HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL SHIPMENT FROM LATVIA

In May 2008 the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) and the State Hazardous Waste Management Agency of Latvia completed a shipment returning 14.4 kilograms of highly enriched uranium (HEU) spent nuclear fuel from the Salaspils Research Reactor in Latvia to the Russian Federation. The rail shipment required the cooperation of several national and international organizations and resulted in the complete removal of all HEU from Latvia. This paper discusses the legal framework, organizational structure, preparation, and coordination required to complete this important international shipment successfully, and notes several lessons learned that can be applied to future HEU spent fuel shipments.