Recent development of assurance of supply of nuclear fuel; JAEA proposal on assurance of supply of nuclear fuel

Naoi, Yosuke ; Kobayashi, Naoki ; Tazaki, Makiko 

This paper proposes basic principles and mechanisms of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)-centered AOS mechanism as a whole, delineating detailed structure of both virtual fuel reserve and physical fuel bank. Since the proposal encompasses further implementation of the Japanese proposal (INFCIRC/683), the supply to be assured are not only limited to low enriched uranium (LEU) and enrichment service, but also enhanced to LEU and important services of the front end of nuclear fuel cycle, namely uranium ore supply, uranium storage, conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication. The proposal, consequently, rearranges and redefines three levels described in "Possible framework" of IAEA Director Generals' report in June 2007 under a new name of "three phases". Several new ideas for the AOS, such as preliminary declaration by supplier states and creation of the advisory committee on the AOS are incorporated in the proposal.