Returning HEU Fuel from the Czech Republic to Russia
In December 1999, representatives from the United States, Russian Federation, and International Atomic Energy Agency began working on a program to return Russian supplied, highly enriched, uranium fuel stored at foreign research reactors to Russia. Now, under the Global Threat Reduction Initiative’s Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return Program, this effort has repatriated over 800 kg of highly enriched uranium to Russia from over 10 countries. In May 2004, the “Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning Cooperation for the Transfer of Russian Produced Research Reactor Nuclear Fuel to the Russian Federation” was signed. This agreement provides legal authority for the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return Program and establishes parameters whereby eligible countries may return highly enriched uranium spent and fresh fuel assemblies and other fissile materials to Russia. On December 8, 2007, one of the largest shipments of highly enriched uranium spent nuclear fuel was successfully made from a Russian-designed nuclear research reactor in the Czech Republic to the Russian Federation. This accomplishment is the culmination of years of planning, negotiations, and hard work. The United States, Russian Federation, and the International Atomic Energy Agency have been working together. In February 2003, Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return Program representatives met with the Nuclear Research Institute in Rež, Czech Republic, and discussed the return of their highly enriched uranium spent nuclear fuel to the Russian Federation for reprocessing. Nearly 5 years later, the shipment was made. This article discusses the planning, preparations, coordination, and cooperation required to make this important international shipment.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE - NE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1000271
- Report Number(s):
- INL/JOU-09-16212
- Journal Information:
- Radwaste Solutions, Journal Name: Radwaste Solutions Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 16
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Planning, Preparation, and Transport of the High-Enriched Uranium Spent Nuclear Fuel from the Czech Republic to the Russian Federation
Global threat reduction initiative Russian nuclear material removal progress
Related Subjects
Czech Republic
FISSILE MATERIALS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
IAEA
NUCLEAR FUELS
PLANNING
REPROCESSING
RESEARCH REACTORS
Russian Federation
Russian research reactor
URANIUM
VPVR/M cask
highly enriched uranium
shipment
spent nuclear fuel