Reprocessing and the beneficial use of the products of reprocessing

Reprocessing is the preferred spent fuel management route in the UK, France, Japan, West Germany and a number of other countries. The motivation for reprocessing is primarily to realize the energy value of uranium and plutonium in spent fuel and to ensure long term security of energy supply. The UK has recycled over 15,000 tonnes of uranium from spent Magnox fuel. Worldwide there is substantial experience of the recycle uranium from spent oxide fuel. It will be established on a commercial scale in the 1990s. New plants are required for hex conversion and fuel fabrication. The whole process from the reprocessing plant through conversion, enrichment and fabrication to reactor loading must be closely integrated. However the extra costs in recycling reprocessed uranium should be significantly less than the savings