Options, Experience and Trends in Spent Nuclear Fuel Management

Spent fuel management encompasses all the activities associated with the handling, transport, storage, processing and eventual disposal of spent nuclear fuel following its discharge from the reactor. The time-scale for commitment to the safe management of spent fuel is expected to be several decades, until such time as the eventual disposal arrangements have been engineered. The purpose of this document is to assist Member States to establish policies and national arrangements for spent fuel management in a structured and timely manner. Contents: 1. Introduction; 2. Policy considerations and spent fuel management; 3. Regulatory framework for spent nuclear fuel management systems; 4. Making a choice between options; 5. Reprocessing technology; 6. Disposal technology; 7. Storage technology; 8. Conclusions.