1. Prospective inventory of radioactive materials
and waste produced by the French nuclear fleet according to different plutonium multiple
recycling options in the frame of the French law for waste management
AIEA Conference – Vienna – June, 26th 2019
C. Chabert , E. Touron, A. Saturnin, F. Courtin, G. Krivtchik, Ph. Miranda, G. Martin, JL. Girotto with the collaboration of French industrial partners EDF, ORANO, FRAMATOME
Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission -

2. CONTEXT
In accordance with the French Act of 28 June 2006 on the sustainable management of radioactive materials and waste, the CEA in partnership with EDF, Orano and Framatome, has studied prospective scenarios using different fuel cycle options:
Open cycle,
Mono-recycling of plutonium and uranium in PWRs (current option for the French nuclear power fleet),
Multiple recycling of reusable materials in SFRs
Multiple recycling of plutonium in PWRs
The results of this study has been submitted by the CEA to the Ministry of Energy within the scope of Article 51 of the Ministerial Order dated 23 February on the French National Radioactive Materials and Waste Management Plan (PNGMDR).

3. FUEL CYCLE TRANSITION SCENARIOS
Progressive implementation of SFRs through successive phases:
Each phase envolves the more significant deployment of fast reactors with its own growth objective
Phase 0: hypothetical French fleet having in an open cycle configuration only

4. FUEL CYCLE TRANSITION SCENARIOS
However, SFRs may not become economically competitive in the next few decades as uranium resources would remain readily available
Advanced fuel technologies, called CORAIL-2000 and MIX, are applied to enable multiple recycling of plutonium in standard PWRs
The main objectives of these scenarios consist in stabilizing the plutonium inventory as well as all spent fuel stockpiles

5. MULTI-RECYCLING CONCEPTS In PWRs
CORAIL and MIX concepts studied in CEA near 2000
CORAIL assembly design with 84 MOX rods
Heterogeneous concept
2 types of rods within assemblies:
UOX and MOX
U235 fixed (~5%) and Pu ajusted to compensate the Pu isotopic degradation (<12%)
Pu consumption ≈ 0kg/TWhe
MIX assembly
- Homogeneous concept
1 type of rods within assemblies
MOX rods with a support of enriched
uranium to compensate for the
degradation of the Pu isotopy
Constant Pu content,
3 cases in our study (8%, 9,54%,12%)
Pu consumption ≈ -43kg/TWhe (MIX 9,54%)

6. Assumptions Few assumptions
The nuclear energy production remains steady at its current level, about 420TWhe/y
The starting point is the actual situation (with 58 PWR)
A lifespan of 60 years for future reactors (PWR and FR)
A lifespan of 50 years for the fuel cycle plants (La Hague/Melox facilities renewal near 2040)
For the FR fleet, the CFV core concept (low sodium void effect) (CEA) is considered
(600MWe, 1GWe and 1,45GWe)
For scenarios involving the progressive deployment of SFRs:
Start-up of commercial SFRs: 25 years after the industrial commissioning of the demonstrator
(assumed in this study to be in 2039), i.e. in the mid-2060s
This timescale takes into account the need for sufficient feedback from the operation of
the demonstrator and for realistic lead times for technical and regulatory actions
For scenarios involving the multiple recycling of Pu in PWRs:
The industrial deployment of CORAIL and MIX concepts would be theoretically possible
in 2045
A timescale that seems at this stage in the studies to be reasonable, allowing qualification
of these new fuel products.

7. FR deployment Main characteristics for each phasesA B C D2 D1
Open cycle (0)
Fraction of SFRs in the fleet 0%
4.5%
31%
73%
100%
Unat consumption
(t/year)
6000
5700
3400
7500
Pu inventory
 7.2
 6.8
Stabilised
 9.9
Minor actinide inventory (t/year)
 3.3
 3.1
 4.4
 3.4
 2.3
 2.7
Increase in the spent fuel inventory (t/y)
180
130
950
The transition from phase A to phase D improves - at each phase - the quantities which are characteristic of the sustainable management of materials
Each phase makes its possible to improve the industrial maturity of the fast reactors whose integration into phase B remains very minor (4,5% of the fleet)

8. Multiple recycling of Pu in PWRs –
Multiple recycling of Pu in PWRs – Main characteristics for each phases
Multi-recycling of Pu in PWRs can lead to additional savings in uranium
resources up to about 10% compared with the current once-through recycling
in a configuration where reprocessed uranium is recycled
(for a total exceeding 25% compared with an open fuel cycle)
MIX/ CORAIL concepts enable to recycle all spent fuel and stabilize Pu inventory

9. Fuel cycle transition scenarios scenarios involving the progressive deployment of SFRs
Scenario ABCD1 involves the successive deployment of all phases,
starting with phase A (once-through recycling of Pu in PWRs), then
phase B (stabilisation of spent PWR MOX by recycling in a few SFRs),
followed by phase C (stabilisation of the Pu inventory using a symbiotic
PWR-SFR fleet), and finally phase D1 (100% SFR fleet)
Scenario ABCD2 ends with a hybrid fleet comprising SFRs and 100% MOX PWRs
Scenario ABD2 : an alternative to scenario ABCD2 where deployment of D2 is accelerated
(this scenario could apply in the case where the price of natural uranium rises rapidly or
there is a shortage of natural uranium).

10. scenarios involving the progressive deployment of SFRs - MAIN RESULTS
Open cycle
Open cycle
Once-recycling
Once-recycling
Multi-recycling
Multi-recycling
Unat consumption decreased until 0
Pu inventory stabilized
Open cycle
Open cycle
Once-recycling
ABCD1
ABCD2
ABD2
Once-recycling
Multi-recycling
Phase C: spent fuel inventory stabilized

11. scenarios involving the multiple recycling of Pu in pwrs
Scenarios implementing MIX/CORAIL concepts
Example: concept MIX 9,54% Pu associated with ERU EPR

12. Natural uranium consumption
Self-sufficiency with respect to natural uranium can only be achieved by opting for the closed fuel cycle, i.e. deployment of SFRs
Compared with scenario A, the consumption of natural uranium in the MIX/CORAIL scenarios without ERU management is always higher by about 10 to 15% depending on the Pu content
In a configuration where reprocessed U is recycled, the multiple recycling of Pu in PWRs can lead to additional savings in U resources

13. Stabilization of spent fuels and of the plutonium inventory
Stabilization of the total SF quantity near 2060
Stabilization of the Pu inventory
 achieved from ~ 2060 in all presented scenarios
But the Pu multi-recycling in PWRs increases the production of minor actinides
up to t/year (vs. 3.3 t/year for “step A": increase ~ 30%)

14. Waste and geological disposal
The waste disposal surface area required for the different options has been assessed in terms
of the thermo-hydro mechanical (THM) and thermal design criteria
relying on data provided by Andra, corresponding to current hypothesis of CIGEO project
This study does not pre-empt the location of the disposal site for the waste considered,
nor any evolution or optimisations of the disposal design
For this study: clayey rock similar to the layer of argillaceous rock studied in the
Meuse/ Haute-Marne region for the Cigéo project
Surface area required for HLW for a period of 60 years
and after an interim storage periode of 80 years
A large quantity of spent fuel emitting high thermal releases in phases 0, A and B will also require disposal and thus a large disposal surface area

15. MAIN conclusions
CEA in collaboration with EDF, Framatome and Orano has studied the industrial feasibility of scenarios involving the progressive deployment of multiple recycling of Pu in French sodium fast reactors and also in PWRs
A deployment of about 4,5% of SFR (~3 GWe) in the French fleet would be sufficient to stabilise the interim storage of spent PWR MOX fuel (Phase B)
It is possible to stabilise the Pu inventory by deploying a symbiotic PWR-SFR fleet with about 30% of SFR in the fleet (Phase C)
A full deployment of SFR or a mixed fleet comprising 75% breeder FRs and 25% PWR fuelled with 100% MOX allows our independance on natural uranium resources (Phase D)
This independance could be reached about 60 years earlier with a faster deployment of SFR ( Scenario ABD compared ABCD)

16. MAIN conclusions
Recycling of Pu with MIX and CORAIL fuel assemblies in PWRs by the middle
of the century could lead to a stabilization of spent fuel and plutonium inventories
Small savings on U resource consumption may be reached only when considering
the recycling of reprocessed U into ERU fuels
Industrial feasibility is under evaluation
(requires adaptations of the fuel cycle plants or even new facilities according
to design and fuel capacity manufacturing and treatment)
Waste disposal footprint:
- only the disposal surface area required for vitrified waste packages has
been estimated, considering current hypothesis of the French disposal project
These studies are still ongoing in collaboration with Andra to estimate the
surface area required to dispose of the non-recycled spent fuels