1. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 1 of 18 Session I.4.9j Part I Review of Fundamentals Module 4Sources of Radiation Session 9jFuel Cycle – High Level Waste Disposal IAEA Post Graduate Educational Course Radiation Protection and Safe Use of Radiation Sources

2. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 2 of 18 High Level Waste Disposal

3. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 3 of 18 High Level Waste Disposal

4. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 4 of 18 High Level Waste - HLW  Refers to long-life wastes from reprocessing (“first- cycle aqueous raffinate”) except in USA where there is currently no reprocessing  From Purex reprocessing, one 175 liter can containing 150 liters of HLW glass from 2 MTHM of SNF (better than 5:1 volume reduction)  DOE vitrified HLW uses 625 liter can  Dry storage of HLW containers

5. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 5 of 18 Vitrified High Level Waste Loading silos with canisters containing vitrified high ‑ level waste in UK, each disc on the floor covers a silo holding ten canisters

6. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 6 of 18 USA SNF/HLW Disposal  NWPA and amended NWPA set up fee program for SNF and HLW disposal process  Since 1987, focus has been on Yucca Mountain, NV  NRC regulates - EPA sets offsite standards  DOE signed contracts with utilities to start taking SNF by January 1998  did not occur  Utilities filed lawsuits for Billions NWPA = Nuclear Waste Policy Act

7. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 7 of 18 Yucca Mountain Nevada USA

8. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 8 of 18 Yucca Mountain Nevada USA

9. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 9 of 18 NorthPortal Yucca Mountain Nevada USA

10. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 10 of 18 Yucca Mountain Nevada USA

11. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 11 of 18 HLW Disposal Cannisters

12. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 12 of 18 What are the Economics?  U.S. Program: fee - “tax” - on nuclear electricity  $17 B in fees collected, $7 B spent  No waste buried yet  $56 B current estimated cost  Europe: $10 B (each) at La Hague and Sellafield  “rumored” to be economic at $500-600/kg HM  new contracts at $1,000-1,200/kg HM  Once charged circa $1,800-2,000/kg HM  Numbers large but dwarfed by other nuclear costs

13. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 13 of 18 Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP) Transuranic Waste Disposal

14. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 14 of 18 Transuranic Waste Disposal

15. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 15 of 18 Transuranic Waste Disposal

16. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 16 of 18 Typical for the operation of a 1000 MWe nuclear power reactor Mining22,400 tonnes of 1% uranium ore Milling 280 tonnes of uranium oxide concentrate (224 t U) Conversion 331 tonnes UF 6 (with 224 t U) Enrichment 35 tonnes UF 6 (with 24 t enriched U, balance is tails) Fuel Fabrication 27 tonnes UO 2 (with 24 t enriched U) Reactor Operation7,000 million kWh of electricity Spent Fuel27 tonnes containing 240kg plutonium, 23 t uranium (0.8% U-235), 720kg fission products, also transuranics Material Balance in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

17. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 17 of 18 The Uranium Institute http://www.uilondon.org The Uranium Information Centre http://www.uic.com.au Institute for Energy and Environmental Research http://www.ieer.org Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (HHS) http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov Australian Academy of Science http://www.science.org.au Where to Get More Information

18. 4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9j – slide 18 of 18 World Information Service on Energy (WISE Uranium Project) http://www.antenna.nl/~wise/uranium/ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) http://www.iaea.or.at/worldatom/publications/earthsci/ugem.html US DOE Environmental Management http://www.em.doe.gov/idb96/sect5.html USDOE Energy Information Administration http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/uia/USNRCwww.nrc.gov Where to Get More Information