Investigation of JNC,s competitive position reprocessing plant design of light water reactor fuels and MOX fuel fabrication plant design in world markets

not registered; Yumoto, Ryozo; not registered; not registered; not registered

Problems were picked up by investigating how to strengthen JNC's competitive position of the fuel cycle technologies (reprocessing and MOX fabrication) in world markets. Market needs in mainly Asian countries were also investigated about plutonium utilization in light water reactors (LWRs). Legal regulations were surveyed on import, export and transport of nuclear fuels. Foreign enterprises involved in fuel reprocessing and MOX fabrication businesses were surveyed on their activities and company histories. Fundamental conditions required to a company which is going to commence and run a fuel reprocessing and MOX fuel fabrication were discussed. Technical problems were picked up concerning strengthening JNC's competitive position of reprocessing technologies by making an image of 400tons / year model plant. Cost reduction and improvement of safety are two basic indexes for pick up technical problems other indexes are simplification of process, cutting down of radioactive waste generation and so on. Accumulated amount and generation rate of spent fuels discharged from LWRs in some Asian countries were analyzed from the date of electric power consumption and share of nuclear power plant generation. Latent reprocessing demand which is caused by the pressure of big accumulations of spent fuel storage were also estimated. Then timing of commencing fuel reprocessing and MOX fuel utilizing were forecasted for Korea, Taiwan and China based on the above results.