REPROCESSING IN THE UK

In Europe, and particularly England, reprocessing has been an integral part of the nuclear fuel cycle since its inception. Historically this need was driven by the early military programs, like those in the US. As the industry evolved the early decisions on reactor type and fuel supply took the reprocessing process into much larger scale. The decisions to pursue foreign reprocessing commercial contracts helped to drive the technology and efficiency of the Purex process forward. The result was a fairly large international reprocessing community. While the US approach of ‘too risky, too expensive or too easy to divert material argued against commercial reprocessing succeeding the balance of the international community got on with the job and developed plants and processes to address those concerns. The result of 50 years of technological development are modern, ALARA reprocessing plants with known operational costs and through puts, minimized waste streams and robust waste management plants. While it is recognized that costs are important, the products of reprocessing are finding there way back into the fuel cycle. There is an active flow of reprocessed uranium (UO3) being converted to enriched hex and fabricated into new fuel and obviously there is MOX production which is providing a route for the irradiation of the recovered plutonium. The waste products are now vitrified high level waste and either compacted or cemented intermediate level waste. Admittedly the high level waste still requires an ultimate long term disposal, but the homogeneity and compact reduced volume of the glass makes the job less difficult. Finally, as the plants and process evolve new techniques and technologies continue to be applied to further reduce the volumes of waste produced. One of the interesting aspects of GNEP is the continued push for increases in proliferation resistance. While England and France are both nuclear weapons states their commercial reprocessing plants are subject to national, European and IAEA safeguards standards and inspections. The integration of THORP and its associated MOX plant are cited as examples of how plants should be built from a safeguards standpoint. The new plant now starting in Japan will also be subject to national and IAEA standards and inspections. Research and development continues in the on the next generations of reprocessing plants and operations to allow the growth and improvements in the next generation of nuclear power plants, especially looking at higher burn-up fuels and the treatment of irradiate MOX fuel. But the research and development activities are tied to growth in nuclear industry and have fuel management solutions that keep pace with new fuel cycles. And finally, the transport of used fuel, high level waste and even MOX are nearly routine in Europe and Japan. While there are protests, there is also a well established operational regime to both answers the questions raised and demonstrated the operational safety aspects of International Transport programs.