Warehousing of nuclear fuel: pools and their stakes. White Paper VII of the Anccli, October 2021

Whereas nuclear fuel warehousing pools have become a matter of concern for some years (Fukushima accident, project of a centralized warehousing pool, densification of Orano's pools in La Hague, lifetime extension for 900 MW PWRs, public debate on the management of nuclear materials and wastes), after an overview of the French fuel cycle management in France, of the different nuclear fuel types, and of the role of warehousing pools and of the associated issues, this White Paper aims at providing an overview of the situation and of its stakes, and at raising questions about issues which are matter of divergent views. It first discusses the role of these pools (reduction of thermal power and warehousing before or after definitive storage), presents the three existing pool types in France, and the project of centralised warehousing pool. Then, it discusses the associated safety issues, and strategic stakes related to spent fuel management