THE SHIPMENT OF RUSSIAN-ORIGIN HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM RESEARCH REACTOR SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL FROM KAZAKHSTAN

In May 2009, the Global Threat Reduction Initiative and the Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan completed a series of four shipments that returned 73.7 kilograms of Russian-origin highly enriched uranium (HEU) spent nuclear fuel from Kazakhstan’s VVR-K reactor to the Russian Federation. These shipments marked the completion of the first phase of HEU nuclear fuel shipments from Kazakhstan to Russia. The remaining HEU will be shipped as part of the second phase, which will follow the conversion of the VVR-K reactor to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. This paper discusses the planning, preparations, and coordination required to complete this important international shipment successfully.