Cost benefit analysis of concentrating fuel fabricating and reprocessing capacities in frowing nuclear power

A cost benefit analysis of several strategies to locate fuel fabrication and chemical reprocessing plants in the conditions of developing nuclear power based on fast breeder reactors with oxide fuel has been conducted. Three strategies are considered: dispersed location and centralized locations with and without reserved capacities. The calculations are based on an economic present-worth functional. The dependences of the capital and fuel fabrication and processing costs on the productivity of corresponding plants have been obtained. The strategy based on the centralized location with permanetly available reserved capacities is concluded to be superior to the others. The conclusion is insensitive to technologies of fuel reprocessing and shipment, waste disposal and possible plutonium price variations