WHITHER THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE

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WHITHER THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE?

• EVELYNE BERTEL AND PETER WILMER
• OECD NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY

World Nuclear AssociationEnergy for Sustainable
Development2002 Annual Symposium - 4-6 September
2002
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TODAYS CONTEXTOF NUCLEAR ENERGY

• ESTABLISHED TECHNOLOGY.
• DEVELOPING COMPETITIONIN ELECTRICITY MARKETS.
• SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
• PROSPECT OF NEW PLANT DESIGNSAND ASSOCIATED FUEL
  CYCLES.

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FRONT-ENDOF THE FUEL CYCLE

• URANIUM PRODUCTION.
• CONVERSION.
• ENRICHMENT.
• FABRICATION.
• TRANSPORT.

COMPETITIVE MARKET -IMPERFECT BUT APPARENTLY
EFFECTIVE.
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BACK-ENDOF THE FUEL CYCLE

• STORAGE.
• REPROCESSING/CONDITIONING.
• DISPOSAL.
• TRANSPORT.

STRONG GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT.
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GEOLOGICAL DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE IS
INEVITABLE.

• ULTIMATE SOCIETAL/GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY.

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RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT

• IS WASTE DISPOSALA WEAK OR STRONG ASPECT?
• WHAT SCALE OF DEMONSTRATION IS NEEDED TO RESPOND
  TO SOCIAL CONCERNS?
• WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF DELAY?

SPENT FUEL STORAGE IS HERE TO STAY.
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IS PARTITIONING AND TRANSMUTATION REALISTIC?

• NEEDS INNOVATIONCONSIDERABLE RD STILL
  NECESSARY.
• gt100 YEARS TO EXPLOIT ITS FULL POTENTIAL.
• CHALLENGES ARE GREAT.
• BENEFITS DEPEND ON REPOSITORY CONCEPT GENERALLY
  SMALL.
• ECONOMICS.

UNCERTAINTYCASE STILL NEEDS TO BE MADE.
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FUEL CYCLES LINKED TO EVOLUTIONARY AND INNOVATIVE
NUCLEAR PLANTS

SCOPE FOR CHANGE IS CLEARLY IMMENSEMORE
SELECTION TO FOLLOW.
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CONCLUSIONS

• CURRENT FRONT-END FUEL CYCLE IS DEVELOPING WELL
  IN RESPONSETO MARKET NEEDS.
• CURRENT BACK-END FUEL CYCLE PROGRESSIS GENERALLY
  SLOW AND UNCERTAIN. HOW MUCH DOES THIS MATTER?
• MOST INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY CALLSFOR MUCH RD,
  VERY HIGH TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE AND A LONG TIME.

INTEREST IN THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLEIS UNLIKELY TO
WITHER ? ?