Medium-term nuclear industry prospects associated with synergetic LWR/SFR system and related closed nuclear fuel cycle - 5115

The absence of demonstrated solutions on light water reactors (LWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) disposal is one of the key challenges of the present. A phased approach to the deployment of sodium fast reactors (SFR) and closed nuclear fuel cycle as a means to respond the challenge in medium-term prospect is discussed in the paper. It is shown that the problem of SNF and plutonium accumulation could be completely solved by 2050 with the use of SFR, MOX fuel and aqueous reprocessing technologies that have already been successfully demonstrated. The phased approach assumes that at first phase plutonium extracted from SNF of LWR to be used for downloads of SFR with postponement of SFR fuel reprocessing. Download of one SFR of BN-1200 type with plutonium from about nine LWRs of VVER-1200 type will results in rapid exhaustion of plutonium accumulated in SNF of the Russian VVER fleet. Then plutonium from the SNF of BN reactors is supposed be reprocessed and used in accordance with the macro-economic situation in the country: for commissioning of new FR in case of high or moderate energy demand or for MOX fuel of LWR (VVER) under stabilization of energy demand