The economics of uranium recycling in the LWR fuel cycle

An exact assessment of the economics of uranium recycling in the LWR fuel cycle is a complex matter as it depends on many parameters and boundary conditions. However, the recycling of reprocessed uranium (REPU) can allow for substantial savings of natural uranium (NATU) and separative work as compared to a reactor refuelling scheme which only uses freshly enriched natural uranium. Commercial and financial impacts are partly subject to factors which cannot be influenced by users, and must be assessed by interested parties as a function of their specific conditions. For this reason, they are not further examined within the scope of this paper. There are several possibilities for the recycling of REPU, the most important being via re-enrichment, and the second by using it as a carrier for MOX fuel ((U-Pu)02 fuel). A third possibility is that of blending with enriched NATU. In the case of re-enrichment, the savings depend upon the quality of the REPU, mainly the residual enrichment and the 236U content. The latter is very important as 236U is a neutron poison, and for this reason, the REPU must be enriched to a higher degree than NATU fuel of equivalent reactivity. Based upon a 1300 MWe PWR power plant, the range of possible savings through the recycling of uranium and plutonium is assessed. The production of electric power by one tonne of NATU is calculated as a function of burnup as well as the corresponding productivity increase due to recycling. This shows to be within a range of about 30 to 40%. It will be up to the involved industry to ensure conditions which will allow for lower fuel cycle costs per kWh through recycling, as compared to the open cycle. (author). 8 figs