Categorization of Used Nuclear Fuel Inventory in Support of a Comprehensive National Nuclear Fuel Cycle Strategy

The Department of Energy’s Office of Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) in the Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) has conducted a technical review and assessment of the total current inventory [~70,150 MTHM (metric ton of heavy metal) as of 2011] of domestic discharged used nuclear fuel (UNF) and estimated that up to ~1700 MTHM of existing commercial UNF should be considered for retention to support research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) needs and national security interests. The 70,150 MTHM includes commercial (~67,600 MTHM), highly enriched uranium (HEU) (~50 MTHM), and DOE-owned (~2500 MTHM) UNF. The remainder, ~68,450 MTHM (both DOE-owned and commercial UNF) or ~98% of the total current inventory by mass, can proceed to permanent disposal without the need to ensure retrievability for reuse or research purposes. The assumptions used for this assessment are consistent with the DOE-NE R&D Roadmap;* specifically, the time to complete the needed RD&D places commercial reprocessing availability no sooner than the 2030 time frame. This assessment does not assume any decision about future fuel cycle options or preclude any potential options, including those with potential recycling of commercial UNF, since the ~2000 MTHM that is generated annually could provide the feedstock needed for deployment of alternative fuel cycles; for example, by 2030 an additional ~40,000 MTHM of commercial UNF will have been generated.