International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) activities on spent fuel management options
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Vienna (Austria)
Many countries have in the past several decades opted for storage of spent fuel for undefined periods of time. They have adopted the 'wait and see' strategy for spent fuel management. A relatively small number of countries have adopted reprocessing and use of MOX fuel as part of their strategy in spent fuel management. From the 10, 000 tonnes of heavy metal that is removed annually from nuclear reactors throughout the world, only approximately 30 % is currently being reprocessed. Continuous re-evaluation of world energy resources, announcement of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) and the Russian initiative to form international nuclear centers, including reprocessing, are changing the stage for future development of nuclear energy. World energy demand is expected to more than double by 2050, and expansion of nuclear energy is a key to meeting this demand while reducing pollution and greenhouse gases. Since its foundation, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has served as an interface between countries in exchanging information on the peaceful development of nuclear energy and at the same time guarding against proliferation of materials that could be used for nuclear weapons. The IAEA's Department of Nuclear Energy has been generating technical documents, holding meetings and conferences, and supporting technical cooperation projects to facilitate this exchange of information. This paper focuses on the current status of IAEA activities in the field of spent fuel management being carried out by the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology. Information on those activities could be found on the web site link www.iaea.org/OurWork/ST/NE/NEFW/nfcms. To date, the IAEA has given priority in its spent fuel management activities to supporting Member States in their efforts to deal with growing accumulations of spent power reactor fuel. There is technical consensus that the present technologies for spent fuel storage, wet and dry, provide adequate protection to people and environment. As storage durations grow, the IAEA has expanded its work related to the implications of extended storage periods. Operation and maintenance of containers for storage and transport have also been investigated related to long term storage periods. In addition, as international interest in reprocessing of spent fuel increases, the IAEA continues to serve as a crossroads for sharing the latest developments in spent fuel treatment options. A Coordinated Research Project is currently addressing spent fuel performance assessment and research to evaluate long term effects of storage on spent fuel. The effect of increased burnup and mixed oxide fuels on spent fuel management is also the focus of interest as it follows the trend in optimizing the use of nuclear fuel. Implications of damaged fuel on storage and transport as well as burnup credit in spent fuel applications are areas that the IAEA is also investigating. Since spent fuel management considerations require social stability and institutional control, those aspects are taken into account in most IAEA activities. Data requirements and records management as storage durations extend were also investigated as well as the potential for regional spent fuel storage facilities. Spent fuel management activities continue to be coordinated with others in the IAEA to ensure compliance and consistency with efforts in the Department of Safety and Security and the Department of Safeguards, as well as with activities related to geologic disposal. Either disposal of radioactive waste or spent fuel will be an ultimate consideration in all spent fuel management options. Updated information on spent fuel treatment options that include fuel reprocessing as well as transmutation of minor actinides are investigated to optimize the use of nuclear fuel and minimize impact on environment. Tools for spent fuel management economics are also investigated to facilitate assessment of industrial applicability for these options. Most IAEA spent fuel management activities will ultimately be reported in one of the IAEA technical publications (available at http://www.iaea.org/Publications/index.html). In addition, to the above activities, the Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section maintain a database and information system as a resource to Member States. During their annual reviews of IAEA spent fuel management activities, Member States have confirmed that the Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology Division will continue to have a role in rendering an impact on the sustainability of long term spent fuel management options. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9 - 332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21294615
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-09-WM-07023; TRN: US10V0019040805
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM'07: 2007 Waste Management Symposium - Global Accomplishments in Environmental and Radioactive Waste Management: Education and Opportunity for the Next Generation of Waste Management Professionals, Tucson, AZ (United States), 25 Feb - 1 Mar 2007; Other Information: Country of input: France; 11 refs
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BURNUP
CONTAINERS
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
IAEA
MEMBER STATES
MIXED OXIDE FUELS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RECORDS MANAGEMENT
REPROCESSING
SPENT FUEL STORAGE
SPENT FUELS
WASTE TRANSPORTATION