The
UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority revealed June 27 that in addition
to exploring the use of the GE Hitachi Prism fast reactor for plutonium
disposition, it is also in talks with Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL)
for burning the NDA’s plutonium stockpiles in MOX fuel in a Candu
reactor to be built in the UK.
The
government’s stated preferred option for disposing of the UK’s 112
tonnes of civil plutonium is to re-use the plutonium in mixed
uranium-plutonium oxide (MOX) fuel for burning in light water reactors.
But in February, the NDA
requested proposals for alternatives to the preferred option, and acknowledged it was
engaged in talks with GE Hitachi, who was offering its Prism fast reactor for use in plutonium disposition.
The
statement issued by the NDA June 27 was the first time NDA has
acknowledged it was in discussions with additional parties, apart from
GE Hitachi, who were offering alternatives to the government’s preferred
option.
The
idea of re-using the plutonium as MOX fuel in a Candu-6 reactor was
included in the NDA’s 2010 credible options study, but at the time it
was assumed the idea would require extensive international shipments of
MOX fuel to Canada and the return of spent fuel, as there are no Candu
reactors in operation in the UK.
The
Canadian reactor design, which uses heavy water as a moderator, rather
than light water, is in use in Canada and in India, Pakistan, Argentina,
South Korea, Romania and China.
But
according to the NDA’s June 27 statement, the proposal currently being
discussed with AECL involves “UK deployment of its Enhanced CANDU-6
reactor and associated facilities to provide a solution for Plutonium
disposition.”
NDA
said it had received a total of four responses to its February request
for proposals seeking alternatives for plutonium disposition and that it
has carried out further discussions with only two of the four – GE
Hitachi and AECL.
It didn’t identify the other two proposals.
“NDA
undertook initial discussions with each respondent and considered that
there was merit in progressing two of the alternative proposals
alongside development of reuse as MOX in Light Water Reactors.
“Further
detailed discussions have taken place and NDA has subsequently engaged
General Electric-Hitachi (GEH) and Candu to provide further information
regarding their proposals,” NDA said.
“It
is anticipated that the work on both proposals agreed at this stage
will be concluded later this year. NDA will subsequently assess the
information and consider how best to proceed with alternative proposals
alongside the preferred option of reuse as MOX,” the NDA said.—David Stellfox
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