INTEGRATED NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT AT BNFL'S SPRINGFIELDS BULK HANDLING FACILITY

BNFL Fuel Division's Springfields Works is a bulk handling facility processing low enriched, natural and depleted uranium. Natural uranium ore concentrate is converted to uranium hexafluoride for delivery to enrichment facilities around the world and to uranium metal for fabrication in to Magnox fuel elements for the UK's first generation nuclear stations and for the Tokai Mura reactor in Japan. Low enriched uranium, primarily received as UF6 product from enrichment facilities is processed through to finished Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor (AGR) and Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) fuel assemblies for use in UK reactors. Intermediate products such as powder, granules and pellets are also produced and exported to a variety of customers in both Europe and the Far East. In order to fulfil its legal, regulatory, contractual and operational requirement BNFL has developed an integrated nuclear materials management system, centred around its computerised Nuclear Materials Information System, NUMIS. ACCOUNTANCY SYSTEM