Trends and perspectives in civil plutonium management in the nuclear fuel cycle

World plutonium utilization is reviewed to give trends and views on civil plutonium management. Plutonium has been used as MOX fuel predominantly in LWRs in Western European countries. Large-scale MOX utilization in LWRs undertook since around 1990. Trends and perspectives of MOX fuel fabrication and utilization are presented. Current capacity of MOX fuel fabrication world-wide is close to amount of MOX fuel fabrication world-wide is close to amount of MOX fuel consumption. It is foreseen that the capacity will be expanded furthermore in the near future. Status of spent MOX fuel storage in five countries is reviewed. A total of 735 tonnes of MOX fuel is stored in Western European countries and Sweden. In the last two chapters, separated civil plutonium stockpile world-wide together with INFCIRC 549 and world trend and policy of national plutonium management are reviewed. (author)