Return of “Fresh” HEU Fuel from Latvia to Russia and Converting into Low Enriched Uranium: Cooperative Efforts, Practical Experience and Results at Luch.

As a result of Russia, United States, Latvia and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) joint activities under Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI), in May 2005 about three kilograms of “fresh” highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel were transferred from Salaspils Nuclear Reactor storage in Latvia to Russia, the country of origin. Fresh HEU fuel under constant physical protection and in compliance with safety requirements and regulations was shipped to SRI SIA “Luch” – ROSATOM facility, specified as the end user in Russia. Fuel packing and loading in containers at Salaspils Reactor site were performed accordingly to specially developed procedure jointly by Luch and Latvian staff under IAEA inspector’s control. Confirmatory measurements (item weight, enrichment) and identification numbers verifications were conducted by Luch personnel and IAEA inspectors for all HEU inventory to be transferred. Fresh fuel was placed in two certified containers, and IAEA and Luch seals were affixed. The HEU fuel shipment to Luch was performed by vehicles from Salaspils reactor to Riga’s airport, then by cargo aircraft to airport near Moscow and by vehicles to Luch. During vehicles transportations and at reloading in airports strengthened security and protection measures were provided. Opening of containers shipped to Luch, checking and verifying of fresh fuel were conducted in the presence of IAEA inspector from ROSATOM. Following the intents of ROSATOM and DOE, HEU fuel transferred from Latvia was involved in consolidation and conversion activity at Luch. For validation by U.S. of HEU downblending process consistency to low enriched uranium, appropriate monitoring procedure were developed covering feed fresh fuel, HEU oxides and final LEU oxides resulting from HEU downblending. As a result of works performed at Luch, fresh HEU fuel removed from Latvia was fully reprocessed and converted in LEU, which was delivered for Nuclear Power Station fuel production providing sufficient decreasing of proliferation risk and threats. This paper describes and summarizes issues and results of cooperative activities on transferring of HEU fuel from Latvia with its conversion to LEU performed at Luch.