State-of-art and prospects in using uranium-plutonium fuel in thermal reactors

Consideration is beeing given to advisability of using plutonium in thermal reactors under conditions of available and predicted costs at each stage of fuel cycle. The state of engineering developments of fuel assemblies with (U,Pu)O2 - fuel, as well as the level and prospects of their fabrication are shown. It is noted that possibilities of industrial fabrication of high-grade (U,Pu)O2 - fuel are available, but economical advisability of its using in LWR reactor is insignificant or absent at the given stage. It is expected to be increased in future with elevation of costs for U3O8 and enrichment, as well as with reduction of (U,Pu)O2 - fuel production costs and reprocessing expenditure