Chair(s): |
Hamid AIT ABDERRAHIM, Belgium |
Secretary: |
Gabriele GRASSI (gabriele.grassi@oecd-nea.org) |
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Member(s): | All NEA member countries* | ||
Russia (Suspended*) | |||
*Russian Federation suspended pursuant to a decision of the OECD Council. | |||
Full participant(s): |
European Commission Under the NEA Statute | ||
Observer(s)(International Organisation): |
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) By agreement | ||
Date of creation: | 01 April 2021 | ||
End of mandate: | 31 March 2023 |
Mandate (Document reference):
Mandate (Document extract):
Extract from document [NEA/SEN/NSC(2022)6/FINAL]
Background[1]
Nuclear power produces eleven percent of the world’s electricity today. Nuclear power plants are recognised to produce virtually no greenhouse gases nor air pollutants during their operation – and the emissions over their entire life cycle are very low. Nuclear energy can play a significant role in achieving a low-carbon energy mix in many regions of the world as of today and for decades to come, with a huge potential to contribute in particular to the decarbonisation of the power sector. However, many uncertainties weigh on the future role of nuclear energy, as concern for escalating costs arises and historical challenges such as spent fuel and radioactive waste management persist. In Europe, 2 500t of spent fuel are discharged annually from reactors containing uranium (U), plutonium (Pu), minor actinides (MAs) – namely neptunium (Np), americium (Am) and curium (Cm) – and fission products (FPs). The long-term management of waste at the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle remains one of the most critical issues affecting the acceptance of nuclear power and consequently challenges the global expansion of nuclear power. Spent fuel can be reprocessed or not, depending on national fuel cycle options and waste management policies. Only 1 200t of the 2 500t of spent fuel produced annually in Europe are processed to recover and recycle plutonium (12t) and potentially uranium (U) (1 140t), the remaining 48t (MAs and FPs) being vitrified (nuclear glass). Currently, the reference option is to dispose of waste (spent fuel and/or nuclear glass) in engineered disposal facilities located in suitable geological formations.
Advanced Fuel Cycles can be defined as any fuel cycle operating with Gen IV reactors and other advanced concepts [e.g. Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFR), Lead-alloy-cooled Fast Reactors (LFR), Gas-cooled Fast Reactors (GFR), Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTR), Molten Salt Reactors (MSR) and Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS)] – and emerging concepts with innovative fuel management options (hydro-/pyro-reprocessing, Pu burning/multi-recycling, MA transmutation, etc.). Advanced Fuel Cycles are based upon the following four pillars:
Advanced Fuel Cycles are unique in the sense that the whole system is intrinsically interconnected (fuel cycle, reactors and fuels, and fuel treatment).
Advanced Fuel Cycles can also enable better use of natural resources while minimising proliferation concerns, as well as the volume and longevity of nuclear waste. Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T) has been pointed out in numerous studies as the strategy that can relax constraints on geological disposal, e.g. by reducing both the waste radiotoxicity and the footprint of the underground facility. Therefore, a special effort has been made to investigate the potential role of P&T and the related options for waste management along the fuel cycle. Transmutation based on critical or sub-critical fast spectrum transmuters should be assessed in terms of its technical and economic feasibility and its capacity at pre-industrial scale, which could ease deep geological disposal implementation.
Although R&D on advanced fuel cycle technologies has been carried out for a few decades, there is consensus within the international community that a complete programme is needed to demonstrate the feasibility of a closed fuel cycle, safely and with the aim of industrial maturity. Indeed, most technologies for advanced transuranic (TRU) management strategies – e.g. Pu multi-recycling and MA transmutation – need to achieve a higher level of technological and economic development before they can be deployed at industrial scale. Further efforts are needed in the following areas:
Scope
The TF-FCPT will cover different advanced fuel cycles and P&T options, with consideration for all existing and emerging technologies.
Objective
Under the guidance of the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC), the TF-FCPT will produce a “High-level Report” to serve as a comprehensive reference paper covering the technological, economic and societal aspects of Advanced Fuel Cycles.
The “High-level Report” will:
In addition to the preparation of the paper, the review of existing documents will lead to the creation of a library of published documents addressing the benefits of P&T, and technical challenges and developments in the field.
Based on the recommendations, the TF-FCPT can provide guidance on establishing a joint experimental programme.
Working Methods
The TF-FCPT will report to the NSC. Regular remote meetings will be organised to ensure progress of work.
Interactions
The TF-FCPT will liaise closely with the NSC Working Party on Scientific Issues of Advanced Fuel Cycles (WPFC), the Committee for Technical and Economic Studies on Nuclear Energy Development and the Fuel Cycle (NDC), the NEA Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) established by the NEA Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC), and the Generation-IV International Forum (GIF).
Deliverables
The deliverables of the TF-FCPT are:
[1] Partly based on Hamid Aït Abderrahim et al., “Partitioning and transmutation contribution of MYRRHA to an EU strategy for HLW management and main achievements of MYRRHA related FP7 and H2020 projects: MYRTE, MARISA, MAXSIMA, SEARCH, MAX, FREYA, ARCAS”, EPJ Nuclear Sci. Technol. 6, 33 (2020)