.

The synergistic effects (Fig. 3.9), which can be expected from the DUPIC linkage between
LWR and HWR, in comparison with the once-through cycle, can be summarized as follows:
• Increasing proliferation resistance of the NFC: High radiation of fresh DUPIC fuel acts as
a barrier against proliferation.
• Removal of spent LWR fuel: Spent LWR fuel is transformed into DUPIC fuel for burning
again in the HWR; hence there can be a reduction in the repository requirements for direct
disposal of LWR spent fuel.
• Saving of natural uranium and enrichment: Since the DUPIC fuel would replace natural
uranium (or other enrichment) fuel for the HWR, significant resource saving can be
expected in the corresponding LWR-DUPIC cycle. The environmental impact of mining
the equivalent amount of uranium and its enrichment would also be avoided.
• Reduction of spent fuel arising from HWR: Since the DUPIC fuel can increase the HWR
burnup (as a result of the two-fold increase in fissile content, compared to natural
uranium), a further reduction in spent fuel arising from HWR can be expected using the
synergism of the DUPIC fuel cycle.
• Disposal impact: The Korean ongoing DUPIC programme has recently revealed one
interesting benefit pertaining to the geological disposal of spent DUPIC fuel. The DUPIC
processing and subsequent irradiation in a CANDU reactor, results in a decay heat curve
with time for the spent DUPIC fuel which is very similar to that of the original spent PWR
fuel, before recycling. Hence, significant additional energy can be derived from the spent
PWR fuel, without incurring an additional burden in decay heat.
FIG. 3.9. CANDU/PWR synergism in the Republic of Korea.
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3.4.2. Near term thorium fuel cycles
In the IAEA reports [57, 58] an overview is given on international and national future
Th-based NFC in comparison with other NFC. In the following section a short summary of
the results of these two reports is provided.
3.4.2.1. Short history of thorium fuel
Fuel that contains thorium has been used in the past for LWRs as well as for HTGRs and
MSRs, but always for demonstration purposes only (Refs [59, 60]). Presently, thorium fuel is
not fabricated and not used for commercial nuclear power production. Over 50 tonnes of
thorium fuel in ceramic form, clad in Zircaloy, was manufactured for the Shippingport LWBR
core (Section 2.1).
Significant experience was accumulated in the USA with coated particle thorium fuel in the
Fort St. Vrain high temperature gas cooled reactor. Two thousand four hundred forty-eight
hexagonal graphite fuel elements using 26000 kg of fissile and fertile material in
TRISO-coated fuel particles were produced (this included almost 25000 kg of thorium). It
was irradiated at temperatures greater than 1300ºC to a maximum burnup in the fissile
material of 16% fissions of initial metal atoms, i.e. approximately 170000 MW·d/tHM.
Thorium-based fuel for PWRs was investigated at the Shippingport reactor in the USA using
both 235U and plutonium as the initial fissile material. It was concluded that thorium would
not significantly affect operating strategies or core margins. The light water breeder reactor
(LWBR) concept was also successfully tested in this reactor from 1977 to 1982 with thorium
and 233U fuel with Zircaloy cladding using the seed/blanket concept.
In the UK, Thorium fuel elements with a 10:1 Th/U (HEU) ratio were irradiated in the gas
cooled Dragon reactor (20 MW(th)) at Winfrith for 741 full power days, from 1964 to 1973.
The Th/U fuel was used to breed and feed, so that the 233U formed replaced the 235U fissioned
at about the same rate, and fuel could be left in the reactor for about six years.
In Germany, the THTR reactor was built as a demonstration plant for the use of thorium fuel
in coated particles, but it was operated only for a short time. Also the 60 MW(e) Lingen BWR
(with conventional superheating) in Germany utilized Th/Pu-based fuel test elements.
Today, India is most interested in using thorium fuel and made thorium fuel fabrication and
in-pile use to one of its major development targets (Section 2.3.5).
An overview on the specific features of a thorium fuel cycle and how to deploy it is presented
in Ref. [61].
3.4.2.2. Resources of thorium
During at least the last 30 years there has been potential interest in utilizing thorium (232Th) in
nuclear fuel because it is supposed to be three times more available as a natural resource in
the ground than uranium (Table 3.3).
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TABLE 3.3. WORLD THORIUM RESOURCES (ECONOMICALLY EXTRACTABLE)
Country Reserves / t
Australia 300000
India 290000
Norway 170000
USA 160000
Canada 100000
South Africa 35000
Brazil 16000
Other countries 95000
World total 1200000
Source: USA Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1999 referred by World Nuclear
Association in 2003 (http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf62.htm)
3.4.2.3. Fabrication and recycling of thorium fuel
Fabrication of thorium bearing fuel per se does not raise any serious radiological problems.
However, one major issue for a closed 232Th–233U fuel cycle is the presence of hard γ emitters
(2.5 MeV) among the daughter products of the always present 232U. Therefore, extra shielding
and remote handling is needed during fabrication. Presently no commercial thorium fuel
fabrication plants exist.
Most promising for the future use of thorium fuel is the coated particle concept as developed
in Germany and in the USA for HTR fuel. During the development of prototype plants for the
fabrication of mixed oxide fuels (Th/U or Th/Pu) during the 1960s in the United States of
America it was found that the sol-gel process could be a very suitable process, although
somewhat delicate to use and at that time not suitable for remote manufacturing facilities.
For the separation of 233U and thorium a wet liquid-liquid extraction using the THOREX
process was developed years ago and a pilot plant has been operated during many years at
Oak Ridge (USA). The recycling of U/Th is somewhat more complicated than the traditional
U/Pu cycle. However, a successful development to commercial maturity appears to be
technically realistic. A major challenge is supposed to be the head-end processing of
paocarbon/silicon-carbide-coated Th carbide or oxide fuel for the HTR.
3.4.2.4. Advantages and disadvantages of the use thorium NFC
Thorium is — like 238U — a fertile but not a fissile material itself, but 232
Th will absorb
neutrons to produce 233U, which is fissile.
In one significant aspect 233U is better than 235U and 239Pu i.e. its higher neutron yield per
neutron absorbed in the thermal energy range. Therefore, together with some other fissile
material (235U or 239Pu), a breeding cycle similar to but more efficient than one based on 238U
and plutonium (in slow neutron reactors) can be set up. The 232Th absorbs a neutron to
become 233Th, which decays into protactinium-233 and then into 233U. The irradiated (spent)
fuel can then be unloaded from the reactor, the 233U chemically separated from the thorium,
and fed back into another reactor as part of a closed fuel cycle.
In conventional PWR fuel assemblies could be arranged in such a way that a blanket of
mainly thorium fuel rods surrounds a more enriched seed element containing 235U, which
supplies neutrons to the subcritical blanket. As 233U is produced in the blanket it is also
127
burned there. This is the light water breeder reactor concept, which has been successfully
demonstrated in the USA in the 1970s.
Currently, the thorium fuel cycle is again of interest to achieve improved proliferation
resistance. The central seed region of each fuel assembly could have uranium enriched up to
20% in 235U. The blanket could contain thorium with some 238U, which means that any
uranium chemically separated from it (to receive the 233U) is not useable for weapons. Spent
blanket fuel also contains 232U, which decays rapidly and has very gamma-active daughter
products. Plutonium produced in the seed element will have a high proportion of 238Pu,
generating a lot of decay heat and making it even more unsuitable for weapons than normal
reactor grade Pu.
A variation of this concept is the use of fully homogeneous assemblies arranged in such a way
that a set of them makes up a seed and blanket arrangement. If the seed fuel is metal uranium
alloy instead of oxide, it has a better a heat conduction to cope with its higher temperatures.
Seed fuel would remain three years in the reactor blanket for up to 14 years.
Potential concerns (disadvantages) of the Th-based NFC are:
• a general problem of any thorium-based fuel cycle is the high cost of fuel fabrication
due partly to the high radioactivity of 233U which is always contaminated with traces of
232
U;
• a similar problems exits in recycling thorium due to highly radioactive 228Th;
• there is also some proliferation risk of 233U;
• another issue are the technical problems (not yet satisfactorily solved) in reprocessing.
In conclusion, much development work is still required before the thorium fuel cycle can be
commercialized, and the effort required seems unjustified while and where abundant uranium
is available.
3.4.2.5. National research of a thorium NFC in existing reactors
In the following paragraphs several national programmes in regard to the use of a thorium
NFC in operating reactors are laid out12.
In Brazil, there is a long tradition of investigating the use of thorium, originally focusing on
the application in heavy water reactors (HWRs). There was a programme started to further
investigate the utilization of thorium in a PWR (Angra 1) [57].
In Canada, thorium fuel cycle studies for CANDU reactors have been performed by AECL
since a long time. In the past, many techniques for thorium fuel fabrication have been
investigated, hundreds of thorium-based fuel elements were fabricated (Fig. 3.10). A number
of full-sized, thorium CANDU fuel bundles (U–Th, Pu–Th and pure Th) have been irradiated
at full power for years in the NRU research reactor. Recently, a large code development
programme was completed, allowing full-core fuel management.
12
Long term aspects of the use of thorium NFC are discussed in Section 3.5.1.
128
FIG. 3.10. Thorium fuel cycle studies in Canada.
The properties of spent thorium fuel as a waste product have also been studied in Canada. It
was found that the high degree of chemical stability and the low solubility of thorium make
irradiated thorium-based fuels attractive as waste forms for direct geological disposal. All
together Th-based fuel for CANDU appears to be an attractive option for the future, while
maintaining the advantages of the high refuelling flexibility of the CANDU core [57].
In Europe, some limited R&D efforts (partly EC funded), combined with in reactor irradiation
(KWO, Germany), were underway to investigate the possibility to use thorium oxide together
with UO2 and MOX fuel in water cooled reactors. The major interest of R&D activities in
Europe appears to focus on advanced technology solutions studied.
In India, Th-assemblies have been in use in several PHWR like the NPP Kakrapar-1 and 2,
Kaiga-1 and 2, and Rajasthan-3 and 4, in order to flatten the neutron flux in the initial core
during startup. India has made the commercial utilization of thorium for large scale energy
production a major goal in its nuclear power programme (see Section 2.3.5). Th-fuel is also
been used as blanket in the fast reactor design.
In Japan, there is no major activity on the Th fuel cycle for water cooled reactors, since the
government intends to promote the U–Pu fuel cycle. Activities are restricted to basic studies
mainly in universities.
In the Republic of Korea, so far there were no comprehensive plans or activities available yet
regarding thorium fuel cycle applicable to water cooled power reactors.
Since the early 1990s, the Russian Federation has had a programme [57] to develop a
thorium–uranium fuel, which more recently has changed to a particular emphasis on the
utilization of weapons grade plutonium in a thorium–plutonium NFC. The studies confirmed
that reactors of the WWER-1000 type can be used without essential changes to reduce
weapon- and reactor grade plutonium surplus already in a first stage. The rate of plutonium
utilization in WWER reactors would raise considerably compared to using MOX fuel. And
there are no special problems expected to fabricate fuel based on mixtures of thorium and
plutonium dioxides.
In the United Kingdom, BNFL appears unconvinced by current arguments for using thorium
fuels in existing reactors except in special circumstances, and for operational reasons cannot
use the existing uranium plant in the UK to fabricate them. However, through its connection
with Westinghouse, the company was engaged in studies on thorium applications. In
principle, it does not rule out more active future involvement subject to demonstration of clear
benefits with technical and economic viability.
In the USA, the DOE is conducting four projects that involve the use of the thorium fuel
cycle. All four projects are based on a once-through, proliferation resistant, high burnup, long
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refuelling cycle use of thorium in a light water reactor. One of them is called Radkowsky
Once-Through Thorium/Uranium Fuel Cycle (RTF, [62]) as one of the GEN IV NFC options.
It investigates replacements for standard PWR assemblies consisting of two sub-regions
within the pin cluster; an internal seed region and an outer blanket region. The seed region
contains U–Zr (~20% enriched U) metallic alloy pins and the blanket region contains
ThO2UO2 (~10%UO2 at ~20% enrichment) pins. This NFC concept is considered by GEN IV
as a near term option for use in existing PWR power plants (however, the results from the
Generation IV studies indicate a potential starting of this NFC by 2020 and to fully adopt it
by 2040).
3.4.3. The reduced moderation LWR-MOX recycle case
Reduced moderation (or high converter) LWRs are seen as a promising option for the next
step of plutonium recycling after partial MOX loading in LWRs [63]. By taking advantage of
LWR technology, they would contribute to early establishment of a multiple recycle system
for plutonium, and thereby to a substantial reduction in the consumption of natural uranium.
Therefore, primarily in Japan (RMWR, Japanese water cooled FR in Section 2.5.5) but also in
the Russian Federation (WWER-SCWR, see Section 2.5.7), concept and design studies were
conducted to attain conversion ratios significantly above 1.0 and to effectively act as
plutonium breeders for plutonium multiple recycling.
In the Japanese design study of the RMWR, various ideas such as a tight lattice fuel rod
configuration, a short core design, and internal blankets for neutron absorption, have been
introduced to increase as much as possible the conversion ratio from the fertile material of
238
U to the fissile material of 239Pu, as well as to attain an automatic core power reduction
characteristic even if the core power increases and generates bubbles, i.e. a negative void
reactivity coefficient. As a result, some design concepts with various benefits have been
obtained. One is a boiling water reactor (BWR) type concept with a conversion ratio of more
than 1.0; this means that more fissile material than consumed can be produced in the core.
The RMWR is self-sufficient in plutonium, because each recycle generation produces just
sufficient plutonium to sustain the following generation. It follows that the mass of plutonium
in each succeeding generation is constant and therefore, that the radiotoxicity of plutonium is
essentially constant. The radiotoxicity from other elements, fission products and minor
actinides, is similar to that of a conventional MOX cycle.
3.4.4. The advanced fuel cycle initiative (AFCI)
AFCI13 is a broad R&D programme in the USA whose mission is to develop and demonstrate
technologies that enable the transition from the current open NFC to an environmentally,
socially, economically and politically acceptable advanced fuel cycle.
The primary AFCI goals are to develop fuel systems for Generation IV reactors and create
enabling fuel cycle technologies, including fuel, cladding, fuel fabrication, separations, waste
forms, and disposal technology, to reduce spent fuel volume, separate long lived, highly
radiotoxic elements, and reclaim valuable energy from spent fuel.
The AFCI technologies will support both current and future nuclear energy systems. The
AFCI is emphasizing the central role of systems analysis to define and assess the optimal
deployment strategies, as well as the best possible transition from the current system to a
future US nuclear fuel cycle.
13
http://www.afci.sandia.gov/
130
The transition from the current once-through fuel cycle to a closed fuel cycle is not yet fully
defined, and is the subject of R&D under the AFCI programme. The stages in the
development of and transition to advanced nuclear energy systems have been further
elaborated and the definition of the important stages in the transition has been further refined.
The AFCI R&D programme focuses heavily of developing the technologies to allow for the
fuel cycle transition. A systematic study of the fuel cycle transition options is being
performed under the systems analysis task. This includes the development of transmutation
criteria and transmutation analysis, analysis of repository impacts [64], and benefits of the
fuel cycle options under scrutiny.
Fuels (see for example Ref. [65]) are being developed to allow the transition through the
different phases (see Fig. 2.59 in Section 2.5.9) ranging from advanced fuels for LWR/ALWR
plants, and fuels for advanced Generation IV reactors (both next generation nuclear plants and
fast reactor systems for transmutation [66]). Actinides separation technologies continue to be
the primary element of the AFCI, as advanced methods are required, tailored to each of the
transition phases identified, and accounting for a variety of advanced fuels. Along with
separations, development of storage forms for separated products is also a subject of current
R&D.
The treatment of spent fuel from EBR-II (sodium-bonded) utilizing an electrometallurgical
process remains a part of the AFCI programme and has continued at the facilities at ANL-W.
Transmutation science and engineering is the remaining R&D area under the programme. It
includes physics (nuclear data needed for transmutation systems), advanced materials for a
transmutation system, and accelerator-driven transmutation systems (ADS). The materials
development part overlaps also with the interests in the lead alloy fast reactor development
under Generation IV. The ADS development is being done largely under international
collaborations (such as TRADE14, MEGAPIE15, MARHA16).
3.4.5. Other near term NFC options
In the following sections some additional examples of near term NFC being studied are
presented.
3.4.5.1. Two GEN IV once-through NFC
Within the Generation IV project (see Section 2.6.1) two once-through NFC are analyzed that
combine LWR and HTR technology in order to increase the overall burnup:
• the mixed LWR-UO2 and PBMR pebble bed once-through case;
• the mixed LWR-UO2 and prismatic HTGR once-through case.
In the two NFC variants U oxide is used in both reactor types only. The beneficial outcome of
both NFC is a moderately reduced waste, while the economic and the environmental situation
(savings in raw material) is not significantly changed and also health effects to workers are
small. But of course the advantage of these alternative NFC is that they would not fail to
satisfy increasing power demands, due to the fact that they can use more or less proven
technologies.
14
TRIGA reactor accelerator driven experiment, Italy, EU development project.
15
Megawatt proton irradiation experiment, PSI Switzerland, SINQ accelerator, EU development
project.
Multipurpose hybrid research reactor for high tech application, ADS in MOL, Belgium, EU
16
development project.
131
3.4.5.2. The LWR-MOX mono-recycle case
The LWR-MOX mono-recycle case with new reactors built for a 100% MOX core shows
marginal benefits with regard to economy and environment criteria, but assumes large
quantities of reprocessed MOX.
3.5. NFC technology with potential industrial deployment in 25–50 years
3.5.1. Advanced thorium fuel cycles
It appears that broad deployment of a commercial Th-NFC in countries other than India,
depends on the progress of advanced reactor concepts.
3.5.1.1. Advanced reactor designs with thorium NFC
The following advanced nuclear power systems with a thorium NFC have the potential to be
realized within the next 25–50 years:
• Advanced heavy water reactor (AHWR): The AHWR has been designed with Th-based
fuel, using 233U and Th as fuel matrix. If India is as successful in realizing its AHWR
(Section 2.3.5) deployment programme in accordance to the planned schedule, others
may be encouraged to follow, e.g. the advanced version of the CANDU reactor
developed in Canada (Section 2.3.2).
• High conversion boiling water reactor (HCBWR): This concept is under consideration
within the Generation IV advanced reactor concepts, using previous research on high
conversion LWRs in the USA, Europe and Japan over the last several years [67],
including advanced fuel designs such a metal matrix dispersion fuel.
• Advanced high temperature gas cooled reactor (HTGR): The French very high
temperature (gas cooled) reactor VHTR (Section 2.4.3), which according to the French
CEA is planned for 2020, shall operate with either TRISO UO2/SiC fuel or (later) with
ZrC coated particle fuel. This reactor type will be further developed in France to a gas
cooled fast reactor (GFR), starting around 2025. Fast breeder reactors may use
plutonium-based fuel to breed 233U from thorium, and then advanced nuclear power
systems will use the 233U.
3.5.1.2. Research on long term application of thorium NFC
There is a potential for implementation of a thorium cycle for plutonium incineration in a

molten salt reactor (MSR) system, called Thorium Molten Salt Nuclear Energy Synergetics
(THORIMS-NES) [57]. This is investigated within a multinational study including experts
from France, Japan and the Russian Federation. It is supposed to come up with a highly
proliferation resistant nuclear fuel cycle. Based on an old ORNL study from 30 years ago, the
idea is to combine thermal fission power stations and fissile producing accelerator driven
molten salt breeders.
There are also studies performed in the Republic of Korea aiming at a Th fuel cycle concept
for an accelerator driven system (ADS, Ref. [57]). This ADS programme is performed under
the name HYPER (to be discussed further in Section 5.4.2.2) at Korea Atomic Energy
Research Institute (KAERI) with the target to develop the elemental technologies for a
subcritical system and build a small bench scale test facility (~5 MW(th)) after the year 2006.
The fuel cycle concept for HYPER is supposed to utilize thorium in molten salt form to
produce electricity as well as to transmute TRU elements. In this fuel cycle, fissile plutonium
132
isotopes in TRU will be incinerated to produce energy and to breed U from thorium to be
233
used later as fissile material.

As already mentioned before, there are some long term considerations [57] in the Russian
Federation on the use of Th for Pu utilization. In these studies the use of Th is considered to
be evolutional, passing through a series of stages. Firstly, reactors of the WWER-1000 type
would be used. Spent thorium fuel assemblies would be stored to postpone decision on their
reprocessing. In the next stages, fuel cycles are considered using both thermal and fast
reactors that consume both U and Th. These studies include molten-salt thorium systems,
critical and accelerator-driven, subcritical with continuous (or periodical) extraction for
regeneration. Also a Th fuel cycle in a HTGR with fuel based on microspheric particle in a
graphite matrix is investigated. For reprocessing of these fuels methods of dry fluoride
technology could be applied. Last but not least, even the 233U application for space reactors is
part of these studies.
3.5.2. NFC for advanced fast reactors
There exist various fast reactor NFC concepts worldwide. Practical operating experience has
been collected in the UK, France, Japan, the Russian Federation and the USA. Due to the long
term experience with fast reactor technology in the Russian Federation, the Russian concepts
should receive specific attention regarding realistic chances to end up with commercial
maturity within the time frame of 25 to 50 years considered here. And within the various
alternatives discussed in the Russian Federation the BREST concept [57] looks promising, at
least under just technical aspects, and is therefore laid out in more detail in the following
section.
3.5.2.1. Basic features of large scale nuclear power systems using the Russian BREST
concept
Experts from the Russian Federation, Japan and the USA have investigated the possibility to
design (U/Pu)N, lead cooled fast reactor cores with reactivity margin change less than 0.1%
during the 10th fuel cycle without refuelling. The simple lead cooled cores loaded with mixed
fuel of uniform composition and without blanket may be designed in such a way, that their
operation requires no fuel shuffling until ultimate operating conditions for materials are
achieved, while the reactivity variation versus burnup stays almost equal to zero.
The principal diagram of innovative fuel cycle based on a BREST reactor is shown in
Figure 3.11.
FIG. 3.11. Fuel cycle of BREST reactor with equilibrium U–Pu fuel.
133
Plutonium needed for the fabrication of the first BREST cores will be removed from
temporary SNF storage places. Moreover, all SNF stored in pools at existing NPPs, will be
reprocessed to recover plutonium.
The BREST-OD-300 on-site nuclear fuel cycle provides for a practically unlimited expansion
of the available resource basis of nuclear power through organizing equilibrium composition
nuclear U–Pu fuel circulation with the necessity of adding only an insignificant amount of
depleted or natural uranium. Fuel elements of container type are used with fuel pellets made
of mixed mono-nitride fuel placed inside the cladding with a gap filled with a Pb bond.
In this new fuel cycle it will be possible to establish a closed fuel cycle, at each stage of which
plutonium will always circulate only in a mixture with 238U, and chemical treatment of the
irradiated fuel will not include the stage of plutonium separation from uranium. Thus this new
technology will considerably strengthen the proliferation resistance of the fuel cycle.
It should be noted, that much lower amounts of minor actinides are accumulated in this closed
fuel cycle, mitigating the radiation situation during fuel handling, and excluding the necessity
of special actinide burners. Also much lower volume of radioactive waste is inherent to such a
system.
For non-proliferation requirements it is necessary to keep uranium and plutonium inseparable
in all reprocessing stages. The key objectives of fuel reprocessing are:
• Coarse fuel cleaning from FP, because fast reactor does not need more thorough fuel
cleaning from FP.
• 238
U should be added to the fuel to compensate for the mass of extracted FPs.
In the fuel cycle under discussion, the 238U added to the fuel during reprocessing, is burnt in
the reactor. Pu and minor actinides are part of the fuel and circulate in the closed NFC as part
of the highly active material.
In fact, fuel circulates within the reactor building and the adjacent fuel facilities. BREST fuel
will never leave the closed system ‘reactor + fuel building’. Cost analysis showed that the cost
of the on-site fuel facilities would amount to 15% of the total cost of the plant with two
BREST-1200 reactors.
The additional studies and tests of this technology will take some 10 to 15 years to develop
and build an experimental reactor or a demonstration unit which can be put into
demonstration operation in about 25 years.
3.5.2.2. Generation IV scenarios combining thermal with fast reactors
There are scenarios studied within the Generation IV initiative, which still stay in the range of
just using U + Pu NFC technologies; however they combine thermal reactors with fast
reactors:
• LWR U oxide once-through plants are combined with a fast burner reactor operating on
a closed cycle.
• Fissile self-sufficient fast reactor closed fuel cycles are used in symbiosis with thermal
once-through power plants.
• Already deployed fast reactors are converted from a burning (or fissile self-sufficient)
operation to breeding at the appropriate time.
It should be noted that these scenarios assume starting of these systems not earlier than
2020-2025. There are more alternative fuel U/Pu NFC scenarios discussed in Generation IV
studies, but with even longer time horizons.
134
CHAPTER 4.
FRONT END OF NFC
In the following sections history, current status and perspectives of the front end of NFC is
presented covering uranium resources, mining & milling, conversion, enrichment and fuel
fabrication17.
4.1. Introduction
In most of the countries using nuclear energy some products and services within the NFC are
purchased from several different sources, mainly with the purpose to profit from market
competition. However, sometimes there are technical or economical reasons to buy a product
or a service from a specific vendor.
Buying from several different vendors today is normally practiced in order to receive:
• uranium raw material, most in the form of U3O8;
• fuel assemblies or component of fuel assemblies.
Many countries are buying special services within their NFC because it is not economic for
them to have a costly facility of their own for this service. This is normal practice in particular
for enrichment services.
4.2. Uranium resources
The following subsections evaluate exploration, the availability and recovery costs, and
unconventional resources of uranium, and existing inventories of fissile and fertile material.
4.2.1. Exploration of uranium
Successful worldwide exploration for uranium in the 1970s and early 1980s has played an
important role in creating large and flexible production sources, and, as a consequence,
decreasing uranium costs during these past two decades. This effect contributed significantly
to the competitiveness of nuclear power generation in spite of increasing nuclear power plant
erection cost.
According to the joint report (Red Book) by the OECD/NEA and the IAEA [9], the uranium
exploration is geographically unevenly distributed and focuses on areas considered to be
economically most attractive.
Worldwide ‘non-domestic’ exploration expenditures increased till 1994, decreased thereafter
till 2003, and increased since 2003 sharply. Australia, Canada and France are the only
countries spending considerable amounts of money into ‘abroad (non-domestic)’ exploration
(in addition Switzerland is also exploring uranium but with a much smaller budget). Australia
reported US $1.5 million in 2004, US $8.9 million in 2005, and US $4.6 million in 2006, and
is expected to spend US $4.7 million in 2007. Canada reported US $2.5 million expenditures
for non-domestic activities in 2002, US $9.6 million in 2004, US $53.9 million in 2005,
US $124.6 million in 2006, and was expected to spend US $139 million in 2007, but focuses
its activities on domestic activities. France reported exploration and development
expenditures in Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Niger, Mongolia and the Russian Federation,
amounting to a total of US $14.4 million in 2002, US $60 million in 2004, US $127.5 million
in 2005, US $85 million in 2006, and was expected to spend US $115 million in 2007.
17
Thorium was covered in the previous Section 3.4.2.
135
‘Domestic’ exploration expenditures strongly decreased between 1990 and 1994 followed by
a considerable increase between 1994 and 1997, was going slightly up and down until 2003,
and increased again considerably thereafter.
Canada continues to be the world leader in domestic exploration with annual expenditures in
2001 and 2002 of about US $16.2 and US $22.9 million, respectively, US $21.7 million in
2003, US $78.7 million in 2004, over US $432 million in 2006, and is expected to reach about
US $458 million in 2005. A significant fraction of this amount is spent into advanced
underground exploration, deposit appraisal activities and in care and maintenance preparation
for projects close to production approval.
In the USA the total uranium exploration expenditures declined through 2001 to 2002
(US $4.8 million in 2001, US $0.35 million in 2002), but increased sharply in 2004 to
US $59 million, US $77.8 million in 2005, and US $155 million in 2006.
In Central and South America, Argentina reported exploration expenditures of
US $0.8 million in 2001, US $0.3 million in 2002, US $0.7 million in 2004, US $1.0 million
in 2005, US $0.7 million in 2006, and is expected to reach US $0.65 million in 2007. Brazil
did not report any exploration activities for 2001 and 2002, spent US $0.4 million in 2004, no
expenditures in 2005 and 2006, and is expected to spend US $0.46 million USD in 2007.
Chile reassessed regional geological information to improve knowledge of uranium potential
spending US $0.1 million in 2004, 2005, 2006, and is expected to spend a similar amount in
2007.
In Western Europe and Scandinavia domestic exploration was only done in Finland reaching
expenditures of US $0.21 million in 2004, US $0.8 million in 2005, US $1.8 million in 2006,
and should reach US $3.5 million in 2007.
In central, eastern and south-eastern Europe, exploration activities are reported from the
Russian Federation (mainly in sandstone amenable to in situ leaching and
unconformity-related deposits; total expenditures are reported to amount to US $11.5 million
in 2001, US $10.4 million in 2002, US $10.2 million in 2004, US $24. million in 2005,
US $33.5 million in 2006, and are expected to reach US $63 million in 2007. Turkey explored
granites and acidic intrusive rocks in 2003 and 2004 and will continue to explore in 2005
(spending about US $0.05 million). Ukraine continues to explore vein-type and
unconformity-related deposits and spend US $1.7 million in 2001, US $1.9 million in 2002,
US $3.4 million in 2003, US $4.3 million in 2004, US $4.8 million in 2005, US $6.2 million
in 2006,and is expected to spend US $6.2 million in 2007.
In Africa, some exploration activities are reported from Egypt (about US $2.6 million in
2004, and US $1.7 million in 2005, 2006 and 2007), Niger (about US $6.4 million in 2004 to
2006), Namibia (about US $2 million in 2004 to 2006), and South Africa (about
US $0.9 million in 2004, US $1.5 million in 2005, US $24.7 million in 2006, and about
US $15 million in 2007).
In Asia there are active programmes underway in the following countries: India
(US $14 million in 2004, US $16.5 million in 2005, US $16.4 million in 2006, and
about US $23 million in 2007), the Islamic Republic of Iran (about US $3.7 million in 2004,
reaching about US $8.8 million in 2007), Kazakhstan (US $11.8 million per year between
2000 and 2002, US $4.3 million in 2003, US $0.7 million in 2004, US $1.2 million in 2005,
US $8.5 million in 2006 and expected US $26.3 million in 2007), and Uzbekistan
(about US $17 million in 2004, and US $22.1 million per year from 2005 to 2007).
In Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam exploration activities are maintained at low level.
136
In East Asia, China reported exploration expenditures of US $6.0 million and US $7.3 million
in 2001 and 2003 respectively, US $9.5 million in 2004, US $13.5 million in 2005, and
US $25.5 million in 2006. In 2007, exploration expenditures are expected to amount to
US $33.6 million. Exploration appears to continue in Mongolia, but no details are reported.
In the Pacific Region exploration continues in several areas of Australia on low to medium
level in terms of expenditures, i.e. US $2.5 million in 2001, US $3.0 million and 2002,
US $10 million in 2004, US $31 million in 2005, US $61 million in 2006, and expected
US $70 million in 2007.
In Figure 4.1 the development of worldwide domestic and abroad exploration expenditures
between 1994 and 2007 is depicted [9].
FIG. 4.1. Exploration expenditures worldwide (Ref. [9] published 2008).

After a continuous decrease between 1997 and 2003, worldwide exploration has increased
significantly thereafter. Thus, Figure 4.1 clearly demonstrates that mining industry is reacting
to the projected increase of demand and price of uranium (to be discussed further in
Section 4.3) and consequently increasing exploration.
4.2.2. Availability and recovery costs of uranium
Following the joint report (Red Book) by the OECD/NEA and the IAEA [9], identified
uranium resources (formerly as part of the conventional18l resources KCR) consist of:
• reasonably assured resources (RAR);
• inferred resources (formerly called EAR-I).
18
Non-conventional resources are discussed in Section 4.2.3.
137
Table 4.1 shows that the identified resources primarily in the range of <US $130/kg
significantly increased between 2001 and 2007. The increase between 2001 and 2003 is mainly
the result of increased resources reported by Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Niger and the
Russian Federation, as well as for the first time by China and India. Between 2003 and 2005 the
increase is due to reported changes of resources in Australia, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Niger, South
Africa and Ukraine.
The overall increase of identified resources between 2001 and 2003 of about 655000 t·U equals
to about 10 years of 2002 global uranium requirements (for the existing fleet of reactors).
TABLE 4.1. URANIUM RESOURCES 2001–2007 IN 1000 t·U (REF. [9] PUBLISHED 2008)
Resource category 2001 2003 2005 2007

Identified resources *
<US $130/kgU 3933 4548 4743 5469
<US $80/kgU 3107 3537 3804 4456
<US $40/kgU** >2086 >2523 >2746 2970
RAR
<US $130/kgU 2853 3169 3297 3338
<US $80/kgU 2242 2458 2643 2598
<US $40/kgU** >1534 >1730 >1947 1766
Inferred resources
<US $130/kgU 1080 1419 1446 2131
<US $80/kgU 865 1079 1161 1858
<US $40/kgU** >552 >793 >799 1204
* Identified resources are the sum of RAR and inferred resources.
** Recourses in the cost categories of <US $40/kgU are higher than reported, however, several countries have
indicted that either detailed estimates are not available, or the data are confidential.
Current country-by-country estimates could be looked up in the most recent version of the
mentioned Red Book (currently, Ref. [9]). Nevertheless, in Figures 4.2 and 4.3 for countries with
major resources an overview is given on the distribution of RAR and inferred resources,
respectively.
In addition to the identified uranium resources (presented above) there are two more categories
defined in the Red Book [9] called prognosticated and speculative resources with a reported
(2007) value in the cost range of <US $130/kg of 2.8 and 4.8 million t·U, respectively.
138
FIG. 4.2. Distribution of reasonably assured resources (RAR) among countries with major
resources (Ref. [9).
FIG. 4.3. Distribution of inferred resources among countries with major resources [9].
139
4.2.3. Non-conventional uranium resources
The non-conventional resources consist of uranium in sea water and in phosphates. The total
amount of uranium dissolved in seawater at a uniform concentration of 3 mg U/m3 in the
world's oceans is estimated to be 4.0 billion tonnes. In Reference [5] costs of uranium from
seawater are estimated to be on the order of US $300/kg U. In phosphates 22 million tonnes
are reported with recovery costs between US $60 and US $100/kg U.
4.2.4. Inventories of recyclable fissile and fertile material
A recent study from NEA [68] has dealt with the additional available resources of fissile and
fertile material in stock worldwide at the end of 2005. The following Table 4.2 shows such
materials from the different sources.
TABLE 4.2. INVENTORY OF SEPARATED RECYCLABLE MATERIALS [68]
In case the entire inventory in the table above would be recycled this would provide the
existing reactor fleet with an additional 10 years of fuel supply. If, further, all accumulated
spent fuel would be reprocessed and recycled, some 1700 tonnes of Pu and 190 × 103 tonnes
of natural uranium equivalent would become available, corresponding to about 7 years of
supply for the current fleet of nuclear power plants in operation.
Thus, these inventories of recyclable fissile and fertile material represent a large potential
energy resource.
4.3. Mining and milling of uranium
In the following subsections, the different processes of uranium mining, suppliers and
customers, and worldwide production and demand currently and projected are laid out.
4.3.1. Types of mining
Commercial uranium mining is considered to be attractive if the concentration of uranium in

the ore is above ~0.6% U. Uranium is extracted from the ground by three basic processes:
• Underground mining, this is a traditional process with shafts sunk into the earth in order
to gain access to the uranium ore.
• Open pit mining, this of course needs the ore being close to the surface.
In both cases above, the ore is transported to a mill in which the uranium is separated from the
ore. The third process is:
• In situ leaching (ISL), there the uranium is extracted from the ore in situ by the use of a
leaching solution.
140
Uranium is also recovered as a by-product from the mining of other minerals, such as gold,
copper and phosphate.
Once the uranium ore has been extracted in underground or open pit mining, it is processed in
a mill where the uranium is leached from the ore using either an acid or an alkaline leaching
solution. The uranium is recovered from this solution, or from ISL solutions, using an ion
exchange or solvent extraction process. The common mill product is a uranium oxide
concentrate U3O8, named yellow cake. The yellow cake is usually heated to drive off
impurities, thus increasing the U3O8 concentration.
As shown in Table 4.3, open-pit and underground mining (and conventional milling) although
declining continue to be the dominant uranium production technologies, accounting for about
70% of total production in 2002, 67% in 2005, 65% in 2006, and expected 61% in 2007.
TABLE 4.3. PERCENTAGE OF DISTRIBUTION OF WORLD URANIUM MINING BY
METHOD [9]
Mining method 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007**

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) * (%)
Open pit mining 26.1 26.8 29.8 27.6 28.1 24.2 23.7
Underground mining 44.2 43.1 41.6 39.3 37 40 37.7
In situ leaching 15.5 18.3 18.4 19.8 20 25 27.7
Heap leaching 1.2 1.7 1.9 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.4
In place leaching * 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1
Co-product/by-product 12.4 9.1 9.7 11.1 10 9 8.4
Other methods ** 0.5 0.8 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1
* Also known as stop leaching or block leaching.
** Includes mine water treatment and environmental restoration.
*** Expected.
Uranium recovery from seawater
In Japan, uranium recovery from seawater has been studied as a supply option for a very long
time. JAEA has been developing adsorption technologies using amidoxine adsorbents for
uranium recovery from seawater. A pilot scale experiment has been conducted by JAEA using
a uranium-specific non-woven fabric packed in an adsorption cage 16 m2 in cross-sectional
area and 16 cm in height. Three adsorption cages were submerged in the Pacific Ocean at a
depth of 20 m at 7 km offshore of Japan. The three adsorption cages consisted of stacks of
52000 sheets of the uranium-specific non-woven fabric with a total mass of 350 kg. The total
amount of uranium recovered by the non-woven fabric was >1 kg in terms of yellow cake
during a total submersion time of 240 days in the ocean. An adsorption method using
polymeric adsorbents capable of specifically recovering uranium from seawater was evaluated
to be economically feasible.
Uranium recovery from phosphates
The technology of recovering uranium from phosphates is mature, but due to the high costs
not commercially applied up till today.
4.3.2. Suppliers and customers of uranium
In Table 4.4, a general survey is given for countries where they are getting the U3O8
concentrate and/or to where they are providing it to.
141
TABLE 4.4. URANIUM (U3O8): SUPPLIERS AND CUSTOMERS [49]
The following information in Sections 4.3.3 to 4.3.6 is taken from the Red Book (Ref. [9]
published 2008).
4.3.3. Current worldwide uranium production
At present, the main uranium ore producing countries (see Fig. 4.4) are Australia (19% of
world production in 2006 of 39603 t·U), Canada (25%), Kazakhstan (13%), Namibia (8%),
Niger (9%), the Russian Federation (8%), the USA (5%), and Uzbekistan (6%). In addition,
uranium mining and milling is carried out on a commercial scale in Brazil (0.8%), China
(1.8%), the Czech Republic (1.0%), Germany (0.2%), India (0.6%), Pakistan (0.1%), South
Africa (1.8%), and Ukraine (2.0%).
World uranium production increased by 11% from 36050 t·U in 2002 to 41943 t·U in 2005,
decreased slightly in 2006 to 39603 t·U and is expected to increase further in 2007 to
>43000 t·U.
Within OECD countries, production increased slightly from 20114 t·U in 2002 to 21956 t·U in
2004, but decreased thereafter to 19705 t·U in 2006.
142
FIG. 4.4. Uranium production in 2006 (39603 t·U).
4.3.4. Worldwide uranium demand
World annual uranium demand was estimated at about 66815 t·U in 2002, 68435 t·U in
2003, 67320 t·U in 2004, 66500 t·U in 2006, and estimated to increase to 69110 t·U in 2007.
The regional distribution of demand in 2006 is shown in Figure 4.5.
FIG. 4.5. 2006 World uranium requirements per region [9].
143
Details on the regional and country-by-country requirements could be looked up in the
NEA/IAEA Red Book [9].
4.3.5. Current relationship between worldwide uranium demand and supply
Following the political and economic reorganization in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet
Union in the early-1990s, major steps toward the development of an integrated commercial
world uranium market have been taken. As a consequence there has been greater availability of
uranium supplies from Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Uzbekistan.
Despite the increased availability of information regarding the amount of uranium held in
inventory by utilities, producers and governments, uncertainty remains regarding the magnitude
of these inventories (especially in the Russian Federation) and the availability of uranium from
other sources. This uncertainty continues to have a significant influence on the uranium market.
Primary (from mines) uranium production alone is insufficient to meet world uranium
requirements of nuclear power. In 2004, world uranium production (36042 t·U) provided
only about 54% of the world reactor requirements (67320 t·U), and in 2006 world
production reached about 40000 t·U covering about 62% of world reactor requirements
(66500 t·U).
In OECD countries, the 2004 production of 21956 t·U provided only about 39% of the demand
of 55610 t·U (Fig. 4.6), decreasing further to about 35% in 2006.
However, remaining requirements of uranium are met by secondary sources including stockpiles
of natural and enriched uranium (both civilian and military in origin), the reprocessing of spent
fuel and the re-enrichment of depleted uranium tails, i.e. the uranium supply and demand
remained in balance.
FIG. 4.6. OECD and world uranium production and requirements [9].
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4.3.6. Projection of worldwide uranium demand and supply till 2030
Forecasts [9] of installed nuclear capacity (and corresponding uranium demand) are uncertain but
generally point to future growth. Installed capacity is projected to grow from 369 GW(e) net at the
beginning of 2005 to about 449 GW(e) net (low case) or 533 GW(e) net (high case) by the year
2030. Nuclear capacity projections also vary considerably from region to region, e.g. East Asia is
supposed to experience the largest increase and Western Europe might see a significant decrease
due to existing nuclear energy phase out plans.
Market conditions are the primary driver of decisions to develop new or expand existing primary
uranium production centres. After a long period with falling market prices of uranium, these
prices have increased since 2003 and are supposed to increase even further. Therefore, the supply
forecast has changed dramatically from 2003 to 2005, i.e. significant new uranium production has
been planned or committed (Fig. 4.7).
Nonetheless, a critical examination of the projected uranium production capability through 2030
indicates that secondary sources will continue to be needed to meet projected demand for a couple
of years. In 2030, planned capability from all reported Existing and Committed Production centres
based on resources recoverable at a cost of <US $80/kgU — although between 2010 and 2017 the
projected production capability exceeds demand —- are adequate to cover about 89% of the low
case uranium requirements but only about 68% of the high case. Adding in Planned and
Prospective Production centres would satisfy the low case till 2030 and the high case demand
through 2028. Moreover, it is to be noted that world production has never exceeded 89% of
production capability. Hence, additional primary production and/or additional secondary supply
would be needed.
Additionally, after 2013, when secondary sources of uranium are expected to decline in
availability, reactor demand of uranium will have to be met increasingly by primary production.
Therefore, primary production capability will need to be increased by expanding existing
production centres, opening new production centres or through a combination of the two.
FIG. 4.7. Projected annual world uranium production capability through 2030 compared
with projected world reactor requirements19 [9].
19
Includes all existing, committed, planned and prospective production centres supported by RAR and
Inferred Resources (formerly called EAR-I) recoverable at a cost of <US $80/kgU.
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4.3.7. Environmental aspects of uranium mining and milling
In all countries, there is increasing awareness of the need for environmental protection [70]
during mining and milling of uranium (and thorium) ore. Large programmes have been
underway in several countries to clean up wastes from closed U mines and mills. For new
projects, companies must prepare and submit an environmental impact assessment to
regulatory authorities. This normally consists of detailed planning for the life of the project,
including relevant safety and environmental aspects.
The environmental assessment process may involve public hearings that provide for
discussion of socioeconomic impacts and the concerns of stakeholders in the communities
affected by the project. This holds in particular for mining and milling in Canada and in
Australia.
One specific concern relates to the long term management of wastes resulting from mining
and milling. In 2000, an International Symposium on The Uranium Production Cycle and the
Environment was held by the IAEA in cooperation with all internationally institutions
relevant in this area [71]. Based on the results of this symposium, IAEA developed and
released in 2002 a Safety Guide on Management of Radioactive Waste from the Mining and
Milling of Ores [72].
4.4. Conversion of uranium
4.4.1. Types of conversion
The word ‘conversion’ is used in NFC in two different meanings. In this stage, it refers to the
processes of purifying the uranium concentrate U3O8 and then converting it to the chemical
form needed in the next stage of the fuel cycle.
Basically, conversion to three such chemical forms is normally in use:
• conversion to U-metal;
• conversion to uranium oxide (UO2);
• conversion to uranium hexafluoride (UF6).
UF6 is the product normally used at this stage in today commercially applied uranium NFC.
This holds true in particular when the next step of the NFC is the enrichment of 235U, because
UF6 is easily converted to a gas at moderate temperatures. Thus, UF6 is the intermediate
product for all fresh fuel used in LWRs, AGRs, etc. whenever enriched fuel is used.
For the conversion from U3O8 to UF6 the uranium concentrate is dissolved in nitric acid, then
filtered, and treated with chemical solvents. The resulting uranyl nitrate (>99.95% pure) is
then reconverted to uranium oxide and this, in turn, is converted to readily evaporable UF6, to
be used in enrichment facilities.
Re-conversion of depleted uranium hexafluoride to U3O8 currently is practiced in France and
planned in the United States of America in order to take care of the growing stock of depleted
uranium.
Five countries provide this conversion of U3O8 to UF6 at commercial scale: Canada, France,
the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the USA.
In the CANDU fuel cycle, up to today natural uranium oxide is used as fuel. For this purpose
uranium is purified and converted directly to UO2 or UO3: in Argentina, Canada, China, India
and Romania.
146
The Magnox fuel cycle uses natural uranium metal as fuel. Since this fuel is only used in
British reactors, only in the UK a commercial facility for the production of U metal fuel is
operating.
4.4.2. Suppliers and customers of conversion
In Table 4.6 a general survey is given on countries where they are buying and to whom they
are providing conversion services.
TABLE 4.6. CONVERSION TO UF6: SUPPLIERS AND CUSTOMERS [49]
Additionally, Argentina, India and Romania are producing UF6 for domestic use.
147
In Table 4.7 commercial conversion plants are listed together with their typical processes.
TABLE 4.7. COMMERCIAL CONVERSION PLANTS AND PROCESSES
Source: Roadmap Fuel Cycle Assessment Report, Generation IV International Forum December 2002.
4.4.3. Environmental and safety aspects of conversion
Conversion plants are special chemical facilities; they handle very aggressive chemicals
(e.g. F, HF), but they do not produce significant amounts of radioactive effluents. Therefore,
the environmental and safety criteria are comparable to those applied in the corresponding
chemical industry handling similar aggressive products.
4.4.4. Future perspectives of conversion
As long as enriched 235U is the backbone of the existing and the future fuel cycles, there will
be no fundamental changes of technology necessary, besides normal technical development in
the chemical industry for increasing the effectiveness of the processes and adjusting the
technology to future environmental and safety criteria.
4.5. Enrichment of uranium
4.5.1. Types of enrichment
Today two main technologies are practiced for the commercial enrichment of uranium:
• Gaseous diffusion (GD): separation is achieved by using the faster diffusion rate of 235U
through a porous membrane as compared to 238U. The uranium is used in the form of
148
gaseous UF6. This process is very energy intensive and requires very large plants for
commercial operation.
• Centrifuge enrichment, separates the lighter 235U by applying very high rotational
speeds, again using the form of gaseous UF6. One of the economic advantages of this
technology is that the facility can be developed in a modular way, allowing expansion
of the facility according to demand.
Since reprocessed uranium (REPU) contains isotopes, which are difficult to handle at a
diffusion plant, centrifuge technology is used for enrichment of REPU, also due to the low
inventory and modular design of centrifuges.
A LWR with 900 MW(e) output needs about 20 t of heavy metal (HM) fuel annually. In case
it is enriched to about 4% of 235U it requires roughly 160 t of natural uranium UF6 feed and
the expenditure of about 100000 SWU20.
4.5.2. Uranium enrichment suppliers and customers
Figure 4.8 shows the world supply of enrichment services (USEC = USA, Urenco =
Netherlands/Germany/UK, AREVA = France, Rosatom = Russian Federation, others =
Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Pakistan).
USEC
Urenco
13% HEU - LEU
17%
(TENEX-
USEC)
15%
Areva
22%
Rosatom
TENEX
Others
28%
5%
FIG. 4.8. Coverage of the world SWU demand by leading suppliers.
20
SWU means Separative Work Unit, a measure of the amount of work performed in separating the two
isotopes 238
U and 235U.
149
In Table 4.8 the commercial enrichment plants are listed together with their applied processes.
TABLE 4.8. COMMERCIAL ENRICHMENT FACILITIES
Country Place Operator Capacity Enrichment process First

operation
103 SWU/a
Argentina Pilcaniyen CNEA 20 Diffusion (SIGMA) 2007
Brazil Resende INB 115 Centrifuge 2006
China Shaanxi/Lanzhou CNNC 1000 Centrifuge 2005
France Tricastin Eurodif 10800 Gaseous diffusion 1979
(George Besse)
Germany Gronau Urenco 1700 Centrifuge 1985
Japan Rokkasho-Mura-1 JNFL 600 Centrifuge 1992
Rokkasho-Mura-2 JNFL 450 Centrifuge 1997
Netherlands Almelo Urenco 2500 Centrifuge 1973
Angarsk Minatom* 1400 Centrifuge 1954
Russian Ekaterinburg Minatom 10000 Centrifuge 1949
Federation Krasnoyarsk Minatom 2900 Centrifuge 1964
Seversk Minatom 5700 Centrifuge 1950
(recycled U)
UK Capenhurst Urenco 3100 Centrifuge 1976
USA Paducah DOE/USEC 11300 Gaseous diffusion 1954
*Name of Minatom changed to Rosatom.
In Table 4.9 a general survey is given on countries where they are buying and to whom they
are providing enrichment services.
150
TABLE 4.9. URANIUM ENRICHMENT: SUPPLIERS AND CUSTOMERS [49]
In the following section, as an example, the enrichment services of the Russian Federation are
described in some more detail.
4.5.2.1. Uranium enrichment in the Russian Federation
The Russian Federation possesses a powerful isotope separation industry (~40% of the world
market) based on the currently most cost-efficient centrifugal technology of isotope
separation (Refs [73–75]).
The total centrifuge capacity of four separation plants in the Russian Federation is estimated
at ~20 mln SWU with a load of ~95%. This capacity includes the enrichment plants Ural
Electrochemical Integrated Works (UEIW), Electrochemical Plant (ECP), Siberian Chemical
Integrated Works (SCIW) and Angarsk Electrolysis Chemical Integrated Works (AECIW).
The enrichment capacity in the Russian Federation surpasses its nuclear power needs.
According to 2000 data, 40.8% of the enrichment capacity was used to enrich uranium for the
domestic nuclear power needs; 12.9% was used to reprocess dumps of foreign customers;
151
28.9% was used to reprocess high and low enrichment uranium and 17.4% was used for
export orders.
The Russian Federation stopped to produce weapons grade uranium since 1989. Isotope
dilution of weapons grade uranium is based on using standard equipment and technologies of
uranium isotope separation plants. By 2004, 170 t out of 500 t of highly enriched uranium
have been reprocessed in the framework of the Agreement on Using Highly Enriched
Uranium.
The major field of development in the uranium enrichment area is the improvement of gas
centrifuges. They are highly reliable: the specified service life for the latest Generation 6
centrifuges is 25–30 years and the failure rate of Generation 6 machines is less than 0.1% a
year. Six generations of gas centrifuges have been developed at OKB LKZ (OKBM, currently
Tsentrotekh–ECP, St. Petersburg). The first pilot centrifuge plant was started up in 1957, and
it was in 1997 that the first unit equipped with the UEIW-designed Generation 7 centrifuges
was put into operation.
Presently, a programme of major activities to upgrade separation facilities for a period of up
to 2010 is being implemented in the Russian Federation. As part of this programme, it is
planned to replace all old centrifugal uranium separation machines with the latest
Generation 7 machines, and subsequently launch serial production and convert to operation of
a subcritical PGTs-8 machine. A supercritical NPGTs-9 model, a fundamentally new machine
for Generation 9, should be developed by 2008–2010. It is planned to raise the total
separation capacity by 34% by 2010.
Apart from the development of a centrifugal enrichment technology, laser enrichment
methods are investigated, primarily at the Russian Research Centre of Kurchatov Institute.
The scope of studying laser enrichment methods in the Russian Federation was much smaller
as compared with the USA. However, the large scale implementation of laser uranium
enrichment in the Russian Federation is unlikely in near future.
4.5.3. Environmental, safety and non-proliferation aspects
Depleted uranium (DU) is a by-product of enrichment. For a typical LWR, between 6 and 8
tonnes of DU are produced per tonne of fresh fuel. Management strategies for this material
are different from country to country. France is converting the DU to a stable oxide for long
term storage and possible eventual reuse as fuel in breeder reactors, or for re-enrichment for
extraction of additional fissile 235U. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has stated that
some type of deep disposal would be required if it were to be disposed of. However, no
decisions have been made so far.
Similar to the conversion technology the safety criteria of corresponding chemical industry
risks are adequate. Of course, there has to be an adequate safeguard control on the enriched
materials.
4.5.4. Future perspectives of enrichment technology
Technically alternative separation processes have been and still are under consideration. In
particular the old diffusion separation plants need to be replaced soon. Laser isotope
separation could be a candidate for the replacement. However, development was strongly
reduced in some countries, like France, and it was stopped completely in the USA.
Commercially, due to large overcapacities (15–20 million SWU) worldwide, the market for
enrichment services is expected to show little growth over the next two decades. Driven
152
primarily by increased demand in Asia, world demand may increase to about 37 million SWU
by 2005, but afterwards will remain constant until 2010.
The USA and France are going to replace their facilities with diffusion technology by
centrifuges in the near future.
The Russian Federation has offered recently to establish a multilateral enrichment centre
under the auspices of the IAEA (see Annex B).
4.6. Fuel design, fabrication and operation
4.6.1. LWR fuel for BWR, PWR and WWER
4.6.1.1. Short historical review
LWR fuel technology exists since more than 40 years. To achieve the present high level of
reliability and economics a remarkable effort had to be performed covering R&D, design, and
fabrication and performance evaluations. The energy yield of the fuel increased from initially
about 20000 MW·d/t·U to currently as much as 60000 MW·d/t·U, accompanied by an increase
of enrichment from initially about 2% to currently close to 5% 235U (PWR). Today
combinations of UO2 with UO2 + Gd2O3 fuel are state of the art, and also the use of MOX fuel
containing (U, Pu)O2 is increasing with all LWR fuel types.
The core average power densities of commercial power plants developed from around
80 kW/L today up to 108 kW/L for PWRs.
BWR fuel rod arrays with square geometry were starting with 6 × 6 and are now up to
10 × 10. Correspondingly PWR fuel rod arrays with square geometry developed from 14 × 14
and 15 × 15 to now 17 × 17 and 18 × 18.
WWER fuel has a hexagonal geometry with major differences between fuel assemblies for
WWER-440 (126 fuel rods) and WWER-1000 (316 fuel rods). However, the fuel rod outer
diameter is the same for both fuel assembly types (9.1 mm).
RBMK fuel design is quite different from WWER fuel, due to the fact that the coolant H2O is
different from the moderator (graphite), and the capability to be refuelled online. However,
this fuel type is not considered more closely within this documentation.
The details of the fuel rod design were continuously improved as well as the design of the fuel
structure components, i.e. the spacer grids, the guide tubes and the upper and the lower tie
plate. These developments include the optimization of the materials as well as the
thermohydraulic properties of all fuel assembly components and also the neutron-economy of
the whole fuel assembly and of the reload and reshuffling strategies for the LWR cores.
During the same time, when impressive developments of the LWR fuel design led to dramatic
improvements as well for the specific power generation as for the economy of this generation,
the fabrication technology for the needed materials and components of the fuel assemblies
was also developed technically and economically.
And finally also the operation reliability improved from the early rather intensive fights with
engineering-related problems like rod collapsing and the necessity to change the fuel rod
cladding material from stainless steel to Zircaloy to debris-related fuel rod defects and the
problems of fretting between spacer and fuel rods. In this way, the fuel rod failure rates could
be decreased from 10-3 to 10-4 in the 1970s to less than 10-5 by the end of the 1980s. In the
1990s various unexpected effects led to fuel defects, which interrupted the process of
decreasing the failure rate down to 10-6 [76]. As an example, Figure 4.9 shows the trend in
153
fuel failure rates in the USA from 1980 to 2004. Today the best fuel rod failure rates in BWRs
and PWR fuel assemblies vary in the range of 2 to 5 × 10-6. Figure 4.10 shows the failure
causes in PWR and BWR fuel within the time period 2003 to 2005.
FIG. 4.9. Trend in USA fuel failure rates [77].
FIG. 4.10. Failure causes in PWR and BWR fuel during 2003–2005 [78].
154
A comparable successful development occurred for the WWER fuel during about the same
time period covering also design, fabrication and operation. Also here the optimism to reach
the magic failure limit of 10-6 up to now could not be fulfilled systematically for commercial
fuel due to repeatedly occurring unexpected fuel operation problems. On the other hand, the
burnup targets could be shifted up to 60 MW·d/t·U. Longer exposure times (5 year cycles) of
the fuel assemblies are considered for WWER fuel in a comparable way as for PWR fuel.
Also, the fabrication technology for WWER fuel developed successfully during the four
decades of its history.
However, it has to be stated clearly that besides the fact that some of the operation problems
can be related to the same or similar generic causes like fuel assembly (FA) bow, vibration
problems etc., basically there is one very fundamental difference between PWR and WWER
fuel performance that leads to different design characteristics typical for these two types of
fuel.
It is a well known fact that in PWR fuels the main limiting factor for the liner heat generation
rate (LHGR) of the fuel rods and the final burnup of the fuel assembly since more then
2 decades was the corrosion and the corrosion-related hydriding of the FA components made
of Zr-based materials. Besides some localized corrosion effects, corrosion and
corrosion-related hydriding was never a problem with components of WWER fuel
assemblies made of Zr–Nb-based materials. The reason for this difference clearly is also the
different water chemistry in western PWRs and WWERs. While in PWRs the
pH compensation for the boric acid content in the primary coolant is achieved by LiOH, in
WWER cores KOH and NH4OH is used for this purpose, leading to much lower uniform
corrosion of Zr-based materials.
On the other hand, up to today, the design development of WWER fuel assemblies always
strongly focused — and still does — on mechanical strength, stiffness and related mechanical
properties of the FA components. In turn, this was never a point of specific concern with
PWR fuel designs. However, in some of the PWR fuel designs advanced guide tubes have
been introduced that contribute to the strength and stiffness of the fuel assemblies.
Finally, it should be mentioned that for BWR and PWR fuel it is state of the art since more
than 20 years to be re-constitutable, i.e. they could be repaired after having already been
exposed in the reactor.
4.6.1.2. Present situation: International vendors/designers of LWR fuel
After the merging in the western LWR fuel industry mainly two PWR fuel vendors/designers
are internationally on the commercial market:
• the AREVA NP (formerly Framatome-ANP) fuel design, compiling the former design
developments of Framatome/Fragema and Siemens/KWU;
• the Westinghouse fuel design, compiling the former design developments of the nuclear
fuel divisions within the old Westinghouse Electric comp., and the ABB Combustion
Engineering Nuclear Operation, for some time under the umbrella of BNFL, and now
owned mainly (67%) by the Japanese company Toshiba (and 20% by the US Shaw
Group, 10% by Kazatomprom and 3% by the Japanese company IHI).
Both designs are offered worldwide. However, while the AREVA NP design is more focusing
on the European situation, the Westinghouse design is more influenced by the demands in the
USA. Both companies today design and sell PWR FAs with UO2 fuel and UO2 + Gd2O3 fuel.
MOX FAs using (U, Pu)O2 are primarily designed and sold by AREVA NP.
155
Besides for older plants, today, the international standard for PWR fuel assemblies is a
17 × 17 fuel rod configuration, with the exception of the in Germany operated newer PWR
plants built by Siemens which are using an 18 × 18 fuel rod configuration.
With regard to BWR fuel today there are internationally in the market:
• the AREVA NP fuel design, again compiling the former design developments of
Framatome/Fragema and Siemens/KWU;
• Global Nuclear Fuels (General electric, USA + international partners), now a joint
venture of GE and Hitachi.
Both designers are offering BWR fuel worldwide and design and sell BWR FAs with UO2
fuel and UO2 + Gd2O3 fuel. Today MOX FAs using (U, Pu)O2 are primarily designed and
sold by AREVA NP (Melox).
Besides for older plants today the international standard for BWR fuel assemblies is a 10 × 10
fuel rod configuration, but also the 9 × 9 configuration still is broadly in use. There are other
designers and vendors of BWR/PWR fuel, but just for the domestic demand (e.g. in India,
Japan, the Republic of Korea, etc.).
With regard to WWER fuel the vendors’ situation did not basically change during the last
years. Joint Stock Company TVEL with the support of MINATOM is providing WWER fuel
design and manufacturing services to all WWER countries.
Practically, all internationally operating fuel vendors claim that with the present design the
fuel assemblies can reach 60 GW·d/t·U. However, in reality the majority of the commercially
operated fuel is discharged with burnup of about 40 GW·d/t·U (Refs [79, 80], Fig. 4.11).
FIG. 4.11. Trends in discharge average burnup — USA.

There is a range of higher FA discharge burnup that extends up to 55–56 GW·d/t·U for
AREVA NP fuel (Siemens-design). Similarly, Westinghouse claims [81] to have reached
batch discharge burnups of 50 GW·d/t·U.
Along with the increasing burnup the initial 235U enrichment increased as shown in
Figure 4.12 for the USA. In fact, in some plants initial enrichments have been realized that go
up to the international limit for fabrication and transportation of 5%. With this initial
enrichment the discharge burnup can be extended up to 65 GW·d/t·U.
156
FIG. 4.12. Trends in average initial enrichment — USA [80].
Of course those high discharge burnups can only be realized with an adequately long
exposure time as for example 5 one-year cycles. While in Europe the one-year cycle is still
the standard case, in the USA, since many years, there is a strong trend to much longer cycles
as illustrated in Figure 4.13.
FIG. 4.13. Trends in cycle length — USA.

The discussed increase to a very high burnup has to be accompanied by an adequate
development of the core loading strategies. So called Low Leakage Loading Patterns are in
use with PWR cores since already many years.
4.6.1.3. Today’s operational performance of uranium LWR fuel
As already mentioned in the historical review, up to now western BWR and PWR fuel could
not reach the target of a failure rate of 10-6 or lower. On the one hand there are still some fuel
failures caused by debris fretting. In fact, the anti-debris filters could decrease this problem
significantly. However, not all utilities are using fuel with this device. Also the problem of
157
spacer to cladding fretting could not be fully resolved. In detail, the reasons for this kind of
defects are different for different designs.
On the other side, during the 1990s also new types of fuel failures occurred in PWRs that are
correlated to a high heat flux in combination with crud deposition on the fuel rod surface. At
locations where sub-cooled boiling occurs, i.e. on upper spans of high powered fuel
assemblies the deposition is accelerated. Boric acid and LiOH also concentrate in these
boiling crud deposits, accumulating boron compounds. The result of this boron buildup in the
upper portions of some fuel assemblies is that the core power distribution shifts unexpectedly
toward the core inlet (several months after startup of the cycle). This shift is called a crud
induced power shift (CIPS), or axial offset anomaly (AOA).
In most cases, CIPs incidents in the USA occurred after the power output of the plant was
increased. Under locally thick crud deposits, the temperature at the interface between cladding
surface and coolant increases, thus leading to accelerate localized corrosion; as a result fuel
rod failures occurred. Consequently more attention has to be paid to localized sub-cooling in
advanced high duty PWR fuel designs.
4.6.1.4. Fabrication of uranium fuel for LWRs
In Table 4.10, an overview is given on available data on LWR fuel fabrication facilities
worldwide. Altogether there is a large overcapacity (around 50%), which probably will slowly
decrease under the ongoing merging and consolidation processes in this part of the nuclear
industry.
During the last 15 years the classical way of quality assurance and control was replaced by a
new philosophy with new methods to assure the best possible quality of nuclear fuel products.
While in the past the reactive efforts were focusing on the detection and removal of quality
deficiencies by post-line control of the products after completing fabrication, now pre-planed
preventive measures are primarily focusing on process rather than product control. A
so-called Total Quality Management (TQM) philosophy was developed and successfully
introduced in the fuel production. In this new, mainly process control oriented quality
management the statistical evaluation and assessment of processes and product plays an
increasingly leading role.
This development still goes on along with continuous efforts to proceed with fabrication
automation and computer-based process and process control.
158
TABLE 4.10. COMMERCIAL LWR URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION PLANTS
Country Place Operator Fuel type Capacity

* First operation
(tHM/a)
Belgium Dessel FBFC PWR 750 1961
Brazil Resende INB PWR 200 1982
China Yibin CNNC PWR 200 1993
France Romans AREVA NP PWR 1200 1979
Germany Lingen AREVA NP BWR, PWR 650 1979
Japan Tokai-Mura MNF PWR 440 1972
Kumatori-machi NFI PWR 284 1972
Tokai-Mura NFI BWR 250 1980
Kurihama JNF BWR 750 1970
Republic of Taejon KNFC PWR 400 1989
Korea
Russian Elektrostal Mashino Stroitelny PWR (WWER) 1200 1963
Federation
Novosibirsk TVEL PWR (WWER) 400 1949
Spain Juzbado ENUSA BWR, PWR 300 1985
Sweden Västerås ABB BWR 400 1971
UK Springfields BNFL BWR, PWR 860 1996
USA Columbia Westinghouse PWR 1450 1986
Lynchburg AREVA NP PWR 400 1982
Richland AREVA NP BWR 500 1970
Wilmington GE Nuclear BWR 750 1982
Energy21
*
Rod/assembly
4.6.1.5. Status of safety of LWR uranium fuel
Burnup extension of fuel has raised several safety concerns. In particular, the burnup effects
on LOCA (loss of coolant accident), and on RIA (reactivity initiated accident) by rod-ejection
in PWRs and rod-drop in BWRs, respectively, were intensively discussed during the 1990s. In
the case of LOCA, the inclusion of the pre-oxidation level in the cladding oxidation and
embrittlement criteria as well as improved core analysis methods has lowered the safety
concerns.
For the RIA it was evident from test results (NSRR and CABRI) that the failure threshold at
high burnup is significantly lower than the existing licensing limit. Extensive analyses,
however, could finally show that (i) the test conditions in general and specifically for the most
unfavourable test results are not representative, and (ii) the RIA peak fuel enthalpies for high
burnup FA in LWRs are much lower than assumed before and remain below adapted failure
threshold values.
Although different approaches were used by the US-NRC and EPRI/ANATECH/EdF, there is
now broad agreement that no real danger exists for plant operation. Further experimental
confirmation in more representative conditions is planned with a new water loop in CABRI.
21
Recently, GE formed a joint venture with Hitachi.
159
Similar conclusions were reached in other countries. In summary, the combined approach of
using improved analytical methods and re-evaluating experimental data could relax the
situation — independent of the applied methods.
4.6.1.6. Future perspectives for LWR uranium fuel
In the near future, the above-described high burnup targets of up to 65 GW·d/t·U will not be
exceeded easily, due to the fact that the internationally established limit of 5% enrichment for
fabrication and transportation is reached. However, there are also other reasons for a halt of
the development at this burnup figure. On the one hand, some surprises occurred during the
last 10 years with regard to the operational behaviour.
Also some traditional operational problems could not really fully be solved up to now; this
refers in particular to grid-to-rod fretting failures as the result of vibrations. On the other
hand, there are open questions with regard to the safety behaviour of high burnup fuel, e.g. the
broadly known question of conservative RIA-limits, and also some so far not yet broadly
discussed questions in connection with the LOCA behaviour of high burnup fuel. Therefore, a
digesting period is expected as the discharge burnup reaches the range of 65 GW·d/t·U within
the next years.
On the other hand, presently there is no technically mature alternative in sight to replace the
uranium LWR NFC as the major backbone for the commercial production of nuclear energy.
4.6.2. Mixed oxide fuel for LWR
4.6.2.1. Short history of LWR MOX fuel performance
R&D of mixed U/Pu (MOX) fuel for LWR started in the 1950s and application of MOX fuel
in LWR reached commercial scale in the 1980s. For example, first MOX fuel loading into a
LWR occurred in Germany as early as 1966. However, originally, MOX fuel was intended to
be used in NFC of FR, but due to the slowdown of deployment of FRs in the 1980s, it was
used also in LWR to decrease the volumes (and heat) of high level waste and to limit the
increasing inventories of separated Pu from power reactors thereby decreasing the risk for
proliferation. Typically, about 30% of a LWR core is filled with MOX fuel assemblies. Use of
MOX in thermal reactors increases the uranium utilization efficiency by a factor of two.
In Europe, in particular in France, in the last decade a considerable amount of experience has
been collected with the design, fabrication and the performance of MOX fuel. As already
mentioned either Siemens or Framatome/Fragema designed this MOX fuel and the experience
is now reported as from AREVA NP fuel [82].
Some MOX lead test assemblies have been designed by BNFL, UK, and were irradiated in
Switzerland with interesting data from PIE examination and from ramp test [83]. The overall
finding is that the reliability of MOX fuel assemblies is as good as UO2 fuel assemblies. No
rod has ever failed for MOX specific reasons. Moreover, the release rates of fission products
into the primary coolant were similar to those observed with defective UO2 fuel [82].
The burnup of individual MOX FAs has reached 54 GW·d/tM. In France, a hybride fuel
management scheme with 28 UO2 FAs (3.7% enriched) irradiated for four annual cycles and
16 MOX FAs (Pu content equivalent to 3.25% UO2) for three annual cycles has been used for
all reactors wit MOX fuel since 1994, with load-following conditions since 1995. Recently,
the maximum average Pu content was increased from 5.3% to 7.08% to allow the use of Pu
coming from reprocessing of highly irradiated fuel. The reactivity of these MOX FAs is
equivalent to uranium FAs with an enrichment of 4.3 w/o 235U.
160
The future perspectives of the French MOX fuel R&D programmes aim for a target burnup of
70 GW·d/t. For this ambitious target it is necessary to improve the current fuel production
technology, concerning the (U, Pu)O2 as well as the design of the fuel rod and assembly
structure.
4.6.2.2. Development of LWR MOX fuel in the Russian Federation
In the Russian Federation, historically, MOX fuel was developed in order to use plutonium in
fast reactors. Thus, presently, commercial plutonium recycling in thermal reactors is
considered unreasonable in accordance with the strategy of nuclear power development in the
Russian Federation.
Calculations to study the feasibility of using reactor grade plutonium in WWER-1000 reactors
have been performed in the Russian Federation since the late 1980s. Recently, in accordance
with the Russian Federation concept of handling plutonium [84], up to 50 tonnes of weapon
grade plutonium are to be released as part of the nuclear disarmament process. Under an
agreement with the USA, the Russian Federation is to recycle 34 tonnes of weapons grade
plutonium as MOX fuel to convert it to a standard spent fuel. The programme may involve all
WWER-1000 reactors up to the expiration of their service life, and all WWER-1000 reactors
under construction (3 units) — throughout their design service life [85]. From 250 to 280 kg
of plutonium may be annually consumed in each of the WWER-1000 reactors. Additionally,
Pu fuel could be used in the BOR-60, BN-600 (with a total amount of up to 300 kg of Pu per
year) and, prospectively, BN-800 and BREST reactors, and in foreign NPPs licensed for that
purpose. Depending on the utilization scope and rate, excessive weapons grade plutonium is
expected to be recycled by 2032 to 2050. Most of these studies are performed for developing
MOX fuels to convert weapons grade plutonium into the spent fuel standard. For example,
work was started in 2001 for the joint experiment of Parallex, as part of which Russian and
US pilot assemblies with MOX fuel produced at VNIINM and Los Alamos National
Laboratory are being irradiated in a Canadian heavy water research reactor in Chalk River.
As part of cooperation between the European countries, the Russian Federation, and the USA
studies are ongoing to upgrade the WWER-1000 reactors for using MOX fuel (produced from
weapons Pu). Starting from 1993, the programme of AIDA-MOX 1 was implemented by the
Russian Federation jointly with France. It is planned to test pilot FAs with oxide MOX fuel
pellets at Balakovo NPP.
It is planned to build a specialized plant at the Siberian Chemical Integrated Works to
manufacture oxide MOX fuel out of weapon grade plutonium.
Very important is to build the infrastructure for handling of irradiated MOX assemblies
discharged from reactors at NPP sites. It has been shown that spent FAs of a WWER-1000
reactor with MOX fuel (based on weapons grade Pu) with a burnup of 60 MW·d/kg of heavy
metal will have a plutonium content of two times and the americium and curium content of
three times as much as a uranium assembly with comparable burnup.
4.6.2.3. Fabrication of LWR MOX fuel
A detailed description of MOX production techniques is presented in Ref. [86]. In Western

Europe, MOX fuel fabrication for LWR uses the MIMAS process (used by Belgonucléaire,
COGEMA) and the Short Binderless Route (SBR, used by BNFL).
In Japan, MOX fuels for core physics and irradiation testing have been manufactured in the
JNC plant since 1966. The JNC MOX fabrication plant has been operating since 1972
(10 tMOX/a) for the advanced thermal reactor (ATR) Fugen, and nearly 130 tonnes of fuel
161
(about 750 fuel assemblies) have been produced till 1999 using the PFPF process, equivalent
to about 1.8 tHM of plutonium. A microwave heating method for the co-conversion of
plutonium-uranium nitrate to MOX powder was developed by JNC in order to obtain MOX
powder directly from the product. Japan (JNFL) decided in November 2000 to build a
commercial LWR-MOX fuel fabrication plant with a capacity of 130 tHM/a at Rokkasho-Mura
that will be supplied with recycled fuel from the Rokkasho Recycling Plant (RRR) located at
the same site. RRR was built by Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd, and started operation in 2006. The
plant's annual reprocessing capacity will be 800 tonnes, compared with about 1000 tonnes of
spent nuclear fuel arisings from domestic nuclear power stations annually. Additionally, spent
fuel interim storage facilities are expected to commence commercial operation by 2010.
In Table 4.11 an overview is given on commercial and semi-commercial LWR MOX
fabrication plants.
TABLE 4.11. COMMERCIAL AND SEMI-COMMERCIAL LWR MOX FUEL
FABRICATION PLANTS
Country Location Operator Fuel type Capacity First operation

(tHM/a)
Belgium Dessel Belgonucléaire LWR 40 1973
France Cadarache COGEMA LWR* 40 1961
Marcoule – COGEMA LWR 1000 1995
Melox
UK Sellafield SMP BNFL LWR 120 2005
Sellafield MDF BNFL LWR 8 1993
Japan Tokai-Mura JNC ATR 10 1972
Rokkasho JNFL LWR 130 ~2012
* also fuel for FBR fabricated.
India has a domestic plant for fabricating MOX fuel to be loaded in their two BWRs; this
plant is operating since 1994 with a capacity of 18 tHM/a.
4.6.2.4. Future perspectives of LWR MOX technology
MOX industry has become a mature business, and parity between UO2 and MOX fuel prices
is requested by the utilities.
Technology developments focuses on improving fuel cycle management by increasing burnup
of MOX fuels, the possibility of load-following with MOX fuelled reactors (already
demonstrated and licensed in France), and the possibility of an increased MOX fraction in the
core loading pattern (100% MOX cores) resulting in a net reduction of the Pu inventory
(i.e. minus 15 kg/tHM per cycle in a 900 MW(e) LWR with a 100% MOX core).
4.6.3. Fuel for PHWR
4.6.3.1. History of PHWR fuel
The majority of PHWRs in the world are of the CANDU-type developed in Canada. The core
of a CANDU-type reactor consists of horizontal, heavy water cooled pressure tubes,
surrounded by a heavy water moderator. A second type of PHWR, the Atucha-type, was
designed by Siemens, Germany, and is currently in operation in Argentina. The Atucha
reactor is a pressure vessel design, using heavy water as coolant and moderator.
162
4.6.3.2. Design and performance of CANDU fuel
Currently, operating CANDU-type PHWRs differ in fuel and fuel channel design, and in
reactor core size. However, all current Canadian CANDU reactors employ a 100 mm (inner
diameter) fuel channel (pressure tube).
In Canada, the reactors at the Pickering station were designed to produce around 540 MW(e),
and use a 28-element fuel bundle with 15 mm diameter fuel elements (fuel rods). The larger
reactors at the Bruce and Darlington stations were originally designed to produce 900 MW(e)
each, using a 37-element fuel bundle with 13 mm diameter fuel elements. The nominal
CANDU-6 design is for reactors generating around 700 MW(e). The newest Canadian fuel
design is based on a 43-element fuel bundle with two different element diameters (13.5 mm
for the inner eight elements and 11.5 mm for the outer 35 elements).
In contrast, India and Pakistan (beginning with RAPS-1 and KANUPP, respectively) based
their PHWR design on an earlier Canadian commercial design. These reactors have 82.5 mm
diameter fuel channels. The fuel is based on a 19-element bundle (15 mm element diameter).
The CANDU/PHWR fuel bundles are simple and robust assemblies of only 50 cm in length.
Particular emphasis is placed on quality control in fabrication, since many more elements
(over 30 times) are required per kW·h than in a PWR. By the end of the 1990s, the defect rate
for elements was less than 5 × 10-6. Some of the other countries still had higher failure rates at
that time, but are also on the way to lower levels. The CANDU reactor allows defected fuel to
be detected, located and replaced without taking the reactor off-line.
In general, most defects in CANDU/PHWR fuel occur in small batches in situations called
defect excursions, whereas the failure rates from more statistically scattered defects are
usually low. Problems with structural components have been rare. Only one case is reported,
where incidental acoustic resonance of the assembly strings with pressure pulsations from the
primary circuit pumps lead to severe assembly damages with end plate cracking.
An initial performance problem was stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of the cladding by pellet
clad interaction mainly induced by the power ramps during the on-power refuelling, when the
bundles are pushed through the channels from low to high power positions. As a remedy the
CANLUB fuel was introduced, i.e. a graphite coating on the inner side of the cladding. This
feature, in combination with optimised fuelling strategies and operating guidelines, has
reduced and partly eliminated the problem. In Canada, there was only one SCC defect
excursion during the last 30 years and that one was associated with abnormal operation.
Other defects are mainly caused by either manufacturing problems such as incomplete welds
or hydriding, or by debris fretting when small metallic debris from plant construction or
maintenance circulates in the fuel channels. A continuous feedback process and national or
international improvement programmes within the CANDU community (user group) have
significantly reduced both, the frequency of defect excursions as well as the statistical defects.
4.6.3.3. Power generation in CANDU fuel
Though CANDU fuel cycles have been designed to provide increased fuel burnup and
improved uranium resource utilization by using slightly enriched uranium, most operators
have continued to use natural uranium fuel.
Since the maximum allowable linear element power is the technically limiting parameter and
is the same for the 37 and the 28 element bundles, the power density in later Canadian type
CANDU (e.g. Bruce station) can be up to 30% higher than in the Pickering station. As the
maximum allowable linear element power has been always high, it is also not feasible to
163
perform significant power uprates without further reduction of the fuel element diameter
(Fig. 4.14).
FIG. 4.14. Evolution of CANDU fuel.

The average discharge burnup which can be reached with natural uranium is limited to present
values around 8 MW·d/kgU (with some of the CANDU type reactors reaching nearly
10 MW·d/kgU) and cannot be increased without changing the whole fuel cycle by using either
slightly enriched uranium (SEU) or other new fuel types.
4.6.3.4. Fabrication of PHWR fuel
In Table 4.12, the commercially operating plants for fabricating PHWR fuel are compiled.
The list also contains fabrication capacity for fuel used in a vessel type of PHWR which is
deployed in Argentina only.
TABLE 4.12. COMMERCIAL PHWR FUEL FABRICATION PANTS
Country Place Operator Capacity First operation

(tHM/a)
Argentina Ezeiza CNEA 160 1982
Canada Peterborough GE Canada Inc. 1200 1956
Port Hope Zircatec Precision 1500 1964
Industries Inc.
China Baotou CNNC 200 >2008
India Hyderabad DAE 600 1974
Republic of Taejon KNFC 400 1987
Korea
Romania Pitesti SNN 150 1994
4.6.3.5. Perspectives of CANDU fuel
CANFLEX is the CANDU fuel development programme jointly performed by the Republic
of Korea and Canada. CANFLEX is a 43-fuel element design of new internal bundle
geometry (smaller diameter fuel elements in the outer ring) different from the conventional
37-fuel element bundle. This configuration lowers power peaking factor and thus leads to
improved operational margin.
164
The CANFLEX fuel bundle (Fig. 4.15) design has completed the demonstration irradiations
required to qualify it as commercial fuel. Advanced fuel cycles being developed take advantage
of the improved thermal-hydraulic margins offered by this design. Fuel cycles under
consideration for implementation include the use of slightly enriched uranium, while other
cycles, such as the use of MOX fuel, could follow later.
FIG. 4.15. CANFLEX fuel bundle.

An example of such an advanced fuel type, called CANFLEX-LVRF, has completed its
qualification process recently. It contains slightly enriched U and provides the ability to uprate
reactor power due to its increased safety design margins.
4.6.4. Fuel for fast reactor (FR)
4.6.4.1. Short history of FR fuel
Liquid metal cooled fast reactor technology has been under development for as long as
50 years in many countries, including France, Germany, India, Japan, the Russian Federation,
the United Kingdom and the USA (see also Section 2.5.1).
In the USA, a long term development and demonstration programme (till the middle of the
1990s) on metal alloy fuel for sodium cooled fast reactors has been carried at Argonne
National Laboratory’s EBR-II experimental fast reactor. Pre-industrial scale fabrication
technology is well established.
In the Russian Federation the first experimental MOX fuel assemblies for the fast reactors
BR-5, BR-10 and BOR-60 were made in the 1970s. Thereafter, from 1980 till 1992, also in
BN-350 (with a UO2 driver core) MOX assemblies were tested. BN-600 operates also on high
enriched UO2 driver fuel but has irradiated many MOX test assemblies since the 1990s. Five
basic technologies of producing U/Pu mixed oxide (MOX) for FR fuel have been developed:
1) mechanical mixing of oxides (performed in the Paket facility);
2) sol-gel process (internal and external gelatinization);
3) ammoniac granulation (performed in the Granat facility);
4) carbonaceous co-precipitation;
5) plasmo-chemical conversion of uranium and plutonium solutions into mixed oxides.
Two principal technologies have been developed in the Russian Federation to fabricate fuel
rods with mixed uranium–plutonium (mainly from low burnup SNF): pelletising and vibro-
compacting of U–Pu powders.
165
The process Granat has been developed in the All-Russian Institute for Inorganic Materials
named after academician A.A. Bochvar (VNIINM). This technology includes granulation
following co-precipitation of uranium and plutonium hydroxides with the use of a flocculant
characterized by high molecular weight. Co-precipitated uranium and plutonium are
converted into oxides to obtain stoichiometric powder. This technology is implemented at PO
Mayak (Ozersk).
The technology developed at the All-Russian R&D Institute for Nuclear Reactors (NIIAR) is
based on paoelectrochemical granulation of uranium and plutonium under the electrolysis at
the cathode in a paographite cell and packing of mixed oxides in fuel elements by means of
vibration. The remotely controlled method for fuel production allows using plutonium
containing up to 0.5% of americium. The vibro-compacting process directly uses the acid
solution from recycling and should have economic merit compared to the classic pelletising
route. This technology is implemented at RIAR (Dimitrovgrad).
Vibro-compacting has the following advantages in comparison to pelletising:
• simplicity and reliability of the production process due to the reduced number of
process and control operations that makes the automation and remote control of the
process easier;
• possibility of usage of the granulate in any form — both in the form of a homogeneous
composition and mechanical mixture;
• reduced thermomechanical impact of vibro-packed fuel on the cladding (as compared
with a pelletized fuel);
• more flexible requirements for the inner diameter of the fuel rod claddings.
In Japan, JNC has fabricated MOX fuel for the experimental Joyo and prototype Monju fast
reactors since 1973.
In France, U/Pu oxide fuel for fast neutron sodium cooled reactors (RAPSODIE) was used
starting in the 1960s.
In India, the first experimental fast reactor started up with plutonium carbide fuel in 1985.
4.6.4.2. Fabrication of UO2 and MOX fuel for FR
Currently, fuel for operating fast reactors contains primarily MOX with a higher Pu content
compared to LWR-MOX fuel. Typically, fuel pins are clad in stainless steel and assembled in
a hexagonal wrapper tube. The fabrication technology is well established, and FR fuel was
supplied successfully in France, the USA, the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation and
Japan.
Since fast reactor development so far only reached the level of demonstration plants limited
capacities for the fabrication of FR MOX fuel are available, as shown in Table 4.13.
TABLE 4.13. SEMI-COMMERCIAL FR MOX FUEL FABRICATION PLANTS
Country Place Operator Capacity First operation

(tHM/a)
France Veurey-Voroise CISN 150 1960
Russian Elektrostal Mashino Stroitelny 1 1972
Federation RIAR Minatom 1 1965
Chelyabinsk Minatom 30 ~2010
Japan Tokai-Mura JNC 5 1973
166
4.6.4.3. Carbide and nitride fuel for FR
Mixed uranium plutonium mono-carbide (MC) and mono-nitride (MN) have been identified
as advanced LMFBR fuels on the basis of their high heavy metal density, high breeding ratio
(and in turn short doubling time), high thermal conductivity resulting in low operating fuel
temperatures and excellent chemical compatibility with sodium coolant.
R&D programmes on MC and MN fuels were actively pursued in the USA, France, Germany,
the UK and the Russian Federation during the 1960s and the 1970s and a little later in Japan
and India. Most of these investigations have been restricted to UC, UN, (U, Pu)C and
(U, Pu)N fuels with a maximum plutonium content of 20% and have been very well
documented in the monographs entitled Science of Advanced LMFBR Fuels by H. Matzke
[87] and Non-oxide Ceramic Nuclear Fuels by H. Blank [88].
However, compared to mixed oxide fuel, the experience on MC and MN fuels is very limited.
So far, all over the world, some 1000 kg and 100 kg of MC and MN fuel respectively has
been manufactured and irradiation carried out in some 2000 carbide pins and some 200 nitride
pins.
In the USA, nearly 700 of helium-bonded and sodium-bonded MC and MN fuel pins have
been successfully irradiated in EBR-II and FFTF to high burnups in the range of
10-20 atom%. Most of these pins contained fuel pellets though a limited number of test
irradiations were also carried out using vibro-packed fuel pins.
In the Russian Federation, a UC core was in operation in the BR-5 reactor from 1965 to 1971
and achieved a burnup of 6.2 atom%. A large number of UN fuel assemblies were also
successfully irradiated in the BR-10 core up to a burnup of 9 atom%. In the BOR-60 reactor
too, several UC, U(C, N), (U, Pu)C and (U, Pu)N fuel pins were successfully irradiated to a
high burnup.
As part of the Futurix concept [89] irradiation testing of MC fuel pins is carried out in the
Phenix reactor in France (and earlier in RAPSODIE/Fortissimo with MC and MN). In the past
also in the DFR in the UK, in the BR-2 in Belgium, in the KNK-2 in Germany, and in the
JRR-2 and JMTR in Japan such tests were performed.
India is the first country in the world that developed plutonium rich (66% Pu) mixed carbide
fuel and used it as driver fuel in their fast breeder test reactor (FBTR). This carbide core is in
operation since October 1985 and has so far seen an average burnup more than
100000 MW·d/t without any failure. A second mixed carbide core with somewhat lower
plutonium (52% Pu) content is also under irradiation. A few irradiated (25000 MW·d/t) mixed
carbide fuel pins have been successfully reprocessed by a wet chemical route for recovery of
Pu.
4.6.4.4. Future perspectives of fast reactor fuel
In the USA, a long term development and demonstration programme on metal alloy fuel for
fast reactors has been carried at Argonne National Laboratory’s EBR-II experimental fast
reactor. Pre-industrial scale fabrication technology is well established.
In the Russian Federation, similarly, a long term technology development and demonstration
programme on vibro-compaction fabrication for MOX fuel pins for the BOR-60 test reactor at
Dimitrovgrad, and pre-industrial scale fabrication technology is well established.
In France, in the fuel development plan (Fig. 4.16) for the gas cooled fast reactor (GFR) an
irradiation phase of materials and fuel samples in material testing reactors and available fast
reactors prototypes is performed.
167
FIG. 4.16. Candidates of fuel design for French GFR (IAEA TWG NFCO 2006).
The development of coated particle nitride or carbide fuel must address several challenging
issues that will require fundamental R&D. Specific issues include the development of a
coating material for particle fuel as well as for a block-type fuel subassembly that has high
temperature resistance. On the other hand, since the helium gas cooled reactor was selected as
one of the candidate reactor types at the GIF project, it may be possible to achieve a break
through regarding these fundamental issues by international cooperation.
In Japan, metal fuel for the sodium cooled fast breeder reactor is being developed. Core
design with such a fuel has been performed (Ref. [90]), advanced cladding materials are
investigated, e.g. oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic and precipitation hardened steels
(Ref. [91]), and innovative fabrication techniques (Ref. [92]) are studied. Innovative fuel
fabrication technologies (Fig. 4.17) include simplified pellet, sphere/vibro packing, and metal
casting processes.
Simplified PUREX Alternative Oxide-

Oxide- Metal-
Metal-
Reprocessing Process Aqueous Process Electrowinning Electrorefining
Process Process
Dissolution Oxide Reduction
Direct Extraction U
U Crystallization Electrowinning U Electrorefining
Recovery Supercritical Fluid (solid cathode)
Extraction U, Pu, MA
U, Pu,MA Single Cycle TBP-CO 2-HNO 3 MOX Electro- Electrorefining
Recovery Extraction codeposition (Liq. Cd cathode)
MA SETFICS Process Ion Exchange / MA Cd Extraction
Recovery /TRUEX Process Amine Extraction Electrowinning (pyro contactor)
Oxidat io n
Pellet　
Pellet　Ｓｈｏｒｔ Sphere Packing Vibro-
Vibro -Packing Casting Process
Process Process Process
Simplified Gelation Granulation Casting
Fuel Pelletizing （ＭＯＸ－ＭＡ）（ＭＯＸ，ＭＮ－ＭＡ）（Ｕ－Ｐｕ－Ｚｒ－ＭＡ）
Refabrication Vibration Vibration
Stacking Packing Packing Stacking
MOX Fuel MOX Fuel Metal Fuel
: MOX Aqueous Recycle : MOX Non-Aqueous Recycle : Metal Non-Aqueous Recycle
FIG. 4.17. Innovative fuel fabrication technologies for FR in Japan.
168
4.6.5. Fuel for HTGR
4.6.5.1. History of HTGR fuel
The situation for HTGR fuel is somewhat similar to thorium fuel. HTGR fuel was developed
and exclusively used in the past in demonstration plants (see Section 2.4.1 and 3.4.2).
Very good experience was collected with the coated particle concept that allows rather high
coolant temperatures. The coated particles were small kernels (~few hundred microns
diameter) of e.g. uranium oxide-carbides, with the 235U enriched up to 9%. These kernels
were coated by paolytic carbon and silicon carbide, providing containment for the fission
products for temperatures up to 2000°C.
They were deployed in two fuel element /assembly designs (see Section 2.4.1):
• the pebble bed design, using coated particles in a ball shaped graphite shell (German
experience);
• the prismatic graphite block design, which was used in the Fort St. Vrain high
temperature gas cooled reactor (US experience).
These two variants of fuel arrangements are still of current interest, each containing about
15000 particles. Both designs provide a high level of inherent safety, including strong
negative temperature coefficients on reactivity.
4.6.5.2. Fabrication of HTGR fuel
Powder agglomeration processes or wet-chemical processes (sol-gel) for the gelation of

droplets from a solution containing (thorium and) uranium could be used to produce the
kernels (coated particles). A process based on sol-gel microsphere pelletization has been
developed in Germany for fabrication of high density oxide pellets for HTGRs, at relatively
low compaction pressure and low sintering temperature, avoiding dust generation.
4.6.5.3. Future perspectives of HTGR fuel
The chances for HTGR fuel depend on the introduction of commercially used HTGRs.
Closest to this situation today is the South African concept of a pebble bed reactor. Other
countries, like China, are also interested in this development. As long as uranium is used as
oxide experience accumulated in Germany and in the USA could help to drive this
development to commercial maturity within the next decade.
Several R&D programmes are underway worldwide to establish fabrication processes of
HTGR fuel. In the Republic of Korea, as part of the development programme for the VHTR
(GEN IV), a TRISO type fuel is being investigated experimentally (e.g. kernel fabrication,
ZrC coating, irradiation tests) and analytically (e.g. computer codes, material database).
Another example is the French development programme of fuel for the GFR (Fig. 4.16). In
the USA, in the advanced test reactor (ATR) TRISO particle fuel with ZrC is also been
developed [93] and will be irradiated [94] as part of the advanced gas reactor development
programme.
169
4.6.6. Fuel for Magnox reactors
Presently, there is still the Magnox-type fuel (natural U metal) in commercial use, but only in
the UK. Since it is assumed that this fuel type will not be developed further, it is not discussed
in more detail here22.
4.6.7. Future advanced fuel designs
There are two fuel types with interesting potential for future technological applications in
thermal and/or fast reactors:
• Low strain resistant fuel (LSRF);
• Inert matrix fuel (IMF).
The two concepts are shortly discussed in the following two sections.
4.6.7.1. Low strain resistant fuel (LSRF)
Basically it is an old idea to mix additives to the UO2 to decrease creep resistance of UO2
pellet fuel and thus minimizing mechanical interaction between the fuel pellets and the
cladding tube during power ramping. However, in the past respective development effort in
various countries did not come up with attractive properties of pellets.
Recently, results from Russian development programmes show promising behaviour
data [95]. Under laboratory conditions, at different temperatures, the influence of various
additives, i.e. iron oxides, niobium, silicon, aluminium and their combinations, on creep
behaviour of UO2 was studied. The subsequent comparative analysis proved that the most
promising approach to decreasing strain resistance of UO2 pellets is to alloy uranium dioxide
with mullite (3Al2O32SiO2) and niobium oxide. This forms intergranular precipitates of low
shear resistance in the pellet. The phase and chemical analysis revealed that niobium oxide
forms a solid solution, while mullite is located along the grain boundaries.
The most important characteristics that govern the behaviour of claddings under stress, the
life-time parameters and state of a fuel rod in transients and accidents are properties of fuel
pellets determined in in-pile experiments: irradiation induced creep, swelling, densification.
In this Russian programme [95] specimens of modified UO2 (containing additives) were
investigated inpile. The mass contents of alloying elements were as follows:
Al-(0.1 to 0.13)%, Si-(0.06 to 0.075)%, Nb-(0.06 to 0.1)%. The irradiation of this fuel was
carried out in the IVV-2 reactor at a fission density of ~(1/5 to 1/7)/1013 fiss/cm3s to
determine its irradiation induced creep, densification, swelling and stresses suppressing
swelling.
From these Russian investigations it was concluded that based on the acquired data that the
use of modified uranium dioxide should significantly decrease the fuel-cladding mechanical
interaction.
4.6.7.2. Inert matrix fuel (IMF)
Since the end of the 1950s, many countries have studied the features of nuclear fuel with an
inert matrix. A good overview on this fuel concept is provided in Ref. [96]. The basic idea is
22
There maybe an interest again in the future due to the development of metal fuel for advanced fast
reactors.
170
to use composite fuel with fissile material dispersed in a metallic or ceramic matrix. Due to its
increased thermal conductivity this leads to significant reductions of temperatures in the fuel
during operation. As a consequence the fission gas release is strongly reduced, because the
release is strongly dependent on fuel temperature. In addition, these composite fuels include
the concept of a double barrier (matrix + cladding) to fission gas release outside of the fuel
rod.
IMF has two compositional options: homogeneous materials, which are solid solutions such
as oxide, nitride or metal (alloy), and heterogeneous materials, which are composites of
cercer, cermet or metmet. These materials may be used as cylindrical pellets, prismatic
designed blocks, or microspheres in the form of sphere packs or kernels.
In an IAEA Technical Committee Meeting held in Moscow in 1996 [97] an international
exchange of experience with this fuel concept was performed. In particular, the experience
from work in Argentina, France and the Russian Federation was presented and discussed. It
was shown that such so-called cold fuel might:
• Allow to raise the burnup to 100 MW·d/kgHM by using a Pu fraction instead of high 235U
enrichment.
• Increase the margin for reactor operation flexibility.
• Enhance safety margins in case of LOCA or RIA accidents.
It was clear at that time, that much further research and development work would be needed
to end up with commercially mature solutions.
A survey is available on the status of this development in the Russian Federation with regard
to LWR application. Since the 1990s, inert matrix fuel (IMF) with a once-through strategy
was adopted [98] considering the following properties:
• neutron properties, i.e. low absorption cross-section, optimal constant reactivity,
suitable Doppler coefficient;
• phase stability, chemical inertness and compatibility;
• acceptable thermo-physical properties, i.e. heat capacity, thermal conductivity;
• good behaviour under irradiation, i.e. phase stability, minimum swelling, retention of
fission products and residual actinides;
• in case of a once-through strategy, high insolubility of fission products. If instead a
multi-recycling strategy would be applied, good leaching properties for reprocessing are
required.
In the Russian programme a zirconium-based alloy was used as matrix material [99]. Fuel
particles as uranium dioxide microspheres with about 500-µm diameters are placed in the
matrix, and they take more than 70% of the whole volume.
Based on this Russian research, firstly, it is possible to rule out or, at least, to reduce
significantly the fuel rod plenum for gaseous fission products. Secondly, the probability for
fuel rods to loose their leak-tightness significantly decreases, and, therefore, the IMF rod can
be made as a bulk rod rather than a pellet column, which will result in enhanced rigidity and
geometric stability of the fuel. These features may improve the resistance against vibration of
the fuel assembly and thus improve the operating conditions of spacer grids.
Also matrix fuel elements may be operated in load-following modes reducing existing
limitations of number, speed and size of load cycles. Accident analyses performed for reactors
of WWER-1000 type with an inert matrix fuel core have shown that in case of LOCA the
maximum fuel temperature would not exceed 500°C, thus leading to significantly improved
cladding failure behaviour.
171
Experiments performed in Russian WWER-1000 reactors under power operation modes
reached a burnup of 60 MW·d/kgU, and all tested fuel elements retained tightness and
geometrical dimensions. Preliminary calculations and measurements show a burnup potential
of at least up to 120 MW·d/kgU.
Reprocessing technology of irradiated matrix fuel is less developed. Today, there are only
preliminary feasibility studies available for matrix elements treatment using thermal
gas-chemical processing in the open air at a temperature of 1000–1100°C during several
hours.
172
CHAPTER 5.
BACK END OF NFC
In the following sections the history, current status and perspectives of the back end of NFC is
laid out covering the areas of SNF management, reprocessing and recycling, and HLW
management including partitioning and transmutation.
5.1. Spent nuclear fuel management
With the growth of industrial deployment of nuclear energy spent nuclear fuel (SNF) has
become a subject of major consideration in the nuclear industry. SNF management is an
integral part of the nuclear fuel cycle. It includes the technical operations beginning with the
discharge of SNF from a power reactor and ending currently either:
• with the reprocessing of SNF and recycling of plutonium and uranium in new mixed
oxide fuel (closed cycle) and the final disposal of the (high level) waste resulting from
reprocessing, i.e. the fission products and also fissile material that is no longer recycled;
• with the direct disposal of the SNF elements (open, once-through cycle).
Intermediate and low level waste results from any type of fuel cycle, regardless if it is a
closed or an open cycle. For example, a typical 1000 MW(e) LWR produces about 200 to
350 m3 of low23 and intermediate24 level waste.
Another position is currently taken by a majority of countries, i.e. deferring the decision
between the above mentioned two options, which may be called a ‘wait and see’ strategy
with interim storage, which provides the ability to monitor the storage continuously and to
retrieve the SNF later for either reprocessing or direct disposal.
5.1.1. Worldwide arisings of spent nuclear fuel
In this context it has to be noted that the worldwide growth of generation of electric power
using nuclear energy is continuing. While the rate of growth has essentially levelled out in
Europe and North America, it has increased and is still increasing significantly in Asia. These
trends have impact on SNF management in the various regions. The worldwide SNF
production continues at about 10000 tHM/a.
The trend to higher fuel burnup potentially reduces this amount. However, this requires higher
enrichment of the fresh fuel, and the use of plutonium in mixed oxide fuel, which leads to
other SNF characteristics (i.e. a higher decay heat decreasing more slowly over time). This
requires a longer interim storage period (before final disposal) than for the present SNF with
burnup lower than 40 GW·d/t.
In many countries, the lack of final repositories and the deferral of the decision will lead
automatically to long storage periods even of uncertain duration. The lifetime of existing
storage facilities will have to be extended and new facilities for long term storage have to be
built.
23
Low level waste (LLW) consists of tools, clothing, filters, etc., with small amounts of short lived
radioactivity. Most of it is suitable for shallow land burial.
24
Intermediate level waste (ILW) contains higher amount of radioactivity and may require shielding. It
consists of resins, chemical sludges, contaminated materials, etc. It is solidified in concrete or bitumen for
disposal.
173
About 35% of the SNF arising came from each of the two regions West Europe and North and
South America and 15% of each of the two regions East Europe and Asia and Africa [100].
Figure 5.1 shows the past and projected regional SNF arisings in t·U/a.
FIG. 5.1. Annual spent nuclear fuel arising in world regions.

End of 2005 [5], the total amount of SNF accumulated worldwide was about 276000 tHM.
About 30% of this fuel was reprocessed. The remaining SNF is stored in at reactor (AR) pools
and away from reactor (AFR) wet and dry storage facilities.
In Figure 5.2 it can be seen that the fraction of SNF being stored relative to the fraction to be
reprocessed is expected to increase.
FIG. 5.2. World spent nuclear fuel arising and amount of spent nuclear fuel reprocessed and
stored [5].
Projections indicate that the cumulative amount generated in the world by the year 2020 may
surpass 440000 tHM of which about 320000 will be in storage. Of this total amount in 2020,
the amount in western Europe will remain about the same (because of reprocessing SNF) and
will be around four-fold in Asia and Africa.
On a regional basis, the picture looks different. About 50% is stored in North and South
America (because there is no reprocessing), 25% in West Europe and the remaining part in
East Europe and Asia and Africa.
Table 5.1 provides an overview on the capacity of national facilities for storage of spent
nuclear fuel (SNF).
174
TABLE 5.1. CAPACITY OF NATIONAL STORAGE FACILITIES OF SNF AT REACTOR
SITE (AR) AND AWAY FROM REACTOR SITE (AFR) (STATUS 2004, REFS [5] AND
[49])
Country SNF storage (tHM) Country SNF storage (tHM)

Argentina 6500 Armenia 88
Belgium 2000 Brazil 318
Bulgaria 1156 Canada 35271
China 420 Czech Republic 936
Finland 2115 France 25762
Germany 14920 Hungary 500
India 3515 Japan 11521
Kazakhstan 30 Republic of Korea 8738
Lithuania 2101 Mexico 984
Netherlands 86 Pakistan 160
Romania 940 Russian Federation 20928
Slovakia 1050 Slovenia 361
South Africa 670 Spain 3820
Sweden 6500 Switzerland 904
Ukraine 5150 UK 12000
USA 62000
Generally speaking, many countries with a small nuclear power programme or only research
reactors will soon face serious problems of needing extended interim storage and disposal of
their SNF. However, the high specific costs for the construction of away from reactor
extended interim storage facilities and/or geological repositories in such countries is
obviously not reasonable and, therefore, from an economical point of view, access to a
regional/multinational interim storage facility and/or repository for their fuel will become
more and more interesting. Safety, safeguarding and economic advantages clearly support the
deployment of regional/multinational SNF storage facilities. However, there are still various
problems to be solved as to find operators of such facilities with governmental support and to
convince countries with proliferation concerns to participate.
5.1.2. National strategies for management of spent nuclear fuel
As already shortly outlined in Chapter 3.2.1, presently, SNF management is totally a national
task and effort everywhere in the nuclear world.
Countries like Canada, Sweden, Finland and the USA 25 decided to retain their plutonium
in the SNF and are planning to put their fuel in long term interim storage followed by
final disposal in deep geological formations.
At least, part of the fuel was reprocessed in the past from countries like Belgium, Germany,
and the Netherlands. France, India, Japan, the Russian Federation, Switzerland and the
UK continue to reprocess part of their SNF. Countries with smaller nuclear programmes
are currently deferring their decision on which of the strategies to select and are storing their
fuel.
25
The USA is currently reconsidering their strategy regarding SNF (see Section 2.6.2, GNEP).
175
Generally, there is international agreement to finally dispose of HLW (SNF or waste from
reprocessing) in deep geological repositories with stable structures, e.g. granite, crystalline
rock, clay, salt, etc. However, it has to be noted that to date there is no practical urgent need
for final HLW deep geological depositories, as surface storage of SNF for 40 to 50 years
reduces heat and radioactivity of SNF by a factor of about 1000 which makes handling and
storage much easier.
Thus, currently, intermediate or interim (long term) storage of HLW is being practiced in all
nuclear countries as outlined in the following section.
5.1.3. Interim storage of spent nuclear fuel
The length and method of interim storage has been a topic of many discussions within the
utility industry, with regulatory bodies and with international organizations like the IAEA
because of economic, licensing and societal issues. Also, an increasing number of countries
consider SNF as a valuable energy resource that should be maintained for the future. Thus,
also the aspects of sustainability became part of the discussions.
In several countries, storage facilities have been initially licensed to operate for periods up to
50 years. More and more periods up to 100 years or longer are now under consideration. And
finally, delays in decisions on final disposal options have increased the demand for SNF
storage capacity and this trend is expected to continue.
Historically one did distinguish between storage of SNF at the site of the NPP
(at reactor - AR) and storage in special facilities away from the NPPs
(away from reactor-AFR). Originally the AR storage just was buffer storage for the power
plant for better disposition of SNF. In the meanwhile, often it had to be used to supplement
not available or not sufficiently available AFR storage. In some countries, like in Germany, it
became official policy of the political administration to force the utility to build long term
intermediate storage capacity on-site.
An intermediate storage is always necessary before SNF can be either sent to reprocessing
(closed fuel cycle) or to processing for direct final disposal (open fuel cycle). As stated above,
this intermediate storage is necessary to get time for cooling of the SNF. However, due to the
delay of final depository solutions practically everywhere in the world, nowadays long term
intermediate storage de facto is replacing the not yet available final depositories.
Today there are two technologies in use for intermediate storage:
• wet storage, where the SNF is disposed in pools containing circulating water for
cooling;
• dry storage, where the cooling of the SNF is provided by ventilation or natural
convection.
An increasing use of higher enrichment is accompanied with higher burnup, and also the use
of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel results in higher decay heat levels from these fuels. Therefore,
wet storage will remain the preferred approach for interim storage during the first decade after
discharge. After sufficient decay of fission products and, especially, where long term storage
is foreseen (up to and beyond 100 years in some Member States) dry storage under inert
conditions or in air becomes the preferred option.
Short term wet storage has become a classical technology that does not need any further
discussion. Long term wet storage is not further discussed here due to its low future
perspectives. However, more details on the technical situation in this area is available in an
IAEA evaluation [101]. The trend unambiguously goes to dry storage everywhere in the
world.
176
Technically the increasing storage times request answers to three questions:
• What will be the behaviour of the SNF over the full time of storage?
• What will be the behaviour of the (wet or dry) storage facilities, including necessary
maintenance, surveillance, etc.?
• How can the regulatory concerns be addressed for storage times of fifty to hundred
years, and sometimes even more (France)?
Thus, the prediction of the integrity and retrievability of SNF are the main discussion topics
for SNF behaviour regardless of the storage system and time period envisaged.
In order to be able to assess the long term integrity of the SNF the mechanisms that might
degrade the fuel and fuel structure have to be known. Cask storage, in comparison to all other
storage techniques, presents the greatest challenge to long term fuel cladding performance, as
a result of the high initial operating temperatures during the early years of storage. Since the
wet storage will more and more disappear in the future, all considerations focus on the SNF
behaviour under dry storage conditions.
An IAEA coordinated research programme performed on the long term SNF storage from
1994 to 1997, and subsequent evaluations of this programme [101] came to the following
conclusions:
• The creep strain capability has to be known for all materials used. Creep tests should be
done under realistic conditions (irradiation, oxidation, hydrogen, local effects, etc.) to
assess the straining capability.
• A representative creep law is needed. Dependent on the margins, irradiated or
non-irradiated material can be used.
Following these conclusions it was recommended in Ref. [101]: "To assess the long term
effects, for example the interaction of different materials and low temperature gas release, an
international surveillance program on the spent fuel behavior under dry storage conditions is
proposed. This program should monitor long term behavior to assure that no unexpected
phenomena occur and to verify the predicted behavior."
In the above mentioned IAEA evaluation [101] it became clear that in case of long term
(interim) storage for periods up to 100 years and beyond the scientific, technical and
regulatory communities have to extrapolate existing views and practices to safely operate and
control the nuclear energy cycle.
Since this long term storage is also not deployed to replace the final deposition, the storage
concept has to provide the capability to safely re-handle the SNF at any point in time after
initial storage. This leads to the following requirements on any long term storage system:
• Enough relevant technical knowledge must be secured throughout the period of time
envisaged for the operation.
• Answers have to be found how to maintain this know-how.
• Funding will also have to be secured.
• Sufficient general industrial infrastructure must be kept operational, i.e. relevant data
and information describing the storage system, including SNF packages stored in it,
must be kept in a secured way, to be readable and usable much later.
With these considerations the following key design principles have to be observed:
• The destination of SNF at the end of the storage period (options should be unknowingly
foreclosed: geological disposal, reprocessing, others) should be known, if possible, and
considered in the storage system design.
177
• Retrievability is a key function for long term storage and a safety goal.
• The storage design must incorporate a certain degree of flexibility to adapt to future
needs and conditions.
• Safeguarding the storage facility for long periods of time is a prerequisite.
• Total cost to construct and operate the facility must be affordable now and in the future.
• The operating system must make use of as many passive components as practicable
during the storage phase.
• Maintenance needs have to be evaluated and considered at the design stage.
• The overall environmental assessment must lead to a prediction of cumulative impacts
over time, which meet or exceed current standards and complies with the ALARA
principle.
• The long term storage facility should be publicly acceptable.
In Table 5.2 long term storage conditions and the present status of knowledge is compiled
based on the above-mentioned IAEA evaluation [101].
TABLE 5.2. STORAGE CONDITIONS
Item Known Partly known Unknown

Safety case x
Duration x
Heat removal x
Temperatures x
Monitoring x
Radiation protection x
Horizontal or vertical storage x
System type (cask, silo, vault) x
Indoors or outdoors x
Handling systems x
Modelling measurement x
Contingency accident/incident x
Export/import facility x
Inspection/repack x
Size configuration x
Contingency measures x
Decommissioning + activation of mat. x
Waste arising + costs x
Programme-endpoints-review-decision x
point
It can be concluded that the today envisaged long term interim storage schedules create
substantial technical problems, as well as regulatory concerns, to be solved in not to far a
future.
5.2. Reprocessing and recycling
5.2.1. Introduction
There is a considerably broad technical experience available from commercially reprocessing

U/Pu oxide fuel since several decades. But, there is limited experience with the recycling of
other fuel types, mostly metallic U/Pu fuel, and limited access to this experience. The
178
available experience confirms the technical and economical feasibility of large scale
reprocessing of U/Pu oxide fuel, and proves the technical feasibility of reprocessing some
other fuel types, in particular metallic U/Pu fuel.
However, this experience also shows that reprocessing is one of the most sensitive steps of the
whole fuel cycle with regard to:
• proliferation resistance;
• protection of people and environment (against chemical and radiation hazards).
These concerns are among the reasons why large scale commercial reprocessing is performed
only in very few countries, like in France and in the UK, and reprocessing is performed there
for many other countries. And there are a lot of debates on these concerns inside and outside
of these two countries [102]. The technical reasons for these concerns are the very high
amount of fissile and of radioactive materials to be handled and the risk of criticality in a
sequence of thermo-chemical processes.
Therefore, any discussion on the present status and the future perspectives of this technology
has to be performed considering the above-mentioned concerns.
On the other hand, this technology is key for a substantial progress of the NFC towards
improved economics, saving of raw material recourses, and strengthening proliferation
resistance.
A good overview on the status and trends in SNF reprocessing is provided in Ref. [103].
The worldwide capacity of reprocessing amounts to about 5600 tHM/a and represents a
cumulative experience of about 80000 tHM processed during over 50 years.
Table 5.3 provides an overview on national capacities of reprocessing.
TABLE 5.3. CAPACITY OF NATIONAL REPROCESSING FACILITIES (REFS [5, 49])
Country Location Capacity (tHM/a) First operation

China Lanzhou 100 >2010
France La Hague 1700 1967
India Kalpakkam 160 1998
Tarapur 100 1974
Japan Rokkasho 800 2007
Russian Federation Mayak 400 1977
UK Sellafield 2400 1967
5.2.2. Reprocessing technologies
Currently, the U/Pu oxide fuels used worldwide in thermal power reactor systems today are
commercially reprocessed by aqueous techniques; these systems, using primarily the PUREX
(Plutonium and Uranium Recovery by Extraction) process, are fully developed and deployed
commercially for full fissile (plutonium) recycling. The PUREX process is the most
commonly used aqueous method to separate U and Pu from SNF containing natural, low or
high enriched uranium, and is the reference process for LWR/UO2 and LWR/MOX
reprocessing.
The main disadvantage of the PUREX process is the generation of pure plutonium and its
disability to separate individual minor actinides (MA e.g. neptunium, curium, and americium)
and specific long living fission products (e.g. 137Cs, 90Sr, 99Tc, 14C, 129I).
179
Thus, during the last decades substantial R&D has been performed to recover minor actinides
(and fission products) in advanced aqueous processing schemes; examples of such processes
based on PUREX are COEX (France), NUEX (UK), THOREX (India), NEXT (Japan), and
REPA (Russian Federation).
The European research programmes are also directed to different options in the PUREX
process to achieve the partitioning of MA:
• the PUREX process adapted for Np recovery;
• the European Extended PUREX process for MA recovery with its three alternative
approaches.
In France also an advanced SNF separation process called GANEX [104] is under
development (Fig. 5.3).
FIG. 5.3. French development of spent nuclear fuel separation processes.

GANEX is called a homogeneous recycling process. Its first demonstration is planned for
2008 in the ATLANTE facility [105].
In Japan, different institutions are studying several alternative techniques. The (JAEA) PARC
process [106] for LWR fuel cycle including RMWR is an advanced PUREX process having
partitioning functions of MAs and long lived fission products (LLFP, such as 14C, 129I, and
99
Tc) as shown in Figure 5.4 (Refs [103, 107]). JAEA also has been developing the Four
Group Partitioning Process for recovery of MA and selected fission products (137Cs, 90Sr, 99Tc
and Pt) from HLW [108]. JNC has been developing an Advanced Aqueous Process (NEXT
Process) for recovery of MA for a FR fuel cycle [109]. To minimize the ecological burdens a
new R&D strategy, called advanced optimization by recycling instructive elements
(Adv.-ORIENT) was initiated recently [110]. It aims at separating MA, lanthanides and most
of the long lived fission products to be transmuted afterwards.
180
FIG. 5.4. JAEA PARC process for recovery of MAs and long lived fission products.
In the USA, within the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI, see also Section 3.4.4)
programme, the UREX process (Fig. 5.5) has been developed which can reduce the volume of
high level waste volume by removing uranium, TRU and high heat generating fission
products [111].
These advanced processes (Fig. 5.6) all allow selected extraction of various MA and specific
LLFP from solutions of dissolved SNF, but also represent attempts to advance the PUREX
standard to improve economics of reprocessing and provide reductions in secondary waste
streams.
181
FIG. 5.5. US concept of spent nuclear fuel treatment (IAEA TWG NFCO 2006).
Tc I Np Cm
○CEA PROCESS DIAMEX/

DIAMEX/
SF PUREX
PUREX SESAME Am
　(FRANCE SPIN) SANEX
U Pu CALIXCROWN FPｓ
　Cs
U
Np,Tc
SEPARATION
　Np/Tc　
○ PARC　PROCESS
　U,Pu
U,Pu,Np TODGA BTP

SF Am,C m
EXTRAC TION ADSORTION ADSORPTION
（JAPAN　LWR－RMWR)
FPs Ln
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Am, C m
○ NEXT　PROCESS U　CRISTAL
- U/P　Pu　/
u/Np　　Np DTPA
DTPA
SF SETFICS
IZATION EXTRAC TION
　U/
　（JAPAN　FS－FBR）
U U/P u/Np FPs Ln
Tc
Am, C m
UREX Pu
Pu/Np
/ Np Cs/　Cs/
SrS r DIAMEX/
SF
○UREX　PROCESS
　　（USA　AFCI） EXTRAC TION EXTRAC TION SANEX
U Pu, Np Sr, Cs FPs
FIG. 5.6. Advanced PUREX processes with MA and LLFP separation functions.
In India, the reprocessing of SNF (U/Pu carbide) from the fast breeder test reactor (FBTR) has
been successfully demonstrated in the compact reprocessing facility for advanced fuels in lead
shielded cell (CORAL, Ref. [112]).
182
5.2.3. Russian approach of reprocessing and recycling plutonium from spent fuel and
weapon material
The Russian Federation has an experience of reprocessing both reactor grade and weapon
grade plutonium with producing some 1 tonne of mixed fuel (410 kg of weapon grade
plutonium) (Refs [113, 114]).
The radiochemical plant RT-1 (Plant 235) of PA Mayak, was built on the site of the first
military plutonium separation facility (Plant B) and brought into operation in 1976. Its first
processing line was designed to reprocess HEU uranium–aluminum fuels of naval reactors. In
1978, the plant began reprocessing fuel of WWER-440 reactors. At the RT-1 plant power
grade plutonium is separated as dioxide (based on Russian technology) and currently some
30 tonnes of power grade plutonium dioxide have been accumulated.
At present, the RT-1 plant processes fuels of WWER-440, BN-350/600, naval HEU fuel, and
fuel of research reactors. The plant has three chopping-dissolution processing lines:
• The WWER-440 line has a name-plate capacity of 400 tHM/a and a historic average
throughput of 200 tHM/a. But recently, the line has been operating at 25–30% of its
capacity.
• The naval reactor line processes HEU uranium-aluminum fuels of naval reactors. The
line’s potential capacity is approximately 10 tHM/a (20–30 reactor cores per year).
• The HEU-fuel line processes irradiated 90% enriched spike rods of the remaining
plutonium production reactors and driver fuel of the Mayak’s tritium production
reactors.
In addition to the WWER-SNF, the RT-1 plant is capable of reprocessing MOX fuel of light
water reactors and fuel of fast reactors producing mixed oxides based on the Granat
technology (see Section 4.6.4.1).
Based on the existing projections, in the Russian Federation full scale use of plutonium is
planned after 2030. By that time, it is planned to convert the excessive weapon grade
plutonium and the spent fuel standard into a mixed U–Pu fuel for a closed fuel cycle.
5.2.4. French approach of plutonium recycling in PWR
It is assumed that light water reactors will dominate the production of electricity by nuclear
systems during most of the current century. For this period, the development of fast reactors
needs a flexible and economically acceptable plutonium management scheme.
In the following paragraphs the results of a French study [115] on Pu management are laid
out shortly.
The first generation of French reactors (900 MW(e)), initially licensed to use enriched UO2
fuel, was slightly adapted to accept plutonium fuel. For more efficient use of plutonium in
PWRs several fuel concepts have been examined. The objective of these innovative fuel
concepts is to facilitate core management in a Pu multi-recycling strategy and to increase fuel
burnup performances, keeping safety margins the same as for current UO2-fuelled PWRs.
The fuel concepts considered were APA26, based on the use of inert matrices, and CORAIL27
and MOX UE28, using MOX. The MOX UE concept uses a homogeneous mixture of oxides
26
Advanced Plutonium Assembly.
27
Heterogeneous assembly using MOX and UOX fuel rods.
28
Homogeneous assembly using MOX with LEU fuel rods.
183
(UO2 and PuO2) in each fuel rod. The CORAIL concept uses a heterogeneous arrangement of
UO2 rods and MOX rods, and the APA concept uses a heterogeneous arrangement of UO2
rods and rods with PuO2 in an inert matrix.
A comparative analysis of these fuel concepts was performed based on a tentative set of
criteria and the impact of the introduction in the reactor park of each type of fuel.
The range of advanced assembly concepts shows that, from the reactor core physics aspect,
solutions for multi-recycling of plutonium in PWRs should be possible. The available options
start from a concentration of Pu in a small number of rods (APA, CORAIL), with or without
recourse to an inert matrix, to total dispersion of Pu throughout the assembly (MOX EUS),
with various consequences on manufacturing, Pu consumption and minor actinide
production.
These fuel concepts were assessed in a simplified nuclear fleet scenario starting from the
current situation up to a pseudo steady state in the future.
Assuming a nuclear park with 60 GW(e) producing 400 TW·h per year, Figures 5.7 and 5.8
show the evolution of the Pu inventory in the cycle (reactors and facilities) for the following
PWR scenarios: open cycle, Pu once-through cycling, and Pu multi-recycling. In 2050, the
open cycle has accumulated about 630 tonnes of Pu, and mono-recycling about 520 tonnes.
For multiple recycling the Pu inventory varies between 230 tonnes (APA and MIX) and
380 tonnes according to the fuel assembly concept selected.
180
160
Number per year (x 10-3)
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
MOXUE CORAIL DUPLEX APA
FIG. 5.7. MOX or Pu fuel rod fabrication needs.

For all this fuel concepts, studies have been performed in order to make a decision
concerning their feasibility. All of these solutions require technological validation
(manufacturing, behaviour under irradiation, etc.) before a decision can be made concerning
their technical and economic feasibility.
184
1200
1000
800
tons Open
CORAIL
APA
600
Mono-MOX
HTR
MOX UE
400
200
0
2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2090 2100 2110
years
FIG. 5.8. Pu inventory (tonnes) in a nuclear park of 400 TW·h/a.

It is expected that MOX-based fuels could be ready for deployment in France by 2015 and
inert matrix fuels by 2025.
Multiple recycle of Pu in PWR could enhance nuclear power by appreciably increasing the
energy available from uranium resources. It could also reduce the burden of the high level
waste to be disposed.
5.2.5. European approach of plutonium recycling in HTR
The technical, economic and social environment surrounding the fuel cycle may undergo
profound changes in the coming decades, for example due to the increasing scarcity of
uranium, significant improvements in manufacturing and reprocessing/recycling processes,
and even increasingly stringent social requirements with respect to plutonium management
and, in particular, waste management. Under such conditions, reactors like HTRs, which are
capable of adapting to this kind of change more easily, would offer certain advantages in
comparison with other reactor types.
With regard to material inventories, analyses show that an HTR core does not intrinsically
burn uranium better than a PWR core (in fact, an HTR core performs only slightly better in
this respect). Due to their better efficiency, however, HTRs consume less natural uranium
than a PWR in an open cycle given identical electricity production (savings of 20 to 30%).
This advantage of HTRs is reflected in all material inventories. This is why, with HTRs,
which exhibit conversion factors comparable to those of PWRs, the quantities of plutonium
unloaded — given identical electricity production — are significantly lower (by several tens
of percent) due to the gain in electrical efficiency, but also due to the high burnups which can
be reached. Moreover, HTRs prove to be excellent consumers of plutonium, in particular
thanks to the possibility of designing plutonium-only cores (the maximum theoretical
consumption of 100 kg/TW·he is reached in an HTR with a plutonium-only core operating at
44% efficiency).
185
As has been demonstrated, the use of thorium ultimately offers little benefit with respect to
natural uranium requirements, considering open cycle only (this applies to all reactor types,
however). In addition, the use of thorium raises the question of the choice of fissile material
to be combined with it, the possibilities being highly enriched uranium (a problem in terms of
proliferation), uranium enriched to 20% (possible benefit in terms of LEU cycle) and
plutonium (possible benefit in relation to Pu-only cycle). In a closed cycle, however, the use
of thorium (with recycling of the 233U produced) offers considerable potential for savings in
natural uranium of up to a factor of 2 or 3, or even more. Moreover, the benefit of using
thorium in HTRs needs to be investigated in detail with respect to the waste produced, and in
particular minor actinides.
In light of the above, and in response to the problem of choosing the right fuel cycle options
for HTRs, the low enriched uranium cycle clearly emerges as the most credible option for the
first stage of development of HTRs.
Nevertheless, the use of HTRs as plutonium consuming cores appears an attractive option,
and therefore, merits a more in-depth investigation, with R&D work on the fuel if necessary.
The development of plutonium fuel should not encounter any major technological obstacles,
given the results of R&D work already carried out on such fuel in the past. In the longer term
(over the next few decades), assuming the likely hypothesis of progressive exhaustion of
exploitable reserves of natural uranium, thorium could become an attractive resource in
closed cycles. In addition, as has been seen, thorium-based cycles may prove beneficial in
terms of the associated radioactive waste (significantly smaller quantities of minor actinides
than with uranium–plutonium cycles). It would therefore be useful to conduct preliminary
studies on this issue, bearing in mind nevertheless that, in technological terms, the industrial
development of such cycles would necessitate considerable R&D effort (in relation to
manufacturing technique and reprocessing/recycling processes).
The fact remains, however, that the results presented above are not only old but also
incomplete, due to loss of know-how over time and difficulties in locating all related
documentation. In addition, the results relate only to large power reactors (around
1000 MW(e) or more), whereas current considerations for HTR encompass only small-size
modular reactors (100–300 MW(e)), which may additionally exhibit different core geometries
(for example the annular core of the GT-MHR). This should not alter the principal trends
identified here, but could significantly affect certain figures used as a basis for this analysis.
In summary, it is clear that a considerable amount of work still needs to be done toward a
detailed study of the different fuel cycles for HTRs, even if only the cycles deemed to be
potentially beneficial are considered.
Theoretical Pu consumption in reactors
Assuming a fission energy of 200 MeV (1 ev = 1.6 10-19J), it can easily be calculated that
complete fission of 1 kg of 239Pu releases the following quantity of energy: 2.24 10-2 TW·h
thermal, equivalent to approximately 44 kg/TW·h thermal.
The possible maximum theoretical plutonium consumption levels are given in Table 5.4 as a
function of the electrical efficiency of the reactors considered:
TABLE 5.4. PLUTONIUM CONSUMPTION LEVEL
Electrical efficiency Reactor type Maximum theoretical plutonium consumption

in kg/TW·he
33% PWR 133
40% FBR 110
47% HTR 94
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5.2.6. Experimental reprocessing technologies
Non-aqueous processing methods

Since the early days of the nuclear industry, various pyrochemical processes have been
investigated to separate actinides from SNF. Pyrochemical separations often rely on
electro-refining or electro-winning techniques, in which fuel is preferentially separated or
electrolytically dissolved from cladding into molten salts, and then recovered on some type of
electrode.
Studies and tests on pyrochemical recycle techniques are currently performed throughout the
world; mainly in France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation (RIAR) and
the USA (ANL, [141]). In the past, in the USA the focus of this work was on the application
of pyrochemical processing to recycle fast reactor metal fuel (e.g. around 3 tonnes of EBR-II
driver and blanket fuel has been reprocessed at INL, USA) and to incorporate spent LWR fuel
as feed material into the fast reactor fuel cycle. Programmes in the Russian Federation have
applied pyrochemical techniques to the preparation and recycle of oxide fuel for fast reactor
application. Programmes in Japan are broader, addressing recycle of metal, nitride, and oxide
fuels and the incorporation of spent LWR fuel as feed material into the fuel cycles.
Alternative non-aqueous processes currently under consideration to be applied in SNF
processing include volatility and reductive extraction processes, such as chloride volatility
and fluoride volatility. Such processes can be helpful in the processing of complex fuel types,
including inert matrix fuels. Reductive extraction processes investigate replacement reactions
to separate certain fission products and actinides. Molten metal/molten salt systems are used
for the application of reductive extraction processes.
One example is the Japanese fluoride volatility process (FLUOREX, Fig. 5.9) that was
developed to reprocess PWR spent fuel efficiently [116]. In this process, most of uranium
from SNF is removed first before purification of the mixture of plutonium and residual
uranium by solvent extraction from the fission products. This process is being developed to
recycle metal fuel of future fast reactors [117].
FIG. 5.9. Typical flow of FLUOREX reprocessing in Japan.
187
In France, experiments have shown that fluoride melts are superior to chloride melts for
selective separation of An/Ln.
During the 1990s, new concepts for the transmutation of fission products and the associated
fuel cycles came up. Most of the variants considered require multiple recycling of targets or
fuel to obtain high transmutation rates and thus a sufficient reduction in the radiotoxicity. The
far future options, such as dedicated fuel cycles and transmutation in molten salt reactors
provide further perspectives for the exploration of these processes. This is obvious in the case
of molten salt reactors, for which pyrochemical techniques are the natural, and perhaps the
only, possible reprocessing solution.
Processes for coated particle fuels
Already some decades ago coated particle fuel reprocessing was investigated in Germany and
the United States of America because this fuel type was used in the HTRs of that time. This
fuel contained highly enriched uranium (HEU) and thorium as mixed oxides/carbides or with
separate fuel and breeding particles embedded in the fuel matrix. The extracted uranium
contains mainly 233U, with other radioactive U isotopes requiring remote fabrication of new
fuel from this resource.
The main steps of HTR fuel reprocessing are:
• head-end separation of graphite and fuel kernel;
• chemical separation of the different mass streams;
• back end purification of products;
• re-conversion of regenerated fissile materials.
The development programme in Germany included the operation of a pilot plant that
processed more than 10000 unirradiated fuel pebbles of different types (HEU-BISO,
HEU-TRISO, LEU-TRISO, graphite balls) showing a very reliable operation and effective
performance. However, work with irradiated materials was not started because the back end
strategy for the HTR was changed to direct disposal instead of reprocessing. As already
mentioned in the Section 2.4.1, the whole HTR development in Germany was stopped
in 1988.
In Japan, JAEA started construction of the HTTR (high temperature engineering test reactor),
which is a high temperature gas cooled reactor employing the TRISO coated-particle type fuel
system, and its first criticality was attained in November 1998. JAEA has considered several
back end options for the HTR fuel, including the possibility of reprocessing. Reprocessing
process for the HTR was studied during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some head-end
reprocessing techniques were investigated for applying the conventional PUREX process to
the HTR fuel. JAEA demonstrated the feasibility of the graphited-CO2 reaction and jet grind
methods as head-end reprocessing techniques by bench scale experiments.
5.2.7. Future reprocessing perspectives
Aqueous processes have a high potential for the future to reprocess SNF from commercial
LWRs, including the separation of minor actinides (MAs). This was demonstrated by
extensive research, especially in Europe and Japan. The major technical drawbacks of this
technique are:
• the limited solubility of advanced fuel forms;
• the limited stability of the organic extraction molecules in high radiation fields.
188
As already mentioned above, there is also a reasonable potential for the application of
aqueous processes (THOREX-type) for future commercial use in new HTRs and also in other
advanced systems like the advanced heavy water reactor (AHWR) considered in the three
stages Indian nuclear power programme (Fig. 2.13 in Section 2.3.5) [18].
Pyrochemical techniques, up to now developed only at a laboratory scale or pilot scale, show
an interesting potential for reprocessing of advanced fuels due to their good compatibility
with most fuel forms and their high radiation resistance. In addition, the increased
proliferation resistance and the compactness of the technique are important advantages.
However, the feasibility of the recovery of minor actinides still needs to be investigated.
Electro-refining is considered to be the most promising pyrochemical method, and it is being
investigated worldwide, especially in the USA, Japan, the Republic of Korea (Fig. 5.10), and
the Russian Federation.
Aqueous and pyrochemical recycle techniques should be considered as complementary
technologies. For example aqueous processes might be used to recycle the first LWR cycle,
including the MA. In a second step, the fast breeder or burner reactor could rely on dry
recycle techniques.
FIG. 5.10. Korean development of pyroprocessing technology (IAEA TWGNFCO 2006)

(ACP = Advanced conditioning process).
Recycling of reprocessed uranium (RepU) has been used in the past and is currently used in
several countries (Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands, the Russian
Federation, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK). However, RepU contributes only about
2000 tonnes U to a total market of 65000 t·U per annum; it could become an interesting
technology in the future depending primarily on the price of natural uranium [50]. It would
reduce the radiotoxicity and the volume of waste, and increase available fertile and fissile
189
resources; but it has also some disadvantages, e.g. limitation of burnup, and increased decay
heat.
5.2.8. Transportation of nuclear material during recycling
Plutonium and MOX fuel have been safely transported for about 40 years, mainly by trains
or trucks, but also by ships and airplanes.
Shipments of plutonium and MOX have to fulfil the highest physical safety and security
requirements. All packages and transport operations must comply with the applicable national
and international transport safety laws and regulations which are practically all based on the
transport safety regulations recommended by the IAEA.
Physical protection requirements are provided in the IAEA document [118] and are further
detailed in national regulations and guidelines which are classified ‘restricted’.
For MOX shipments a large number of technical and administrative requirements have to be
fulfilled. In addition, for maritime transports, the INF Code (Code for the Safe Carriage of
Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High Level Wastes in Flasks on board of Ships) is
typically applied to all transports covered by this voluntary code. The International Maritime
Organization (IMO) is currently taking the necessary steps to make the IAEA requirements
[118] mandatory under the provisions of the Safety of Life at Sea Convention.
PuO2 powder is filled in cans containing about 3 kg plutonium dioxide. According to an
IAEA document [119], PuO2 and MOX fuel must be packaged in accident resistant Type B
containers, which also take into consideration the fissile characteristics of the contents.
BNFL, COGEMA and others have developed packages for PuO2 powder transport. The
BNFL 1680 and the COGEMA FS47 packages permit the shipment of large quantities of
plutonium oxide in powder form. Similarly, packages designed for one or more MOX fuel
assemblies have been produced and are currently in use.
Plutonium transport packaging calls for diverse packaging types suitable for its many forms,
ranging from powder to complete MOX fuel assemblies for LWRs and FRs. Each type of
package and design must satisfy the complete set of regulatory design and performance
requirements. Although the material may be in very different forms the containment
performance requirements for the packaging are the same. All packages for PuO2 and MOX
transportation which contain Category I quantities of plutonium must be designed to meet the
Type B criteria. That means they are safe under both normal and accident conditions of
transport. Additionally, their designs must be approved to account for the fissile nature of the
contents.
For the transport of fresh fuel assemblies it is particularly important to ensure that the fuel is
not subjected to any unacceptable shock loads or vibration. Continuous recording of vibration
and shock loads are taken using special equipment such as recording accelerometers.
Additionally, for road transport, special security trucks are typically used. Irradiated MOX
fuel moved from NPPs to reprocessing facilities is transported in Type B(U)F packages which
are heavily shielded and which may be co-loaded with uranium fuel due to residual heat and
neutron radiation considerations.
It can be stated that today the transportation of all kinds of fuel material used during recycling
is technically and legally proven and mature. There have never been accidents of concern in
this field and there is no need for special developments for the near future. Nevertheless, a
continuous adjustment to the general development of transportation technologies and the
relevant national and international laws has to be performed. With the development of new
190
types of fuel in particular the packaging technologies have to be revised to fulfil the specific
requirements for those new fuel types.
5.3. Final disposal of nuclear waste
5.3.1. General aspects
There is no step of the whole NFC that is more under the pressure caused by politics and
public debates than the final disposal of high level waste (SNF and process waste from
reprocessing).
Regardless which options of back end fuel cycle have been chosen — once-through or
reprocessing/recycling — there remains a challenge in the final disposal of SNF and/or
radioactive waste. Some countries are working since decades on respective national repository
programmes to dispose of the SNF and radioactive wastes in geologic repositories. Here, the
real challenge is how to engage the public and stakeholders for their acceptance of the high
level wastes management programme including a geologic repository, on a national basis, as
well as on a cooperative regional or international arrangement.
Some years ago the IAEA released a document [120] providing a generic approach to
radioactive waste management, identifying potential final disposal options for various waste
categories. Thus, geological disposal is required for the most active high level waste (HLW),
spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and long lived low and intermediate radioactive waste (LILW), with
radionuclides that may take tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of years to decay to
acceptably low levels. Near surface disposal is an option suitable for short lived LILW that
contains mainly radionuclides, which decay to radiologically insignificant levels within a few
decades or centuries. LILW that contains limited concentrations of long lived radionuclides
may also be suitable for near surface disposal.
A survey on the national and international situation with respect to final disposal of nuclear
waste recently was provided on an international conference, organized by the IAEA in
cooperation with the EC and the OECD/NEA [121]. This review focused on HLW and long
lived LILW that needs far from surface disposal; another review discusses LILW that can be
disposed in near surface facilities [122].
At the above-mentioned conference on the one side the progress was noted to establish
geological repositories for SNF and HLW, in particular in Finland and in the USA. This also
raised the issue that time has come for the IAEA to clarify the requirements for safeguarding
of such repositories.
On the other side, it was realized that long term (interim) surface storage is becoming a reality
in many countries, due to various reasons, including delays in final repository programmes,
lack of resources, lack of public or political acceptance and finally also due to uncertainties if
SNF should be considered as waste or as a future resource. It was clearly stated that, in the
long term, surface storage is not a sustainable solution. Finally, the problem of bringing
disused sealed sources under regulatory control was considered [123].
Several countries reprocess their SNF (Section 5.2). As a result, they produce and hold
separated plutonium. Part of this separated (civil) plutonium is currently recycled as MOX
fuel in light water reactors, but another part is stored pending a decision on disposition. That
brings up the issue of proliferation protection.
There is an increasing interest among several countries in strengthening research efforts and
development (R&D) programmes on advanced and innovative fuel cycles to deal with these
fuel cycle challenges. The new concepts should introduce new features and special attributes
191
to enhance proliferation resistance, resource utilization, environmental protection, safety, and
wastes’ reduction. However, it might be still a long way to a technological maturity and
readiness of these concepts.
Within the European Commission project Red Impact the consequences of P&T on geological
disposal have been investigated since 2004 [124].
Final disposal will also be necessary in case that separation and transmutation would reduce
the waste volumes.
5.3.2. Overview on national concepts for long term disposition of HLW
Presently, every country with a nuclear power programme has a radioactive waste
management programme. In all of these countries geological disposal is considered to be the
preferred option. Many of these countries also have laws regulating the export, and, more
importantly, the import of radioactive waste, which enforces a national solution for the final
disposal.
Disposal in space is a high risk alternative and disposal under the seabed has been prohibited
by international conventions.
The international association for Environmentally Safe Disposal of Radioactive Material
(EDRAM) has been established in order to follow a common strategy for ensuring the long
term safety of a system for disposing of high level waste in all national radioactive waste
management programmes. In the EDRAM member states special companies/institutions take
care of the development and deployment of the technical solutions for final disposals:
ENRESA (Spain), ANDRA (France), ONDRAF (Belgium), NAGRA (Switzerland), Ontario
Power (Canada), OCRWM (USA), POSIVA (Finland), NDA (UK), DBE and BfS (Germany),
NUMO (Japan) and SKB (Sweden).
There are underground rock laboratories (URLs) in the following EDRAM member countries:
Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA.
Research is underway there on different geological formation, e.g. clay, salt and crystalline
rocks.
In Table 5.5 an overview is given on some selected IAEA Member States’ disposal concepts
for high level radioactive wastes including direct disposal of SNF.
192
TABLE 5.5. MEMBER STATES’ DISPOSAL CONCEPTS FOR HIGH LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES INCLUDING SNF
Member Belgium Canada Czech Republic Finland France

States
Waste form HLW, VHLW SNF SNF SNF VHLW

Over pack - EDU (440) 3.237 φx
- Dimension(m) - 0.50φx2.68 - 1.2φx3.9 (one of several 0.368; ETE(1000) 4.720 φx - 1.05φx4.8(BWR) - 1.607 φx 0.590
designs) 0.423
- Capacity - 324 used CANDU fuel bundles - 7FA (EDU) or 3FA - 12 BWR FA or 4 PWR (EPR) - 1 primary waste package
- 2 canisters
(ETE) or 12 PWR ( WWER-440)
- Material - Carbon steel - Cu corrosion barrier with steel
- Carbon steel - Copper
insert - Carbon steel
- 100,000 - 5000
- Life time(as) - >2000 - 100000 - 1 000–4 000
Repository
- Capacity - 1150m3 HLW ; - 3.6 million CANDU bundles - 3600t - Olkiluoto-1/2, 2530 t·U - 6300m3
625m3 (design) Olkiluoto-3, 1980 t·U
- Boom clay - Crystalline rock or Loviisa1-2 , 1020 t·U
- Host rock - Granite - Clay (argillite)
sedimentary rock - Crystalline rock
- 500m (design will depend on- - 420 m - 500m
- Depth - 230 m - 500m
site conditions)
- Vertical in-floor or horizontal - Vertical - Microtunnels
- Emplacement - Horizontal tunnel - Horizontal/ vertical
Current status R&D R&D SS SC Design and preparation of
application to be provided in
2014
Operation 2040/2060 for 2035 (earliest estimated in- 2065 2020 2025
B-waste 2090/2100 service date for financial
for C-waste planning purposes)
as – years; HLW – High level waste from reprocessing; CS – Carbon steel; SNF – spent nuclear fuel; SR – Soft rock;
HR – Hard rock; SR – Sedimentary rock; HR – Hard rock; T or C – Tunnel or cavern disposal;
GS – Geological study; SS – Site screening; SC – Site characterization; VHLW – Vitrified high level waste;
LA – Licensing application for construction permit; can. – Canisters; EDU = NPP Dukovany NPP, ETE = NPP Temelín; FA – Fuel assemblies.
193
TABLE 5.5. MEMBER STATES’ DISPOSAL CONCEPTS FOR HIGH LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES INCLUDING SNF (cont.)
Member States Japan Republic of Korea Russian Sweden Switzerland USA

Federation
Waste form HLW SNF (PWR, CANDU) HLW SNF SNF (UO2 and MOX)/HLW SNF, HLW
Over pack - Cylinder, diameter/length: 0.94/3.25 Volume:

-Dimension(m) - 0.82φx1.73 (ref. option) - 1.02φx4.83 - 5 x 1.75 2.26 m3 for two 180-l-HLW canisters - 1.644φx5.16
- Capacity - HLW corresponding to - 4 PWR FA./ 297 - 1-2 BWR or Diameter/length: 1.05 /4.92, Volume: 4.26 m3 - 21PWR FA
8.6 x 10-2 m3/ FA(PWR) CANDU bundles 4 PWR FA for max. 4 PWR or 9 BWR FA’s
- Material - Carbon steel (reference - Cast iron insert + Cu - Copper - Capacity see above - Alloy 22
- Life time(as) option) outer shell - 100000 - Carbon steel - 10000
- 1000 (ref. option) - 1000 -10000 years
Repository - 36 000 t (PWR

- Capacity - More than 40 000 20000 t + CANDU - 9000 t - SNF from 2435 t·U , HLW from 1140 t·U, - 63 000 t
canisters 16000 t) - crystalline volume of packaged waste (SNF and HLW):
- Host rock - SR/HR - Cristalline rock - HR rock (granite) 7325 m3.
- Clay rich sedimentary rock (OPA) - Tuff
- Depth - More than 300m - 500m - 100 to - 500 m - 500-900m - 300 m
- Emplacement - Vertical./Horizontal - Vertical 1000m - Vertical/ - Horizontal - Drift
Horizontal
Current status Siting R&D R&D SC Siting LA
Operation For 50 years from around 2030 2020 2020
2035
HLW - High level waste from reprocessing; CS – Carbon steel; SNF – Spent nuclear fuel; SR – Soft rock;
HR – Hard rock; SR – Sedimentary rock; HR – Hard rock; T or C – Tunnel or cavern disposal;
GS – Geological study; SS – Site screening; SC – Site characterization; VHLW – Vitrified high level waste;
LA – Licensing application for construction permit; can. – Canisters; FA – Fuel assemblies.
194
5.3.3. Near surface final disposal of low and intermediate radioactive waste (LILW)
As already mentioned in Section 5.3.1 near surface disposal of LILW is considered to be an

option under certain conditions [122]. There are two main conditions that are to be considered
to make a near surface disposal acceptable:
• The waste mainly contains radionuclides which decay to radiological insignificant
levels within a defined limited time (some decades up to some hundred years).
• The disposal concept provides a convincing barrier system.
The basic safety philosophy for the near surface disposal of radioactive waste is to isolate the
waste from the environment for a sufficiently long time to allow the decay of the shorter lived
radionuclides and, in the longer term, to limit releases of residual radionuclides into the
environment by relying on multiple barriers.
Extensive experience that has been collected from operation of near surface facilities, which
provides a good basis to understand the evolution of disposal systems and the behaviour of
radionuclides in respect of their mobilization and subsequent migration through both
engineered and natural barriers. This understanding has been used to develop models for the
performance of near to surface disposal systems.
For close to the surface repositories (within a few meters) institutional controls are needed to
assure the adequate performance of the waste isolation barriers during the initial period when
the activity of short lived radionuclides is still high. The anticipated duration of institutional
controls is an important strategic decision with significant implications for the development of
the disposal system, including the definition of waste acceptance criteria. If disposal is located
at greater depths (tens of meters), i.e. in a rock cavity or moderately deep borehole, less
reliance may be placed on institutional controls. Near surface disposal of LILW has been
practiced for many decades and there are more than 80 near surface repositories around the
world.
It can be expected that many new near surface facilities will be constructed and many existing
facilities will be upgraded in the next few decades, especially in developing countries, eastern
European countries and the countries of the former USSR.
5.3.4. Waste transportation
Legislatives for the transportation of radioactive materials in the considered countries (CIS
and Eastern Europe) are based on the IAEA regulations. Transport systems for low and
intermediate level wastes have not been developed on a larger scale. This was not necessary
because the management and the storage took place at the NPP sites. In most cases only the
radioactive waste from small waste producers has to be transported to the centralized
management and storage facilities. These shipments are and were done most on road by truck.
For the transportation diverse packages are used according to IAEA regulations for industry
packages IP 2, Type-A and Type-B containers and others.
In view of the future installation of centralized storage and repository sites also the
transportation systems will have to be modernized and qualified.
In connection with the management and disposal of wastes from naval bases of the Russian
Northern Fleet also packaging and transportation tasks must be solved. An example is the
conditioning of wastes in drums and the adjacent shipment and storage of these drums within
cylindrical steel containers.
195
5.4. Partitioning and transmutation (P&T)
5.4.1. General aspects
The basic idea behind partitioning & transmutation (P&T) is to relieve the waste management
of the big burden of the transuranium actinides with very high lifetimes (in particular the so-
called minor actinides: neptunium, americium and curium), formed by neutron capture in
today's reactors [126].
Most radionuclides formed in the fuel by fission decay relatively rapidly, so that their
collective radioactivity is reduced to less than 0.1% of the original level 50 years after being
removed from the reactor. In contrast, some of the actinide isotopes contribute to the
radioactivity of the waste for thousands of years and more. P&T technologies aim at first
separating (partition) those actinides with high lifetimes by special processes from other short
life isotopes during reprocessing and then destruct (transmute) the actinides (and other longer
lived fission products such as 99Tc and 129I) by fission or neutron capture, ending up with
short lived or even stable isotopes.
This transmutation can be achieved in conventional reactors29 or in Accelerator Driven
Systems30 (ADS, see also Section 2.7.1), where in principle highly accelerated nuclear
particles like protons are bombarding a target to generate high energetic neutrons (by
spallation reactions) by which for example actinides are transformed into less heavy isotopes
with much shorter half life time.
Based on the performed studies so far it is estimated that transmutation can reduce the time
needed for a geological (final) disposal of HLW to reach radiation levels of natural uranium
ore by at least 3 orders of magnitude. However, it is essential to note that the elimination of
the minor actinides does not yield a radiological benefit unless the plutonium is also
eliminated.
Recent studies in Japan and the Republic of Korea have shown that P&T technology also has
the potential to reduce the necessary space for storing HLW in geological repositories
(Refs [127, 128]).
Obviously, long term scenarios are to be considered in which thermal and fast reactors are
both used for the recycling and incineration of the actinides.
5.4.2. Technological concepts of ADS for P&T
These systems consist of three main units — the accelerator, target/blanket and separation
units (Fig. 5.11 taken from Ref. [129]). The accelerator generates high energy (around 1 GeV)
charged particles (e.g. protons), which hit a heavy material target. This bombardment leads to
the production of a very intense neutron source (a process called spallation). These neutrons
enter a subcritical core (often called a blanket) where they can be multiplied. In the core, the
transmutation of actinides and fission products takes place. After a time, already transmuted
nuclei have to be removed from the fuel in order to avoid their undesirable activation. Long
lived fission products and actinides return from the separation unit to the blanket. Short lived
and stable isotopes as well as fission poisons are removed and processed for storage.
29
In France, an intensive irradiation programme of MA bearing inert matrix targets has been performed
in fast reactors [139].
30
In Reference [140] a comparison of ADS and fast reactors for P&T is presented.
196
FIG. 5.11. Partitioning and transmutation flow sheet.
The idea to use accelerator driven systems is not new. But early developments, e.g. at the
Lawrence Livermore Radiation Laboratory in the 1940s were cancelled in 1952. At that time
ADS was developed to produce fissile materials, namely 239Pu from 238U or 233U from 232Th.
But then high grade uranium ores were discovered in the United States of America. In
addition, the idea of exploiting the spallation process to transmute actinides and fission
products directly turned out to be ineffective with the technology available at that time.
Later, new developments in accelerator technology have started a new wave of interest in
using ADS. In the last decade, hybrid accelerator-driven systems have been proposed for
different purposes. Several US national laboratories like Los Alamos National Lab, Oak
Ridge National Lab, and ND Pacific Northwest Lab (Fig. 5.12) have developed several ideas
to use hybrid system with a linear accelerator based on thermal and recently also on fast
neutrons for incineration of plutonium and higher actinides, for transmutation of some fission
products as well as for gaining energy.
FIG. 5.12. Accelerator transmutation of waste (ATW).
197
Some years ago a CERN team lead by Carlo Rubbia (Fig. 5.13) proposed a cyclotron-based
hybrid system to produce nuclear energy based on a thorium fuel cycle [130].
This concept is supposed to be an attractive option reducing the concerns about higher
actinides in the SNF and offering the possibility of utilising cheap and quite abundant
thorium.
Accelerator-driven systems have unique characteristics to meet the requirements of safe
operation and non-proliferation. For example, ADS resolves the safety problems associated
with criticality, because ADS operates in a non-self-sustained chain reaction mode and never
achieves a self-sustained reaction. They are therefore also called undercritical systems. Also,
low inventory of radioactive elements in reacting volume and low pressure and moderate
system temperatures are important positive safety features of ADS systems. In principle, ADS
can work without additional safe shutdown mechanisms (control rods) and accept fuels that
would not be acceptable in current critical systems. At least potentially those systems may
reduce public concerns on nuclear energy technologies.
FIG. 5.13. Target and multiplying assembly from Rubbia.

In the meanwhile, many investigations on ADS systems are underway worldwide, in
particular in Europe (Belgium and France), the Russian Federation and the USA, and in the
meanwhile also in the Far East (China, India, Japan and the Republic of Korea).
In order to get more transparency and potential for international cooperations into these
activities, the IAEA took an initiative to bring those activities together. An Advisory Group
Meeting was held in 1999 in Taejon, the Republic of Korea, to review jointly the national
accelerator driven system programmes in the area of partitioning and transmutation [131].
198
The results of this review are laid out shortly in the following sections for Europe, Asia, the
Russian Federation and the USA.
5.4.2.1. ADS/P&T research in Europe
The main driving force is long lived waste transmutation, but the ADS capability to produce
energy is also investigated. Driven by the establishment of the European Industrial
Partnership (EIP) to advance the engineering design studies of a ~100 MW(th) ADS
demonstration facility, the national programmes on ADS R&D are converging towards the
demonstration of the basic aspects of the ADS concept. These R&D activities are conducted
both nationally and as joint efforts under the umbrella of the EU. Presently, the EIP consists
of leading European nuclear industrial companies from six countries.
The fuel cycle strategy and the fuel cycle back end closure is a national policy in Europe.
There are various strategies considered:
• UO2 in LWR + final disposal;
• UO2 in LWR + ADS + final disposal;
• UO2 in LWR + MOX in LWR + ADS + final disposal;
• UO2 in LWR + MOX in LWR + (dirty MOX + MAs) in FbR + ADS + final disposal.
In nearly all scenarios, P&T and ADS are given consideration that leads to a need for
coordinated R&D.
Both critical and subcritical reactors are potential candidates as dedicated transmutation
systems. Nevertheless, critical reactors heavily loaded with fuel containing large amount of
minor actinides (Am and Cm) pose safety problems caused by unfavourable reactivity
coefficients and small delayed neutron fraction. With regard to this latter problem, the
subcriticality is particularly favourable and allows a maximum load of minor actinides per unit
while operating in a safe manner.
The European Technical Working Group (ETWG) on ADS under the chairmanship of
Prof. Carlo Rubbia played a coordinating role at European level for P&T and ADS
development as a route for waste management. The ETWG members concluded in their report
of April 2001 that P&T associated to ADS could help the waste management problem; there is
a need for a first step demonstration of ADS at international level and there is a need for a
coordinated R&D effort at European level with a strong support from the EC.
5.4.2.2. ADS/P&T research in Asia
ADS R&D studies are pursuing both goals: energy production with reduced waste production
and decreased proliferation hazard, on the one hand, and long lived waste transmutation, on the
other hand. The programmes are presently conducted at national level, with some bilateral or
multilateral cooperation agreements.
Research in Japan
JAEA has started a basic R&D programme to validate the engineering feasibility of the ADS
development since 2002 (Figs 5.14 and 5.15, Ref. [132]).
199
FIG. 5.14. Transmutation experimental facilities in Japan.
After the basic R&D for subcritical core design and technology, lead–bismuth eutectic
technology and super conducting linear accelerator, an experimental ADS with 80 MW
thermal power is planned in the late 2010s to demonstrate the engineering feasibility of the
ADS. The experimental ADS will be operated by MOX fuel at first and gradually altered to
MA nitride fuel.
FIG. 5.15. Conceptual design of TEF-T.

Research in the Republic of Korea
KAERI initiated the ADS research in 1997. The KAERI ADS system is called HYPER
(hybrid power extraction reactor). HYPER research started as a 10-year nuclear research
200
programme funded by the government. The ADS research of KAERI consisted of 3 stages. A
basic concept of HYPER was established in the first stage (1997–2000) of the development.
The basic technology related to HYPER was investigated in the second stage (2001–2003)
while upgrading the design. The conceptual design of HYPER was completed in the third
stage (2004–2006). The investigation of key technologies was also continued in the third
stage.
The conceptual design of HYPER core was almost finished in the second stage. The upgrade
of core design and transient study was done in the third stage. Regarding experimental
research, a fuel and Pb–Bi coolant study were performed during the second and third stage.
U surrogate fuel was fabricated and tested. KAERI joined the MEGAPIE project in 2001 for
Pb–Bi research. KAERI also installed a static Pb–Bi corrosion test device in 2003 (see also
Section 2.5.6). KAERI launched an I-NERI project in 2004 with LANL as the US partner to
study the lead alloy corrosion. The planned period of the I-NERI project was 3 years.
5.4.2.3. ADS/P&T research in the Russian Federation
The main objectives of ADS development in the Russian Federation (Refs [133–135]) are as
follows:
• Developing high rate linear proton accelerators with a current of 100 mA (in the range
of 1000–1500 MeV) and a continuous mode of operation; a potential use of proton
cyclotrons and electron accelerators has also been considered.
• Choosing a target for transformation of the flux energy into the neutron flux; at present,
solid-phase and liquid-phase neutron-producing targets are considered in the Russian
Federation.
• Selection and development of a subcritical blanket.
The major attention is focused on the investigation of cascade (sectionalized) blankets.
In the cascade subcritical liquid salt reactor (RRC Kurchatov Institute) [136] there are two
breeding cores. In the first core, the neutrons have a fast or intermediate fission spectrum
while in the second, core thermal neutrons are used.
Under consideration are both a homogeneous option with transmutation of neptunium with
production of mixed fuel (oxides, nitrides, alloys, etc.) and a heterogeneous option with the
use of special targets with uranium, inert (MgO-NpO2–50%, MgAl2O4-NpO2) and other
matrices.
The heterogeneous method enables an option of neptunium combustion with production of
Pu, which is the most long lived nuclide as compared to neptunium (2.14 106 and
238
87.7 years, respectively) and can be used in national economy for manufacturing of
radioactive heat sources. A PUREX process version has been implemented at the RT-1 plant
with separation of plutonium that can be used for production of 238Pu or sent to MOX fuel
fabrication facilities. The existing MOX fuel manufacturing technologies require a certain
upgrade for obtaining a triple U–Np–Pu composition.
5.4.2.4. ADS/P&T research in the USA
The ADS efforts are dedicated to the Accelerator Transmutation of Waste (ATW). This effort
is performed within the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI)23. This initiative was launched
23
See also Section 3.4.4.
201
by the US DOE in fiscal year 2003 as an outgrowth of the Advanced Accelerator Applications
(AAA) Programme, which was authorized by the US Congress in fiscal year 2001, mainly to
address nuclear energy and waste management concerns (Refs [137, 138]). This effort will
address long term issues associated with SNF, specifically the development of fuel cycle
technologies that could sharply reduce the long term radiotoxicity and long term heat load of
high level waste sent to a geologic repository.
A roadmap study, mandated to the US DOE by the US Congress, has been completed. This
study describes a R&D programme recommended for federal support. It identifies the
challenges of ATW concept, the associated R&D and preliminary budgetary needs, as well as
potential spin-offs of this R&D. Both the roadmap document and the indications put forward
by the US Congress are emphasizing very strongly the need and importance of international
collaboration.
The situation in this area was presented and discussed in an IAEA conference in 2003 (IAEA
International Conference on Innovative Technologies for Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Nuclear
Power, held on 23–26 June 2003 in Vienna, Austria).
Today, one can say that a considerable amount of work has already been done. Accelerator
equipment is being developed separately and it seems possible to obtain the required
parameters. The technology of the secondary circuit should be rather similar to that used
presently. However, still many different conceptual designs considering different spectra,
fuels, fuel cycles and coolants are being investigated.
Accelerators in the 30 MW power range are suggested to drive an ADS for energy production
and/or waste transmutation. However, the highest power presently achieved is in the 1 MW
range worldwide in two machines: in the 800 MeV LINAC at LANL, USA (1.3 MW), and in
the 590 MeV cyclotron at PSI, Switzerland (0.89 MW).
Various experiments are underway or are planned for the future in support for ADS
conceptual designs, e.g. the ISTC 559 high energy target design of a liquid Pb–Bi spallation
module, the windowless design experiments at SCKCEN, the Pb–Bi lifting experiments at
CIRCE, and KALLA at FzK, Germany.
Nevertheless, research in this field is in its early stages. Still, more theoretical work is
necessary on nuclear data and on codes. A lot of work and consequently a lot of money needs
to be spent to end up with commercially mature solutions. And still many, may be, too many
different concepts are studied.
Therefore, even more efforts should be taken to integrate the still ongoing many national
activities into international cooperations. A leading role for these efforts should be with the
IAEA and its INPRO activities.
202
CHAPTER 6.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
6.1. Nuclear fuel cycle R&D perspectives and INPRO
This report is intended to provide a short general overview of innovative nuclear reactors and
fuel cycle technologies in IAEA Member States.
It has been elaborated mainly to establish a basis within INPRO that could be used to explore
the realistic possibilities and feasibilities to develop attractive innovative nuclear fuel cycles
to commercial maturity in terms of schedules, and needed and available resources.
This assessment could start with already existing technical experience of innovative NFCs
considered, i.e. results of theoretical studies, laboratory work, pilot plant operation and
perhaps semi-commercial experience with single NFC components a well as with the full
NFC. It could also include the programmes and plans for future R&D activities in the area of
innovative NFCs. This experience is mainly available, if at all, in national institutions and
companies, and with very few exceptions in internationally funded and operated institutions
like those of the European Community (e.g. the Transuranium Institute), and last but not least,
in IAEA databases.
Therefore, a realistic survey on existing experience and future planned work could be
obtained by a coordinated collection of relevant data from all States interested in this survey.
The INPRO project provides the unique opportunity to involve all members of this project,
i.e. presently (2007) 27 countries and the European Community.
For an effective cooperation of INPRO Member States it is mandatory that the information to
be collected would be structured in a way that makes the information obtained from different
sources comparable. That means that as a first step INPRO should provide specifications of
the kind and structure of the information to be provided by the individual countries
participating in this project.
The next step then could be the evaluation of the received information, again in a way to be
organized by INPRO. The target of this evaluation could be to provide an overview on
existing R&D experience and a plan for the future that enables the participating countries to
identify possibilities for joint R&D efforts or at least cooperation between these countries that
improve the effectiveness of the efforts in each country.
By this approach, in particular developing countries could make the best out of their resources
and get a chance to participate at the front of the international development.
6.2. Specific needs of developing countries
Typically developing countries are short in capital and have only limited resources of
manpower and equipment to establish nuclear energy capacities. In most cases they not only
cannot afford big installations, e.g. large size nuclear power plants with optimal electricity
production cost, but they also do not need or cannot handle those big plants due to a low
transmission capacity or size of their electrical grids.
Further, it is not only in the interest of the individual developing country to get access to
technologies that are optimal with regard to economics as well as to safety and proliferation
resistance and also do not unnecessarily harm their environment, but also the international
community as a whole should have a vital interest to help the developing countries to
establish a nuclear energy technology that is optimized in regard to the mentioned criteria.
203
In addition, of course, each developing country will be interested to use its national natural
resources like uranium-, thorium- or zirconium-ore. Therefore, the approach to nuclear energy
will be different from one country to the other.
However, some principles may be always observed. First of all, any establishment of nuclear
energy in a developing country must start with a technology that has shown its maturity
elsewhere. That holds not only with regard to the reactor technology but also to any other
technology of interest for this country, e.g. mining, milling and conversion technologies in
case they want to use their own raw materials. And if a nuclear installation with mature
technology is purchased from a developed country it must be assured that also the experience
to run this installation economically, securely and safely will be obtained together with the
installation.
There is hardly a way for any developing country to get around these basic rules before the
respective country may start efforts to participate in the development of innovative nuclear
technologies. But, as already mentioned in the previous sections, there should be a strong
interest in the development of innovative nuclear technologies, as well in the developing
countries (technology users) as in those members of the nuclear community with large nuclear
experience (technology holders). The latter should take any effort to help the developing
countries to further increase their experience via participating in the development of advanced
technologies according to their capabilities. The INPRO project intends to play a key role to
facilitate this approach.
Some ideas may be mentioned on how this approach could work in reality. Many developing
countries so far could not afford to deploy nuclear power plants. However, some of them are
operating nuclear laboratories, and one or more research reactors. Those research reactors
could be used to investigate specific R&D topics relevant for innovative NFC, e.g. research
being performed in such nuclear laboratories and test reactors using UO2 coated particles
(TRISO-type) would be useful for every country interested in HTR technology. If technology
holder countries would outsource part of their HTR fuel R&D to such a country, this on the
one side would strengthen the nuclear capability in this developing country and on the other
side it would safe R&D money in outsourcing countries with high labour cost.
Another big chance for developing countries could be the realization of bilateral or
multilateral nuclear fuel cycle centres as recently proposed by the IAEA [142]. In Annex B,
the possibilities to achieve improved proliferation resistance are discussed using such NFC
centres. However, clearly there are also other advantages. One is the possibility to provide
access to NFC back end technologies to those countries that cannot afford their own
development. But much more important is the chance for many countries to get access to NFC
back end facilities thus becoming able to treat their own spent fuel and possibly even get rid
of the burden of high level waste if they do not have adequate geological conditions within
their own borders.
6.3. Legal aspects
Innovative nuclear fuel cycles may — and should — provide attractive new technical and
economical perspectives with also new approaches for more (passive) safety and improved
proliferation resistance. Nevertheless, any new technology also needs to get licensed. As far
as we can look into the future this will always be a national task, or in some cases, like in the
European Community, one day a regional task.
The basis for any licence is the respective laws providing the legal outlines. These legal
outlines are not a static feature. As time goes on, they will generally change most probably
into two directions:
204
• tightening the requirements for safety and the protection of the environment according
to the ongoing national political sensitivity to these aspects;
• harmonizing internationally laws due to ongoing pressure not only in the area of
technologies but also in other areas with increasing international importance, as
e.g. laws to fight against international terrorism.
Any effort to develop innovative technologies, and in particular innovative nuclear fuel
cycles, needs to monitor these legal developments and has to take care of them in the earliest
possible stages of their conceptual development. Since there is, at least, an obvious necessity
to more and more cooperate internationally, if not to really internationalize the R&D for
innovative nuclear fuel cycles, there is also a need to develop an internationally harmonized
legal framework for the respective technologies.
205
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214
ANNEX A
RUSSIAN CONSIDERATIONS OF A GLOBAL AND/OR REGIONAL
INNOVATIVE NUCLEAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
Firstly, the global situation of nuclear energy will be analyzed, and secondly the situation in
the Russian Federation.
A1. Global nuclear energy system
A1.1. Introduction
International cooperation factors are presented in Refs [A-1 to A-12], which promote the
efficient development of nuclear power in various regions of the world within the framework
of the global energy system. These factors include:
• optimization of the nuclear power structure in various regions and countries, as a part of
an international multicomponent system, by considering the capacities and facilities it
consists of;
• accounting of the energy demand requirements and peculiarities in various countries
with real need of nuclear power and various infrastructure development levels;
• accounting of the impact of political, economic and environmental problems in various
regions of the world;
• possibilities and advantages of creating international fuel cycle centres from the
viewpoint of environmental efficiency, ecological requirements, safety ensuring and
prevention of illegal use of nuclear materials in military programmes;
• international harmonization of licensing and regulatory procedures;
• optimization of intellectual resources’ use by developing international cooperation in
R&D, and preserving knowledge and experience by improving multinational structures
in the field of education and development.
At present the possibilities of creating an international nuclear power (NP) infrastructure
should be considered on a quantitative level. In order to do that, it is necessary to propose a
model of the global nuclear energy system (NES) taking into account the specifics of the
regional development of the world and changing with time (fifty to hundred years). This
model should include the necessary elaboration of details (structure, capacity range,
application areas, etc.), which would make it possible to test the INPRO methodology on its
base, and issue recommendations on its improvement and on the further development of the
project.
As such a regional model of the world, the present analysis uses the distribution of countries
adopted by the IAEA, which reflects their purely geographical position (Fig. A.1).
215
NA
WE EE
FEAP
MESA
AF
LA
FIG. A.1. Definition of world regions.
A1.2. Initial conditions for selecting the parameters of the global nuclear energy system
model
The choice of the input parameters for the global nuclear energy system model should be
based on the projections of the world energy consumption dynamics, which is determined by
the forthcoming demographic growth and the rates of the global and regional economic
development. In accordance with INPRO recommendations, it was proposed to base these
projections on the results of the study carried out by a large international group of experts in
emission scenarios (SRES), the results of which were published in 2000. This group has
prepared, under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the
well-known 40 scenarios (divided into four major groups) for demographic growth, economy
and energy demand development rates, as well as for energy resources’ production structure.
Taking into account their international authorship and consideration by governmental and
scientific experts, the SRES scenarios can be acknowledged as the state of the art in the field
of long term energy forecasts.
A2 and B2 scenarios, despite their difference in global parameters, provide for close and
average for the group of 4 scenarios — but relatively high — rates of development of the
world nuclear energy system. The amount of nuclear energy produced in the world, according
to A2 and B2 scenarios, makes about 6% of primary energy by 2050, and about 12% — by
the end of the century (for the method of converting nuclear electricity into primary energy
adopted in), that approximately corresponds to NPP capacity of 2000 GW and 5000 GW,
respectively. For these scenarios, the rate of nuclear electricity in the total electricity
production makes 25–30% in 2050, and 30–50% in 2100.
As it will be shown below, the present work analyzes the scope of nuclear energy system
capacities, which satisfies A2, B2 (and naturally, B1) scenarios, taking into account additional
possibilities of the aggressive nuclear power, which increases its market attractiveness by
partially replacing other energy sources — both in electricity generation, and in such areas as
hydrogen, heat and potable water production.
This diapason also includes the original AIT scenario, but it doesn’t reach the level of the
aggressive version proposed in, which cannot be realized by the world nuclear power under
resource and technological constraints discussed below.
216
It should be emphasized that the energy scale (EJ) transformation into the scale of nuclear
electric capacities (GW(e); 7000 hours of NPP operation at installed capacity), assumed in
this work, was adopted only for illustrative purposes, and doesn’t mean that the nuclear
electricity is used only for electricity generation — moreover, the consumption structure was
not considered in the current analysis (excluding the specially mentioned cases).
A1.3. Mathematical model of an energy system development
The model is intended for quantitatively assessing the dynamics of changes of the main
nuclear energy system indicators, depending on the scenarios of development of innovative
technologies, reactors and fuel cycles:
Time scale
• pre-history of power development: 1950–2000;
• calculated projections: 2000–2050;
• assessment of after-effect: 2050–2100.
Territory
The mathematical algorithms and service arrangement of the model make it possible to
perform calculations both on the regional level (for the above groups of countries) and for the
whole world.
Model contents
The general scheme of the mathematical model reflects the dynamics of changes in the global
and/or regional power complex structure, including extraction and consumption of various
energy resources (gas, oil, coal, nuclear energy, renewable sources), as well as non-traditional
energy sources. In parallel, the material and financial balances are calculated.
Nuclear power is represented both by the existing reactors of various types, and by the
innovative reactor technologies (reactors and fuel cycles) integrated in the systems, with the
rate and time schedule determined by user. The isotope balance of nuclear power — with
account of fuel cycle closing and assessment of the most important factors of fuel use — is
also calculated.
The criteria, important for ensuring stable and safe nuclear power development, reflect the
issues of fuel supply, radioactive waste management and non-proliferation. It is assumed that
some of the regions will not possess the whole fuel management chain (enrichment and
reprocessing), but will be using the foreign fuel ready for use in the reactors. i.e. the
possibility of establishing the international fuel management centres is considered, along with
the possibility of supplying non-nuclear products produces in other countries, to some regions
— for example, supplying hydrogen as an energy carrier.
The mathematical model calculates the scale of material flows related to the movements of
fresh and irradiated fuel; estimates the necessary scale of reprocessing and disposal of fission
products, and makes assessment of the possible minor actinides management methods.
All calculations are accompanied with economic assessments.
A1.4. Versions of a global nuclear energy system
One of the key factors determining the possible look of a global nuclear energy system of the
XXI century is the current estimation of the world uranium resources.
217
The most widely used uranium resource estimations are contained in the Red Book
periodically published by NEA/OECD — a summary of the world data on uranium resources,
production and demand. According to 2001 overview, the well-known uranium resources of
the world (of reasonable assured resources (RAR) and estimated assured resources (EAR)
categories), which have the highest price considered today — US $130/kg of U, additional
resources estimations-based rather on the trends and similarity characteristics, theoretical
resources estimated based on geological extrapolations, and, finally, resources included into
expert considerations without any cost estimations yet, give the total of 16.2 million of metric
tonnes of U.
Inclusion of the already extracted resources — commercial reserves, military material stocks,
and possible depleted uranium enrichment — could increase the estimated amount of the
world uranium resources up to 17.1 million of metric tonnes.
The criticism of this amount as an upper estimation of the world uranium resources —
contained, for instance, in the report published by the Harvard University expert group —
seems to be well grounded. The low level of the estimated resources is explained by
insufficiently active financing of uranium deposits’ exploration, absence of incentive for
looking for uranium of higher price categories than the current US $20–40/kgU prices, the
possibility of producing uranium as by-product of other resources, and to some other
considerations.
However, the higher estimation of the amounts of uranium available for extraction at a cost of
US $130/kgU and over, are based either on qualitative considerations, or on long term
extrapolations of the correlation between the cost and the available resources (Fig. A.2),
which is more or less known for the price below US $40–50/kgU. Nevertheless, use of the
amounts between 20 and 40 million tonnes for the understanding of nuclear energy look’s
sensibility to the growth of uranium resources seems reasonable enough. But, it also requires
more detailed consideration of the ecological factors, which could become important at such
uranium production rates.
FIG. A.2. Energy resources depending on their extraction cost.
218
Certainly, all these estimations don’t take into account the possibilities of uranium extraction
from seawater (about 4 billion tonnes), which, possibly, could become feasible in future,
because the acceptable technologies for uranium extraction from seawater are being
continuously searched for.
Recognizing the considerable uncertainties in the assessment of uranium resources and costs,
and understanding the principal impact of this data on the development scale, structure and
technological development of nuclear energy, we should recommend a special research
dedicated to this issue.
In this connection, the statement of the MIT Report, urging the US government to “implement
the programme of assessing the world uranium resources, including geological prospecting, in
order to determine the world uranium resource base with higher degree of reliability” deserves
full support.
It should be noted that thorium could provide a several-fold extension of the nuclear power
fuel base — but this would require the creation of thorium extraction, production and
processing industry. Thorium, as a potential fuel resource, doesn’t compete with uranium, but
helps to solve some nuclear energy problems: minimizing the amount of transuranic nuclides
in the system, and extension of the possibilities of using the reactors with thermal and
intermediate neutron spectra — for instance, the high temperature heat and hydrogen
cogeneration reactors. However, during the period of rapidly growing NP capacities, large
scale introduction of thorium in NP would hamper its capacity growth, because the double
time of the nuclear fuel in thorium-based system is much longer than in fast reactor systems
operating on uranium/plutonium fuel. Use of thorium in the global nuclear energy system was
not considered in the current report, and the estimation of its contribution to the nuclear
energy fuel base requires a special study.
A1.4.1. Open fuel cycle system constraints
Use of LWRs31 in the open fuel cycle, in accordance with nuclear power capacity
requirements under A2 and B2 scenarios, would lead to high natural uranium consumption
rate (Fig. A.3). For example, if the system’s capacity increases to ∼2000 GW(e) by 2050, the
annual uranium extraction should reach the level of over 300 thousand tonnes, and the
integral uranium consumption by 2050 could make over 10 million tonnes. By 2100, if the
system’s capacity increases up to 5000 GW(e), the annual uranium consumption would reach
approximately 800 thousand tonnes (with close separation industry capacity), and the integral
uranium consumption would exceed 40 million tonnes. The integral amount of SNF would
exceed 3500 tonnes (over 50 storage facilities of Yucca Mountain capacity).
31
Consideration of only LWRs as thermal neutron reactors, assumed in the present work, is also a
conditionality related to the need of using specific reactor parameters in the calculations. Consideration of other
reactors (HTGR, CANDU, etc.) would complicate the calculations reflecting notably on the main results.
219
FIG. A.3. LWR-based nuclear energy system.
Thus, the nuclear energy system with once-through fuel cycle, even for the considered
moderate scenarios, faces constraints related to estimated uranium resources. Development of
uranium extraction and enrichment of such scale, in all probability, would require not only the
expansion of the existing production capacities, but also the development of new
technologies, which would solve — among others — the environmental issues.
A1.4.2. Constraints of the system without plutonium breeding
Closing the light water reactor fuel cycle with extracting Pu and using it for loading into fast
reactors without breeding (BR∼1.06) also provides no possibilities of reaching the capacity
levels proposed for NP under A2 and B2 scenarios (Fig. A.4). If about 14 million tonnes of
natural uranium are used, the capacity of LWRs would reach about 1200 GW(e) by 2050, and
then would reduce to zero by 2100. Total NES’s capacity would reach its peak of
2300 GW(e) around 2060; reduce to 1600 GW(e) by 2100 (only plutonium fast reactors are
introduced); and then the NES capacity would slowly start growing thanks to some excess
plutonium produced in fast reactors (FR). After 2100, the extraction of natural uranium would
stop completely. The maximum uranium extraction of 200 thousand tonnes per year would be
reached by 2040, the peak capacity of separation facilities (290 million SWU) — also by
2040.
FIG. A.4. Nuclear energy system based on LWR and FR without breeding (BR∼1.06).
220
A1.4.3. Two-component structure of NES with plutonium breeding
Introduction of FRs with plutonium breeding (BR∼1.6) in the nuclear energy system would
make it possible to ensure the electricity production required by A2 and B2 scenarios, without
exceeding the natural uranium extraction limit of 20 million tonnes (Fig. A.5). Plutonium use
starts already in 2010. The integral natural uranium extraction would make 18 million tonnes.
The rate of FRs would make over 40% by 2100.
The considered two-component NES structure allows including in the consideration the
aggressive nuclear energy, as well as increasing the capacity to 9400 GW(e) by 2100
(additional requirements under A2 and B2 scenarios), assuming the target of not going
beyond the limit of 15 million tonnes of natural uranium per year.
FIG. A.5. Nuclear electricity production for the four main SRES scenarios.
Plutonium utilization should be started from 2100 using the FRs from the very beginning. The
mass use of MOX fuel in LWRs could not start before 2060 (Fig. A.6).
Consumption of uranium, 14 million t

FIG. A.6. 3500 GW(e) by 2050; NES based on FBR, LWR, LWR-MOX.
A1.5. Conclusions for the global nuclear energy system model
Consequently, based on the present day estimated uranium resource limitations, the
realization of the given nuclear power development scenarios (Chapter 1) — and, moreover,
additional ones — in practice leave us the two-component structure of NES with Pu breeding
for further consideration. Obviously, such a forecast makes the search of additional uranium
resources an actual task.
221
Besides, it is easy to see that these so-called moderate scenarios of the world nuclear energy
development, which nevertheless allow growth up to about 10000 GW by the end of the
century for producing, for example, nuclear hydrogen, suppose strict enough conditions for
the rates of implementing the technological innovations, aimed at solving the problem of
uranium resource constraints. These innovations, which ensure improved fuel use, include the
closed furl cycle with short reprocessing time, very good breeders (with BR∼1.6) and
very good LWRs with BR∼0.9 using uranium–plutonium fuel (Fig. A.7). It should be noted
that it is hard to imagine such a high rate of innovations’ implementation without special
governmental (and intergovernmental) support. While preparing corresponding governmental
decisions, it is necessary to take into account the inertia of nuclear technology development.
That means that, in a critical energy resource situation, even governmental decisions will be
unable to make nuclear energy instantly provide and implement new technologies.
FIG. A.7. Required innovations depending on the level of the world nuclear energy
development (by 2050).
Consequently, governmental institutions should ensure the advanced development of nuclear
innovations. High nuclear energy development rates would require not only the development
and mastering of the above innovations, but also the active search for additional uranium
resources and development of new technologies of their extraction. It is necessary to
emphasize that the works on searching for additional uranium resources and the innovative
improved fuel use technologies don’t exclude, but mutually add to each other, thus mitigating
each other’s urgency.
Reduction of the time of fuel stay in the external fuel cycle is a very important direction of
works aimed at increasing the rate of large scale nuclear energy development. In this
connection, a cardinal innovative solution is presented by introduction of liquid fuel reactors
with continuous fuel processing (molten salt type), but their large scale deployment, in all
probability, will go beyond the 21st century frames, and will reach its maximum efficiency at
the stage of introduction of thorium in the NES as an efficient means of extending the NE fuel
base, reducing the environmental impact levels, and solving the issue of minor actinides’
disposal, in period of NE structure’s stabilization.
Reduction of the external fuel cycle time in FRs from 3 to 1 years would make it possible to
reduce fuel load in NFC (two-component NE structure) by about 15 to 25%, thus
222
correspondingly increasing the NE development rates32. Earlier, the methods of increasing the
energy density of breeder reactor cores in order to increase the rate of achieving the double
NE capacity have been considered, but they do too obviously contradict to the present day
trends of using the intrinsic safety features and passive means for improving reliability and
safety of reactor operation.
Assumed parameters, which determine the rates of Pu breeding (BR∼1.6, external fuel cycle
time — 3 years) allows assessing the maximum realistic growth of the nuclear energy (in case
of slight mitigation of uranium resource constraints — 10 million tonnes over the assessment
adopted today). Under this condition, the world nuclear power might reach the level of
12000 GW(e) (or about 300 EJ) by 2100 (Fig. A.8). In such a case, the nuclear energy system
could generate (under A2 and B2 scenarios) about 40% of electricity by 2050, and about 70%
by 210033.
FIG. A.8. Maximum NES development scenario, based on the increased natural uranium
resource estimation.
Estimations of the continued delay of development of the nuclear energy by the mid-century
show that under this scenario it would be also possible to achieve the 5000 GW level by the
end of the century, but this would be possible only under very strict conditions of rapid
deployment of breeders and additional borrowing of about 10 million tonnes of uranium
(Fig. A.9).
32
Probably, it would be expedient to consider — as a means of reducing the nuclear fuel load in the
NFC — SNF reprocessing at NPP sites with high capacity fast reactors (impact of such technologies on
non-proliferation regime requires a separate discussion). But, this way would be efficient only in case of SNF
unloading from reactor without it’s cooling in internal reactor storage facility, and in case the fuel reprocessing
technology with high residual energy and radioactivity levels is created.
33
It should be noted that, in case of such nuclear energy development, fossil fuel extraction and carbon
dioxide emissions could be stabilized on their present day levels.
223
FIG. A.9. Impact of delayed fast reactor deployment on nuclear power development.
It should be noted that, for example, a two-fold reduction of the nuclear power development
rates (which corresponds to B1 scenario) would allow the existence of a nuclear energy
system without introducing FRs with integral uranium consumption of 17 million tonnes till
2100.
Consideration of intermediate once-through cycle versions (NE system capacity of 1600 GW
by 2050) results in the growth of integral uranium consumption by 2100 up to the same
speculative level of about 27 million tonnes.
In the same time, the low scenario doesn’t create any significant innovation problems, at least
in the technology area. In the field of reactor technology development, the advancement of
light water reactors (and extending their capacity range to small and medium power), as well
as wide implementation of high temperature reactors for hydrogen production, would be
enough.
It should be noted that the range below this scenario (1000 GW by 2050) leaves nuclear
energy rather a technological demonstration, which would be an insurance against possible
limitations in the development of other energy technologies.
It is seen that NE development prospects largely depend on the selected NFC. However, in
present conditions, the fuel component of the energy cost, as well as today’s risks related to
energy generation, don’t depend strongly on the fact, if SNF is stored without reprocessing, or
SNF is reprocessed and only radwaste is stored. The initial stage of the nuclear fuel cycle is
practically independent from the fuel cycle type, if the NE system comprises no fast neutron
reactors capable of nuclear fuel breeding.
If a closed NFC is used, and if NES uses fast neutron reactors capable to utilize efficiently
over 70% of uranium, the energy potential of the nuclear industry becomes much higher, than
all the fossil fuel resources. The initial NFC stage is principally enhanced thanks to reduced
uranium extraction, with corresponding reduction of long term risks — to several man⋅Sv per
each GW⋅year of electricity produced.
224
Besides, the SNF reprocessing option is more economically and politically realistic, even in
case of using only thermal neutron reactors, because it requires considerably smaller resources
to be spent for waste management in the long term perspective, which is unpredictable in
terms of economic and political conditions.
In perspective, the issue of nuclear energy’s acceptability is connected sooner with the
confidence in organization and realization of the fuel cycle, which would guarantee large
scale and long term development without steady growing resource and waste problems (that
would contradict to the Basic Principles and purposes of sustainable development), than with
current capital investments in nuclear power plants.
SNF reprocessing and returning of uranium and plutonium in reactors represent a necessary
condition of nuclear fuel breeding and increasing the efficiency of uranium use by 10–20% in
thermal neutron reactors (and by order of magnitude — is NES uses fast neutron reactors).
Moreover, NFC closing by uranium and plutonium allows principal reduction of high level
waste, which is subject to disposal. NFC closing by americium, curium and neptunium (minor
actinides’ transmutation in the present-day notion) makes possible a considerable reduction of
risk related to long term consequences of radwaste disposal.
For efficient solution of sustainable development problems, the level of actinide losses during
reprocessing should be kept on the level of about 0.1%. In the opposite case, minor actinides’
transmutation — which requires additional complication of SNF reprocessing methods,
reactor construction and NE structure — has no sense, because it doesn’t lead to any
considerable reduction of long term environmental risks, but on the contrary, considerably
increases the current risk level because of growing balanced amounts of minor actinides in the
reactors and NFC.
For NFC closing by neptunium and americium (and, after 2100, curium), and some other
hazardous nuclides, after 2050, the introduction of liquid-fuel reactors for minor actinides’
burning could be considered — but this is proposed just in case the problem of their safe and
socially acceptable disposal (and, possibly, their partial use for the purposes not related to
large scale energy production) is not solved.
Results of this report’s analysis do not take these reactors in consideration, but there is
nevertheless a possibility of checking the acceptability of such a multi-component NES from
the sustainable development viewpoint. This would require calculating the amount of
radionuclides for all NFC stages; and assessing the neutron efficiency of nuclide composition
of nuclear fuel in the system, radionuclide losses, and the capability of burning all the
hazardous radionuclides at the final stage of NP development.
It should be noted that, despite of slightly differing fuel components of various NFCs, fuel
cycle structures and elements might vary considerably. That means that the present day
economic assessments could hardly be laid in the base of fuel cycle selection. In conditions of
NFC closing inevitability (from the point of view of sustainable development on the long
term), it should be kept in mind that in the next hundred years the main problem could be
represented not by high level waste (its amount, risk level and energy rate is lower, than for
SNF), but by low level waste — the amount of which considerably depend on SNF
reprocessing methods and state of technological processes’ development.
In particular, it might be that aqueous methods of SNF reprocessing would require not only
some improvement, but also introduction of various non-aqueous methods of nuclide
separation, in order to considerably reduce the volume of medium and low level waste, thus
making NE attractive not only on the long term, but already in the nearest future.
225
A1.6. Nuclear energy system versions for the regional model of the world
Projecting the regional systems on the base of the selected global nuclear energy system takes
into consideration the following assumptions:
• IAEA assessments by 2030, based on national forecasts and programmes;
• detailed expert knowledge of the former USSR and East European region, with account
of the adopted Russian energy strategy, was applied to nuclear power development
projections for this area;
• while considering the regions’ development prospects, both their economic34 realities
and state of (power grids, communications, staff, etc.), and their sensibility to
availability of weapon-usable nuclear materials, have been taken into consideration.
Two approximations of nuclear power capacity distribution in the 21st century’s world were
considered. The first one was based on the existing level of the countries’ nuclear
development and their declared intentions, and was comprehensively analyzed by the IAEA
to 2030 (Fig. A.10). In figures and tables it is called traditional.
FIG. A.10. Nuclear capacity projection by the world regions (IAEA, 2003).
The second — hypothetical — approximation, which in fact represents a known convergence
model, is a step to a fairer world, where the gap in the per capita energy consumption between
the developed countries and the rest of the world is considerably reduced with the help of
nuclear energy.
It is supposed that:
• Per capita energy consumption is levelled only through the use of nuclear energy.
• By 2040, in three regions (NA, WE, EE), annual nuclear energy consumption exceeds
4000 kW·h per capita — i.e. the world’s average sufficient electricity consumption level
adopted by the UN.
34
According to the assessments made by Dr. H. Khatib (WEC) [8], supply of energy to the houses of
2 billion people presently living without electricity would require about US $600 billion, which is comparable to
the world developing countries’ assistance programme amounting to about US $100 billion/year.
226
That’s why, since 2040, per capita nuclear electricity consumption in these regions will be
stabilized (i.e. nuclear energy production will change in proportion to the population).
In the rest four regions (assuming the entry data — that the global nuclear capacity makes
2000 GW by 2050, and 5000 GW by 2100 — are preserved), the new nuclear capacities after
2040 will be growing for levelling the per capita consumption.
In such a case, FEAP and MESA regions would achieve — and LA and AF would approach
to — the annual electricity consumption level of about 4000 kWe per capita (Fig. A.11).
Traditional model A
MWh per capita
Reduced gap model B

MWh per capita
FIG. A.11. Nuclear electricity production per capita: A — traditional model; B — reduced
gap model.
A2. Russian approach of a sustainable NFC
In the following text the results of a Russian study to define a sustainable development of
nuclear power are laid out shortly.
227
Two stage concept of nuclear power development
The successful operating record of the first civilian nuclear power facilities in the Russian
Federation gave rise to a concept of nuclear power development in two stages:
• Thermal reactors generate power and accumulate plutonium for the startup and
concurrent deployment of fast reactors.
• Fast reactors step in later to provide large scale growth of nuclear power which will
gradually replace traditional fossil energy sources.
The strategic objective was to obtain inexhaustible (sustainable) resources of cheap fuel —
uranium and, possibly, converting thorium through nuclear breeding.
The tactical objective was to use 235U-fuelled thermal reactors to produce power (and
radioisotopes) for the national economy and to accumulate (reactor grade) plutonium for fast
reactors.
Sustainability of an energy system consisting of thermal reactors
The resources of natural uranium, which may be cost-effectively produced, are limited. With
the currently prevailing practice of burning uranium in thermal reactors, such resources will
be exhausted within the coming century both in the Russian Federation and in the world as a
whole. This time span can be somewhat extended by reprocessing spent fuel with plutonium
recycling (MOX fuel) in thermal reactors — if you are prepared for increased expenses and
deciding to impair the chances for future development of fast reactors.
Situation in the Russian Federation
The 1999 projections of the Energy Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences
point to the possibility of an increase in the nuclear electricity generation in the Russian
Federation from 133 TW·h in 2003 (produced by ~22 GW(e) needing ~4700 t·U/a) up to
160 TW·h (produced by ~25 GW(e) needing 5600 t·U/a) in 2010 and up to 330 TW·h
(produced by ~54 GW(e) needing 11000 t·U /a) in 2020.
According to the Red Book of the OECD and the IAEA (Version 2003), the Russian
Federation’s total reserves of natural uranium, produced at a cost of US $80 per kilogram, are
estimated at 240000 t (RAR + EAR-I, II), while the reserves assessed with a high degree of
certainty approach 150000 t (RAR). In addition to these 3 categories of uranium reserves, the
Red Book refers to yet another category, SR, with the total uranium quantity of 1000000 t,
including 550000 t whose production cost may be as high as US $130 per kilogram.
Over its lifetime of ~50 years, a 1 GW(e) thermal reactor (LWR) consumes ~104 t of natural
uranium, hence 106 t of uranium could provide fuel for operation of 100 power units with
such a reactor in the Russian Federation.
Situation globally
With the earth’s population predicted to grow to almost twice its size by the mid-21st century
— mostly in developing countries — and with the increasing industrialization of the latter, it
is reasonable to expect doubling of the global requirements for primary energy and trebling
(up to ~6000 GW(e)) of the world’s electricity demands (currently ~2000 GW(e)). Nuclear
power well suited to comply with safety and economy requirements of large scale power
production, could take up the job of covering much of the increase in the global energy and
corresponding fuel demand (~4000 GW(e)). The global uranium reserves found in the richest
deposits with metal concentration in ore of 0.1% are estimated at somewhat more than
5 mio t·U for prospected resources and at 10 mio t·U for potential resources.
228
As stated above, over its lifetime of ~50 years, a 1 GW(e) thermal reactor (LWR) consumes
~104 t of natural uranium, hence 107 t of uranium can provide fuel for worldwide operation of
1000 power units with such a reactor; such capacity includes ~350 GW(e) provided by the
plants operating today while the remaining 650 GW(e) could be brought in during the
21st century.
Evaluating demand and resources, the world’s nuclear power based exclusively on thermal
reactors could double its capacity to 1000 GW(e) in the first half of the 21st century, with an
allowance made for decommissioning of old plants, but its contribution to energy (electricity)
supply would gradually decrease to the point of total disappearance in the second half of the
century.
The result of the above evaluation is:
• The existing global — and Russian — resources of natural uranium are not large
enough to sustain long term development of nuclear power based solely on thermal
reactors.
Sustainability of an energy system consisting of fast reactors
Uranium can be burned almost completely in a fast reactor with a breeding ratio of unity or
more. A factor of 100 increase in the energy yield of nuclear fuel — as compared to thermal
reactors — means that a fast reactor system of 4000 GW(e) could be supplied with cheap
uranium (from rich deposits) for 2.5 thousand years, with a small contribution of fuel to the
total cost, and that a 10000 GW(e) power industry can be sustained for about one thousand
years. Fast reactors could be fed with uranium from lean deposits, resources of which are
hundreds or even thousands of times greater than the rich uranium reserves.
The result of the above evaluation is:
• Fast reactors with a moderate power density and a breeding ratio of about unity allow
large scale nuclear power development unconstrained by availability of fuel resources.
Sustainability of an energy system with a mix of thermal and fast reactors
The concept of nuclear power development in two stages suggests long coexistence of
235
U-fuelled thermal reactors — for as long as cheap uranium is available — with fast
reactors, which will be brought in to use plutonium from weapons inventories and from
thermal reactors and will have virtually no fuel constraints.
Thermal reactors included in such a binary mix would benefit from gradually switching over
to the more expedient Th–U cycle, with 233U for the first cores and subsequent makeup
provided by Th-blankets of fast reactors. There are good reasons for the nuclear power
industry of the future to have a binary structure, but the essential question of the proportion
between fast and thermal reactors is yet to be adequately resolved.
Given a moderate rate of installed capacity growth, Russian nuclear power industry will
remain practically uniform in the next few decades, with an insignificant energy input from
fast reactors. However, in case of a rapid ascent, the nuclear industry will have to rely
primarily on fast reactors, as the fuel resources available for operation of thermal reactors in
the Russian Federation are not sufficient to provide a steady growth of installed capacity
(i.e. 1–2 GW/a) and would be exhausted before the middle of the 21st century.
Primarily, fast reactors with a breeding ratio equal to or greater than unity can serve the
purposes of large scale nuclear power. Under the current conditions of the industry’s
evolution (moderate growth rate), there is no need for large breeding ratios, high power
densities or short plutonium doubling times, which allows focusing on economy and safety in
the fast reactor development programmes.
229
A surplus of neutrons and their energy spectrum enabling fission of all actinides are the facts
that allow fast reactors to burn effectively the most hazardous and longest lived radionuclides
in the fuel cycle wastes, which paves the way for a radiation balance between the buried waste
and the mined uranium, established and sustained without the aid of special burner reactors up
to the final stage of nuclear power development.
One of the ways to augment the resources of the nuclear power industry lies in reuse of fissile
materials — the materials separated from the spent uranium–plutonium fuel — in thermal
neutron reactors. It has been estimated that by closing the fuel cycle with respect to uranium,
it is possible to increase the capacity of nuclear power with mono-recycling by ~13%, while
closing the cycle for both uranium and plutonium could add ~17% to this capacity. In both
cases, however, the operation time of the industry based on thermal reactors remains
practically the same as with the open fuel cycle.
It may be inferred therefore that plutonium recycling in thermal reactors offers little promise
for replenishing their fuel resources. To attain this end, in the transition period before fast
reactors of the new generation are deployed, it appears worthwhile to assess the expediency of
exploring and developing new uranium deposits and to look for inherent reserves of the
nuclear fuel cycle in terms of uranium saving, which may be attained, for instance, by
reprocessing the enrichment tails, using regenerated and weapons uranium, etc.
Options to significantly increase safety and economy of fast neutron reactors include the
adoption of nitride fuel, elimination of uranium blankets, and increase of fuel burnup.
Waste management
Closing of the nuclear fuel cycle is a strategic line of nuclear power development in the
Russian Federation, which will:
• ensure more efficient use of natural nuclear fuel and artificial fissile materials produced
by reactors (e.g. plutonium);
• minimize radwaste from fuel reprocessing;
• help approach a radiation equivalence between the buried waste and the mined natural
fuel.
The quantities of irradiated fuel are quite large in the world as a whole and in this country,
with ~250 thousand tonnes accumulated on a global scale and ~14 thousand tonnes in the
Russian Federation by the year 2000 with a total radioactivity of 5 billion Ci.
The fuel unloaded from nuclear power facilities is found mostly in storage as its reprocessing
is performed on a relatively small scale. Storage of irradiated fuel is quickly becoming a real
challenge: considering its increasing quantities unloaded from decommissioned power,
transport and research reactors, the existing storage facilities may be expected to be full in the
Russian Federation by the year 2007.
However, it appears expedient to postpone large scale reprocessing of the bulk of irradiated
nuclear fuel until fast reactors of the new generation are in serial construction. This allows
also avoiding further accumulation of plutonium in stockpiles, as dictated by non-proliferation
considerations.
Weapons plutonium utilization is to be treated as the first stage in creating the technology of
the future closed nuclear fuel cycle. Disposition of surplus weapons plutonium as well as of
plutonium separated from irradiated fuel, will be effected primarily by use of mixed
uranium-plutonium fuel in fast reactors which will form the basis of the future Russian large
scale nuclear power industry. Limited quantities of weapons plutonium may be utilized in
thermal reactors, if so required by political agreements.
230
Summary and conclusion of the Russian study
The above-described considerations in the Russian study lead to several conclusions:
• Without an NFC concept that strongly protects and extends the available nuclear raw
material resources — uranium and/or thorium — a further large scale development of
nuclear power technologies just makes no sense: not economically and not technically.
• For any global NFC concept assuring a long range resource base it is mandatory to use
the breeding capabilities of fast reactors and those capabilities only can be used in a
closed fuel cycle.
• There are various potential technological solutions thinkable and some of them appear
to be technical feasible.
• Realistically, for a global nuclear system there is a combination of thermal and fast
reactor systems necessary, i.e. a plain 100% fast reactor fuel cycle is just an abstract
extrapolation of technically thinkable alternatives.
• In the mid-range future the currently used classical U (Pu)-based fuel cycle will be
dominant with light or heavy water reactors producing the power.
• NFC with breeding elements supplying the long range fissile material basis must be
developed in accordance with a reasonable further improvement of this classical nuclear
energy technology.
REFERENCES TO ANNEX A
[A-1] GAGARINSKIY, A., Applicability of the Existing INPRO Methodology for
Assessing Global and/or Regional Nuclear Energy Systems that are Based on the Use
of Innovative Technologies in Combination with International Fuel Cycle Centers,
Russian Federation, Kurchatov Institute, INPRO Phase 1A Individual Case Study,
(2004).
[A-2] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Guidance for the Evaluation of
Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles, Report of Phase 1A of the International
Project on Innovative Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO), IAEA-TECDOC-1362,
IAEA, Vienna (2003).
[A-3] MELENT’EV, L.A., Analysis of the Main Trends and Problems of Development of
the World Nuclear Power, ISEM report, Siberian Branch of the RAS, UDK 620.9,
Irkutsk (2002) (in Russian).
[A-4] OECD/NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY
AGENCY, Uranium 2001: Resources, Production and Demand, NEA/OECD (2002).
[A-5] International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Special Report on Emission Scenarios
(SRES), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK (2002).
[A-6] BUNN, M., et al., The Economics of Reprocessing vs. Direct Disposal of Spent
Nuclear Fuel, Final Report DE-FG26-99FT4028, Harvard University, USA
(December 2003).
[A-7] The Future of Nuclear Power, An Inter-Disciplinary MIT Study, MIT (2003).
[A-8] Energy strategy of Russia for the period to 2020, Rossiyskaya Biznes-Gazeta,
38 428 39 429 (October 2003) (in Russian).
[A-9] KHATIB, H., Energy in Developing Countries – Is It a Special Case. Report at the
International Seminar for Planetary Emergencies, Erice, Italy, August (2003).
[A-10] WALTAR, A., ROGNER H., “The disposition of nuclear waste: an integrated
international approach”, Proc. Int. Conf. Global 2001, Paris September (2001).
[A-11] ELBARADEI, M., Towards a safer world, The Economist (16 Oct. 2003).
[A-12] Report to Congress on Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative: The Future Path Forward for
Advanced Spent Fuel Treatment and Transmutation Research, US DOE January
(2003).
231
ANNEX B
MULTILATERAL NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE CENTRES
Since the late 1970s several international studies have been performed dealing with
multinational nuclear approaches (MNA), e.g. the IAEA study on regional nuclear fuel cycle
centres (RFCC, 1977), the international nuclear fuel cycle evaluation (INFCE, 1980), and the
expert group on international plutonium storage (IPS, 1982)35.
The following overview of the most recent activities in this area is mostly based on
Ref. [B-1].
B1. The MNA expert group
In mid-2004, the IAEA organized a group of 25 experts to identify issues and options relevant
to multilateral approaches for both front and back end of the nuclear fuel cycle, to provide an
overview of the policy, legal, security, economic, institutional and technological incentives
and disincentives for cooperation in multilateral arrangements. In the IAEA report
documenting the results of this study [B-2] two primary deciding factors were identified that
dominate all assessments of multilateral nuclear approaches, namely assurance of supply and
services and assurance of non-proliferation. Three types of options for creating multilateral
arrangements have been presented:
• Type I: Assurances of services not involving ownership of facilities:
a. Suppliers provide additional assurances of supply.
b. International consortia of governments provide additional assurances.
c. IAEA-related arrangements strengthen assurances.
• Type II: Conversion of existing national facilities to multinational facilities.
• Type III: Construction of new joint facilities.
The expert group recommended to follow these suggestions:
The objective of increasing non-proliferation assurances concerning civilian NFC, while
preserving assurances of supply and services around the world could be achieved through a
set of gradually introduced MNAs:
(1) Reinforcing existing commercial market mechanism on a case by case basis through
long term contracts and transparent suppliers’ arrangements with government backing.
Examples would be: fuel leasing and fuel take-back, commercial offers to store and
dispose of spent fuel, and commercial fuel banks.
(2) Developing and implementing international supply guarantees with IAEA participation.
Different models should be investigated, notably with the IAEA as guarantor of service
supplies, e.g. as administrator of a fuel bank.
(3) Promoting voluntary conversion of existing facilities to MNAs, and pursuing them as
confidence building measures, with the participation of NPT NNWS and NWS, and
non-NPT States.
(4) Creating through voluntary agreements and contracts, multinational, and in particular
regional, MNAs for new facilities based on joint ownership, drawing rights or
co-management for front end and back end nuclear facilities, such as: U enrichment;
35
Short descriptions of RFCC, INFCE, and IPS can be found in Annex IV of Ref. [B-2].
232
fuel reprocessing; and disposal and storage of spent fuel (and combinations thereof).
Integrated nuclear power parks would also serve this objective.
(5) The scenario of as further expansion of nuclear energy around the world might call for
the development of a NFC with stronger multilateral arrangements — by region or by
continent — and broader cooperation, involving the IAEA and the international
community.
After this IAEA study several follow-up proposals in regard to Type I have been made and
intensively discussed.
B2. Russian initiative on international nuclear fuel cycle centres
In January 2006, an initiative was announced by the Russian president to develop a global
nuclear power infrastructure providing equal access to nuclear energy for all interested
countries while ensuring strict compliance with non-proliferation requirements. A network of
international centres rendering IAEA safeguarded nuclear fuel cycle services, including
U enrichment should become the key element of such an infrastructure.
In October 2006, the Russian Federation declassified the Angarsk enrichment facility and
promoted it as International Uranium Enrichment Centre (IUEC) under the IAEA [B-3]
oversight. The concept asks for investment in the facilities by potential customers who in
return would receive assured supply of low enriched U. As a prerequisite, customers have to
comply with the international non-proliferation requirements and forgo the development of
indigenous enrichment facilities.
A similar proposal was also made by Germany in 2006, namely to build an international
uranium enrichment facility at an extraterritorial site [B-4].
B3. Study of the uranium enrichment industry
In May 2006, the World Nuclear Association (WNA) released a report [B-5] documenting the
results of a 28 member panel of nuclear industry experts studying an industry-based backup
supply mechanism. The WNA report states that any approach strengthening security of supply
should be consistent with continued effective operation of the existing competitive world
market. Customers of enrichment services should pay a premium for guaranteed supply and
commit to forgo building enrichment facilities themselves.
B4. The six country proposal
In June 2006, six countries [B-6] with commercial enrichment activities — the USA, the UK,
France, Germany, the Netherlands and the Russian Federation — offered reliable access to
nuclear fuel for States opting to rely on the international market for nuclear fuel and forgo
domestic enrichment activities. The role of the IAEA is to ascertain that such States have a
comprehensive safeguards agreement and an additional protocol in force and have no
exceptional safeguards implementation issues outstanding.
In context of the six country proposal, in September 2006, the UK proposed the concept of
Enrichment Bonds [B-7]. Such bonds would enable qualifying recipient states receiving
enrichment services through the IAEA. This initiative was supported by Germany and the
Netherlands. At the same time Japan proposed to establish a system called IAEA Standby
Arrangements for the Assurance of Nuclear Fuel Supply [B-8].
233
B5. IAEA fuel reserve
In September 2006 a non-governmental organization called the Nuclear Threat Initiative

(NTI) proposed [B-9] to set up a stockpile of low enriched U under the IAEA’s auspices for
countries to serve as a last resort fuel reserve under the condition that they do not start a
national enrichment programme. The IAEA is expected to develop the modalities of such a
fuel reserve regarding technical and legal issues.
Reference [B-1] provides some discussion on the initiates shortly presented above, illustrating
the strengths and weaknesses. The main recommendation is to follow an incremental
approach to develop a new multilateral framework for the nuclear fuel cycle that is voluntary
and guarantees the States the freedom to choose their fuel options.
B6. Multinational options for the storage of spent nuclear fuel or nuclear waste
In 2002, the international conference on Issues and trends in Radioactive Waste Management
[B-10] gave an overview and status of nuclear countries concerning their position of final
disposal. The position of European states turned out to be different concerning the
construction of international SNF storage facilities, based on different interests: France and
Great Britain could see it as a competition (to their existing reprocessing facilities); Finland
and Sweden have their own disposal concept without the need of reprocessing or disposal in
an international repository; Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Switzerland could have a potential interest in
international SNF storage and reprocessing, if this is a step toward an international final
disposal concept for a repository in a deep geological formation and if the proposed concept is
more cost effective as it is now. International SNF storage and reprocessing without final
disposal would not fit the demand of these countries as they all intend to avoid extra
international transports with all the risks of public acceptance (one transport to the interim
storage and one return transport of waste).
No shared multinational repository exists currently [B-11]. However, several multinational
initiatives are pursuing the idea of such a repository. Examples are:
• The Arius Association consists of several national organizations dealing with the
storage and disposal of nuclear waste; Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the
Netherlands and Slovenia participate in this initiative.
• The SAPIERR project is feasibility study supported by the European Commission
investigating the option of a regional nuclear waste facility.
• The Ljubljana Initiative is carried by Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic,
Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia; the participants are assessing the potential advantages
of shared solutions for nuclear waste.
The Russian Federation is the only country publicly supporting at the government level the
import of spent fuel for storage.
The IAEA has continued to work on this topic with several working groups and has published
two related documents (Refs [B-12, B-13]).
REFERENCES TO ANNEX B
[B-1] PELLAUD, B., Multilateral nuclear arrangements: Status and outlook, European
Safeguards Research and Development Association, ESRADA BULLETIN 36, Ispra
(2007).
234
[B-2] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Multilateral Approaches to the
Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Expert Group Report Submitted to the Director General of the
International Atomic Energy Agency, INFCIRC/640, IAEA, Vienna (2005)
http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Infcircs/2005/infcirc640.pdf
[B-3] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Communication Received from
the Resident Representative of the Russian Federation to the IAEA on the
Establishment, Structure and Operation of the International Uranium Enrichment
Centre, INFCIRC/708, IAEA, Vienna (2007).
[B-4] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Communication Received from
the Resident Representative of Germany to the IAEA with Regard to the German
Proposal on the Multilateralization of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, INFCIRC/704, IAEA,
Vienna (2007).
[B-5] WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION (WNA), Ensuring Security of Supply in the
International Fuel Cycle, London (2006)
http://www.world-nuclear.org/reference/pdf/security.pdf
[B-6] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Communication Dated 31 May
2009 Received from the Permanent Missions of France, Germany, the Netherlands,
the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
and the United States of America, GOV/INF/2006/10, IAEA, Vienna (2006).
[B-7] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Communication Dated 30 May
2007 from the Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland to the IAEA Concerning Enrichment Bonds — A Voluntary
Scheme for Reliable Access to Nuclear Fuel, INFCIRC/707, IAEA, Vienna (2007).
[B-8] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Communication Received on
12 September 2006 from the Permanent Mission of Japan to the Agency Concerning
Arrangements Assurance of Nuclear Fuel Supply, INFCIRC/683, IAEA, Vienna
(2006).
[B-9] NUCLEAR THREAT INITIATIVE, http://www.nti.org
[B-10] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Nuclear Technology Review
2006, IAEA/NTR/2006, IAEA, Vienna (2006).
[B-11] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, International Conference on
Issues and Trends in Radioactive Waste Management, Vienna, 7–11 December
(2002)
http://www-ns.iaea.org/meetings/rw-summaries/vienna-waste-trends-2002.htm
[B-12] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Developing Multinational
Radioactive Waste Repositories: Infrastructural Framework and Scenarios of
Cooperation, IAEA-TECDOC-1413, IAEA, Vienna (2004).
[B-13] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Technical, Economic and
Institutional Aspects of Regional Spent Fuel Storage Facilities,
235
ABBREVIATIONS
a year
ADS Accelerator Driven System
AFC Alkaline fuel cell
AFCI Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative
AGR Advanced gas reactor
AL Acceptance limit (INPRO)
ALARP As low as reasonably practical (social and economic factors
taken into account)
BOO Build, own and operate
BOT Build, own and transfer
BP Basic principle (INPRO)
BWR Boiling water reactor
CNS Current Nuclear System
DU Depleted uranium
EJ Exajoule (1018 Joules)
EUR European Utility Requirements
FCF Fuel cycle facility
FP Fission products
FR Fast reactor
ft Feet
GB Gigabarrels
gC/MJ Grams carbon per megajoule
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GFR Gas cooled fast reactor
GHG Greenhouse gas
GIF Generation IV International Forum
GJ Gigajoule (109 Joule)
GJ/s Gigajoule per second
g/MJ Grams per megajoule
GW Gigawatt (109 Watt)
GWP Global warming potential
HEU Highly enriched uranium
HF Human factor
HLW High level waste
237
HTGR High temperature gas reactor
HWR Heavy water reactor
I&C Instrumentation and control
ICE Internal combustion engine
ICG International Coordinating Group in INPRO
ICS Individual case study (INPRO)
ICRP International Commission on Radiological Protection
IDC Interest during construction
IGCC Integrated gasification combined cycle (coal power plant)
IIASA International Institute for Applied System Analysis
IN Indicator (INPRO)
INPRO International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel
Cycles (IAEA)
INS Innovative Nuclear Energy System (INPRO)
INSAG International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (IAEA)
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
ISED Indicator for Sustainable Energy Development (IAEA)
J Joule
J/s Joule per second
kg Kilogram (103 gram)
kJ Kilojoule (103Joule)
km Kilometer (103meter)
kW Kilowatt (103Watt)
kW·h Kilowatt-hour (103Watt-hour)
L Litre
lb/MBtu Pounds per mega (106) (British thermal unit)
LCA Life cycle assessment
LCI Life cycle inventory
LEU Low enriched uranium
LFR Lead cooled fast reactor
LMJ Laser Mega-Joule (fusion energy facility in France)
LNG Liquid natural gas
LOCA Loss of coolant accident
LWR Light water reactor
m Meter
mA Milliamp
238
mbd Million barrels per day
MBtu Mega Btu (106 Btu)
McF Million cubic feet
meV Milli-electron volt
MeV Mega-electron volt
MFA Material flow assessment
MJ Megajoule (106 Joule)
MJ/s Megajoules per second
MJ/se Megajoules per second, electrical
MNFC Multilateral fuel cycle (INPRO)
mph Miles per hour
MSR Molten salt reactor
Mt Million metric tonne
MtC Million metric tonnes of carbon
MW Megawatt (106 Watt)
NCS National Case Study (INPRO)
NGO Non-governmental organization
NII Investment needed for national infrastructure (INPRO)
NM Nuclear material
NPP Nuclear power plant
NPV Net present value
NPT Non-Proliferation Treaty
NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USA)
O&M Operation and maintenance
P&T Partitioning and transmutation
PHWR Pressurized heavy water reactor
PIRT Phenomena identification and ranking table
ppm Parts per million
PR Proliferation resistance (INPRO)
PRIS Power Reactor Information System (IAEA)
ps Picosecond (10-12 second)
PSA Probabilistic safety analysis
psi Pound per square inch
PUREX Plutonium uranium extraction process
PWR Pressurized water reactor
RBI Relative Benefit Index (INPRO)
239
RBMK Graphite moderated fuel channel reactor
RD&D Research, development and demonstration
RG Reactor grade
ROW SRES region of rest of the world (beside OECD-90, Asia and REF)
s Second
S/cm Siemens/cm (unit of ionic conductivity)
SCWR Supercritical water cooled reactor
SFR Sodium cooled fast reactor
tC Tonne of carbon
TcF Trillion cubic feet
TE Thermoelectric
TW Terawatt (1012 Watts)
TW(e) Terawatt electric
TW·h Terawatt-hour
UREX Simplified version of PUREX
UV Ultraviolet
VHTR Very high temperature (gas cooled) reactor
W Watt
240
CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW
Busurin, Y. International Atomic Energy Agency

Cherepnin, Y. NIKIET, Russian Federation
Chun, K.S. KAERI, Republic of Korea
Depisch, F. International Atomic Energy Agency
Dyck, G. AECL, Canada
Fukuda, K. International Atomic Energy Agency
Ganguly, C. International Atomic Energy Agency
Greneche, D. Cogema, France
Uchiyama, G. JNC, Japan
Weidinger, H. Siemens KWU, Germany
241

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IAEA-TECDOC-1622

Status and Trends

1.1. About INPRO

INPRO’s objectives are:

• To help to ensure that nuclear energy is available to contribute, in a sustainable manner,

INPRO’s missions are:

INPRO Membership (2008)

As of December 2008, INPRO has 28 members: Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Belgium,

FIG. 1.1. Members of INPRO in 2008.

1.2. Short history of nuclear energy

1.3. Potential of nuclear energy

1.4. Outline of the report

2.1. Short history of start of nuclear power

2.2. Current status of nuclear power

2.2.1. Current status of nuclear power worldwide

FIG. 2.1. Geographical locations of NPP in the world.

FIG. 2.2 Types of nuclear reactors in operation (2007).

2.2.2. Current status of nuclear power in Canada

2.2.3. Current status of nuclear power in China

Units Province Type Net capacity (each) Start operation* Operator

2.2.4. Current status of nuclear power in France

2.2.5. Current status of nuclear power in India

Reactor Type MW(e) net, Commercial operation Safeguards

2.2.6. Current status of nuclear power in Japan

Reactor Type Net capacity MW(e) Utility Construction start Operation*

Shimane-3 ABWR 1373 Chugoku 2006 2012

Reactor Type MW(e) Utility Start * Start *

2.2.7. Current status in the Republic of Korea

There is a continuing increase in electricity demand in the Republic of Korea. Economic

FIG. 2.4. Energy sources in the Republic of Korea.

Reactor Type Net capacity Operation

Reactor Type Net capacity Startup*

2.2.8. Current status of nuclear power in the Russian Federation

Plant Type MW(e) Status Commercial

Plant Type MW(e) Status Commercial

2.2.9. Current status of nuclear power in the USA

2.2.10. Current status of other nuclear power programmes

2.3. Development of water cooled reactors

2.3.1. WCR developments in Argentina

FIG. 2.5. CAREM PWR concept [15, 16].

2.3.2. WCR developments in Canada

FIG. 2.8. Canadian supercritical water reactor.

2.3.3. WCR development in China

In China, a 1000 MW(e) PWR is being developed called CNP1000. It is based on a

2.3.4. European WCR developments

FIG. 2.9. Main features of the EPR.

2.3.5. WCR developments in India

FIG. 2.11. Advanced heavy water reactor of 300 MW(e).

2.3.6. WCR developments in Japan

Secondary Coolant Outlet

Secondary Coolant Inlet

FIG. 2.12. ABWR II reactor pressure vessel and reactor internals.

2.3.7. WCR developments in the Republic of Korea

2.3.8. WCR developments in the Russian Federation

Several types of WCR were developed in the Russian Federation.

FIG. 2.17. Steam generator of WWER-1500.

2.3.9. WCR developments in the USA

Advanced boiling reactor (ABWR)

FIG. 2.19. AP-1000 design.