On mixed oxide fuel used for power light water reactor facilities

Nuclear Safety Commission received the report on the mixed oxide fuel used for power light water reactor facilities dated May 31, 1995, and after the deliberation, this was acknowledged, and it was decided to inform this effect to the chairman of the expert committee on reactor safety examination. The summary of the results of investigation by the expert subcommittee on reactor safety standards is attached. As its contents, the objective is to examine the safety design, safety evaluation and the related matters for preparing the criteria at the time of the safety examination when MOX fuel is charged as a part of replacement fuel in LWRs. Supposing the MOX fuel which is expected to be used for LWRs, the safety design, the techniques for the evaluation and others were investigated. As the results of investigation, the general features of the fuel and the core in which it is charged, the results of actually using the fuel and the results of post-irradiation test, the thermal and mechanical design, the nuclear design, the safety evaluation and others are reported. The characteristics and behavior of the MOX fuel in the range of this investigation are not much different from those of uranium fuel, and the same design of the fuel and the core as uranium fuel core is feasible. (K.I.)