The nuclear fuel cycle

This paper deals with the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle (in terms of natural uranium, enrichment and fuel elements), the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle (in terms of reprocessing, treatment of low and medium level wastes, disposal of low and medium level wastes, high level liquid waste solidification, and high level waste disposal) decontamination and decommissioning. The industry covering the front end of the fuel cycle is found to be fully competitive on an industrial scale and the client has the choice between many competing suppliers. As far as the back end of the fuel cycle is concerned there is no general agreement on which option to follow. The only step in the cycle that has not yet been satisfactorily demonstrated is the final disposal