On-site Laboratories of Euratom: Ten Years of Excellent Results and Time to Renew

Year
2011
Author(s)
Y. Aregbe - Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements
P. Schwalbach - European Commission
K. Casteleyn - Institute for the Transuranium Elements
A. Le Terrier - European Commission – Joint Research Centre
P. van Belle - European Commission – Joint Research Centre
T. Enright - European Commission – Joint Research Centre
E. Zuleger - European Commission – Joint Research Centre
K. R. Luetzenkirchen - European Commission – Joint Research Centre
Maurizio Boella - European Commission, Directorate General for Energy
S. Synetos - European Commission
P. Chare - European Commission, Directorate General for Energy, Directorate Nuclear Safeguards
Abstract
In the European Union, nuclear material is reprocessed from irradiated power reactor fuel at two sites – La Hague in France and Sellafield in the UK. An analysis of options to perform nuclear material accountancy concluded that sampling from the process streams would be required. To this end, Euratom on-site analytical laboratories were installed in both places in 1999/2000. The paper describes the analytical strategy, the performance, the operational experience of the laboratories as well as the status of refurbishment activities.