Spent Fuel Storage Overviews on a Worldwide Basis

Spent nuclear fuel is indeed in the very center of the discussions about energy, environment, and security. In this context, the IAEA has played an important role since it was created upon the initiative of President Eisenhower as a response to his call for Atoms for Peace. The IAEA has, at present, 130 member states that share the interest in the peaceful use of the atom. However, related to nuclear energy and the fuel cycle, their interests may differ considerably. It is evident that with regard to the peaceful use of the atom, the member states consider the issue of spent-nuclear fuel very important. There are not only the countries with installed nuclear power programs that have an interest in nuclear fuel issues, but also those considering embarking on nuclear power. There are those that do not have nuclear power but are located along or close to transport routes of spent fuel and those that have potential or actual fuel-cycle facilities close to their borders. In the first part, the spent fuel arising (globally and per region) is assessed and put in balance with the storage capacities available, in the second part, some information is given on the status of AFR-storage facilities in different countries.