The risks of the nuclear fission fuel cycle

An overview is given of the title subject in comparison with other electric power generating techniques. This overview is based on reports from several foreign institutes (UNSCEAR, EPRI, US-DOE, EC, and ORNL) and Dutch institutes (VROM, COVRA, URENCO, and ECN). It appears that the Dutch nuclear power plants (Dodewaard and Borssele) and other installations of the nuclear fission fuel cycle in the Netherlands show a lower individual risk than the risk values estimated by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). The risks, outlined by UNSCEAR, is mainly determined by ore exploration and processing, the reactor operation and the breeder conversion. The total global risk of the nuclear fission fuel cycle (with 200 GWej and 100% recycling) is a factor 10,000 lower than the risk, caused by natural radiation. The main cause of risks of the cycle by accidents are nuclear power plant accidents (varying in the literature from circa 95% to more than 99%). For normal operational conditions nuclear fission, natural gas, wind and thermal solar energy are more favourable than coal, oil and photovoltaic solar cells. It is expected that the use of hydro power (dam collapse and floods) and coal (mine disasters) on average per GWje will cause the largest amount of immediate victims. A separate abstract has been prepared for the appendices in which descriptions are given of all the processes of the nuclear fission fuel cycle: mining and extraction, refining and conversion, enrichment, fission fuel elements fabrication, reactor operation, reprocessing, aboveground storage facilities, ultimate storage, and transport. 4 figs., 14 refs., 2 appendices, 17 refs