Fuel Cycle Research and Development Program, Used Fuel Disposition Campaign Objective, Mission, Plans, and Activity Stat
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Fuel Cycle Research and Development Program, Used Fuel Disposition Campaign Objective, Mission, Plans, and Activity Status Mark Nutt1, Mark Peters1, Peter Swift2, Kevin McMahon2, Ken Sorenson2, and Patrick Schwab3 1 Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL U.S.A. 2 Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM U.S.A. 3 U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC U.S.A.
ABSTRACT The safe management and disposition of used nuclear fuel and/or high level nuclear waste is a fundamental aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle. The United States currently utilizes a once-through fuel cycle where used nuclear fuel is stored on-site in either wet pools or in dry storage systems with ultimate disposal in a deep mined geologic repository envisioned. However, a decision not to use the proposed Yucca Mountain Repository will result in longer interim storage at reactor sites than previously planned. In addition, alternatives to the oncethrough fuel cycle are being considered and a variety of options are being explored under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fuel Cycle Research and Development Program. These two factors lead to the need to develop a credible strategy for managing radioactive wastes from any future nuclear fuel cycle in order to provide acceptable disposition pathways for all wastes regardless of transmutation system technology, fuel reprocessing scheme(s), and/or the selected fuel cycle. These disposition paths will involve both the storing of radioactive material for some period of time and the ultimate disposal of radioactive waste. To address the challenges associated with waste management, the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy established the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign within its Fuel Cycle Research and Development Program in the summer of 2009. The mission of the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign is to identify alternatives and conduct scientific research and technology development to enable storage and disposal of used nuclear fuel and wastes generated by existing and future nuclear fuel cycles. The near-and long-term objectives of the Fuel Cycle Research and Development Program and it’s Used Fuel Disposition Campaign are presented. NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT To achieve energy security and greenhouse gas emission reduction objectives, the United States must develop and deploy clean, affordable, domestic energy sources as quickly as possible. Nuclear power will continue to be a key component of a portfolio of technologies that meet our energy goals. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) recently developed a roadmap of its research, development and demonstration (RD&D) activities that will ensure nuclear energy remains a compelling and viable energy option for the United States. As shown in Figure 1, DOE-NE has organized its RD&D activities according to four objectives that address the challenges to expanding the use of nuclear power. The objectives are: (1)
Extend life, improve performance, and maintain the safety of the current fleet;
(2)
Enable new plant builds
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