Nuclear proliferation and civilian nuclear power: report of the Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program. Executive summary
The Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program (NASAP) assessed alternative nuclear systems to find those with the lowest proliferation risk. The findings of the NASAP studies are: current and future nuclear-power systems can be made more proliferation-resistant. As long as doubts about security and fuel supply remain, more resource-efficient (and potentially less proliferation-resistant) systems will be attractive to some nations. Under some scenarios, domestic uranium supply/demand imbalances are possible beyond the year 2010. The worldwide uranium supply/demand balance is even less certain than the domestic picture. Other nuclear resources are less of a problem than uranium. Doubts about fuel supply can be alleviated in several ways. The approaches available to provide security of supply fall into three categories: resource extenders; supply improvements; and institutional and technical measures. Resource extension options include improvements to once-through cycles, advanced converters, recycle, and breeder reactors. The most promising resource extension options are light water reactor improvements (including reduced enrichment tails assay) and continued development of the plutonium-fueled breeder reactors. Uranium-supply initiatives include measures to reduce uncertainty in the estimated size of the resource base, to exploit it efficiently, and to ensure equitable access. An international nonproliferation regime will require institutional measures and technical approaches.
- Research Organization:
- US Department of Energy (USDOE), Washington DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5536575
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NE-0001(Exec.Summ.); TRN: 80-003015
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Nuclear proliferation and civilian nuclear power. Report of the Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program. Volume I. Program summary
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