Outline of J-MOX program and safety measures

JNFL MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant (J-MOX) is aimed to fabricate MOX fuel for domestic light water power reactors. The application for the license to operate the plant was submitted to the Japanese Government from JNFL in April 2005 and the safety assessment has been taken place by the national authority since then. J-MOX has 130 tHM capability to provide MOX fuel annually and is to be constructed adjacent to the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant and is planed to start its operation in 2012 after its construction for five years. The plutonium is recovered with uranium as co-converted MOX powder according to the Japanese non-proliferation policy and this powder is brought in J-MOX as a feed material. This point is different from the European MOX plants that use 100% plutonium. Although J-MOX is achieved with domestic technology of both MOX and uranium fuel fabrication as a base, foreign technology has been introduced to the powder process. (author)