International Conference on Management of Spent Fuel from Nuclear Power Reactors: An Integrated Approach to the Back End of the Fuel Cycle

Transcription

1 Internatinal Cnference n Management f Spent Fuel frm Nuclear Pwer Reactrs: An Integrated Apprach t the Back End f the Fuel Cycle IAEA Headquarters Vienna, Austria June 2015 Ref. N: IAEA-CN-226 Annuncement and Call fr Papers A. Backgrund The nuclear fuel cycle includes the frnt end, i.e. frm mining t fabricatin f the fuel, the service perid in which fuel is used during pwer reactr peratin t generate electricity, and the back end, i.e. the safe, secure and sustainable management f spent fuel. If spent fuel is nt reprcessed, the nuclear fuel cycle is referred t as an pen r nce thrugh fuel cycle; if spent fuel is reprcessed, and extracted radiactive istpes are reused, it is referred t as a clsed fuel cycle. At the time f the last Internatinal Cnference n Management f Spent Fuel frm Nuclear Pwer Reactrs in May June 2010, the nuclear cmmunity was very ptimistic abut the future f the industry, with renewed interest in nuclear new builds and advanced fuel cycles. Less than 12 mnths after the cnference, the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear pwer plant (NPP) prmpted an internatinal review f nuclear and spent fuel safety which led t mdificatins f strategies and revisin f internatinal guidance e.g. thrugh the publicatin f a new Specific Safety Guide, Strage f Spent Nuclear Fuel (IAEA Safety Standards Series N. SSG-15, Vienna, 2012). In sme Member States, decisins were taken t phase ut nuclear pwer generatin and initiate the early clsure f NPPs (e.g. Germany and Switzerland). In thers, the cnstructin f planned new NPPs has been delayed. These develpments ntwithstanding, the year 2013 saw the largest number f nuclear pwer reactrs under cnstructin since 1989.

2 Page 2 As far as the management f radiactive waste and spent fuel is cncerned, the develpment and implementatin f a safe gelgical dispsal facility is still a pending issue in a few cuntries with advanced nuclear pwer prgrammes but that have yet t finalize the licensing prcess fr such a facility, as well as in cuntries with prgrammes which, despite the prgress accmplished in the past, have been interrupted r the implementatin f which has been slwed dwn. Such a situatin regarding the lng term safe management f radiactive waste and spent fuel has serius cnsequences in terms f the decreasing strage capacity fr spent fuel and the increasing duratin f strage prir t dispsal. B. Intrductin As a decisin maker, spent fuel manager etc., taking a hlistic view f the nuclear fuel cycle ensures that influences frm, and impacts n, all phases f the nuclear fuel cycle are clearly understd, and facilitates effective decisin making in the back end f the fuel cycle. Particular challenges include maintaining flexibility t accmmdate the range f ptential future spent fuel management (SFM) ptins as well as defining and addressing the relevant issues in strage, transprt and dispsal. A stable SFM plicy ver the lng time frames needed t implement such prgrammes can nly be achieved with the strng invlvement f all stakehlders, including plicymakers, gvernmental rganizatins, regulatry bdies, peratrs and spent fuel and radiactive waste management rganizatins, industry, and all ther relevant interested parties. At present, there is limited experience in the transprt f spent fuel after lng perids f strage. Hwever, with the ptential extensin f strage duratin and as many cuntries cntemplate the develpment f centralized dry strage facilities and ther strage ptins, including the use f dual purpse casks fr bth transprt and strage, the interface between transprt and strage is gaining increasing imprtance particularly if inspectins and/r repackaging are needed, as well as with regard t safety demnstratin aspects. The theme f the new Internatinal Atmic Energy Agency (IAEA) cnference n this tpic that will take place in June 2015 cvers the integrated apprach t the management f spent fuel frm nuclear pwer reactrs and aims at addressing the impact f SFM n decisins made and activities develped in the rest f the nuclear fuel cycle and vice versa. C. Objectives The purpse f the cnference is t highlight the imprtance f an integrated lng term apprach t the management f spent fuel frm pwer reactrs. The cnference will discuss prgress achieved in cnnectin with the back end f the nuclear fuel cycle as well as assciated challenges, and will cver, in particular, the impact f decisins made at the frnt end, technlgical develpments, the regulatry framewrk and safety aspects. The cnference will als allw fr the evaluatin f advances in the management f spent fuel frm pwer reactrs since the inceptin f the IAEA cnferences n this tpic, as well as fr the identificatin f pending issues and anticipated future challenges. On this basis, the utcmes f the cnference will cntribute t defining future prgrammes f the IAEA in the field f managing spent fuel frm pwer reactrs.

3 Page 3 D. Frmat and Tpics The cnference will cnsist f an pening plenary sessin, tpical sessins with keynte addresses and ral cntributins, and pster sessins. T set the scene there will be keynte addresses n: A hlistic view f the nuclear fuel cycle; Safety and technlgical aspects f SFM; Influence f the end pint n SFM; and Influence f fuel design and reactr peratin n SFM. The tpical sessins will cver: Spent fuel management strategies: Interdependencies between the different steps f a strategy, lessns learned frm Member States prgrammes, the infrmatin required t supprt successful strategy implementatin, etc.; Experience in strategy develpment and implementatin, engaging key interested parties in strategy develpment, managing uncertainties and interfaces; Different cnsideratins fr large and small nuclear pwer prgrammes; and Newcmer apprach/experience in develping a lng term strategy. Strage ptins in supprt f the integrated apprach: Advantages and disadvantages f different ptins (e.g. centralized versus n-site strage, wet versus dry strage, single-use versus dual-purpse r multi-use casks); When, hw and why t shift frm ne technlgy t anther; Latest technlgy develpments; and Internatinal cperatin in develping spent fuel strage ptins. Status and challenges in an integrated apprach: Experience in designing and perating SFM facilities; Results f the Jint Wrking Grup n Guidance fr an Integrated Transprt and Strage Safety Case fr Dual Purpse Casks fr Spent Nuclear Fuel; Transprt/strage/reprcessing/dispsal interfaces; Cnsequences n the availability f spent fuel dispsal; Gvernmental, technical and legal/regulatry aspects f spent fuel strage, transprt, reprcessing and dispsal; Management f damaged fuel (strage, reprcessing, transprt and dispsal); Technlgical advances t accmmdate changes in the nuclear fuel cycle; and

4 Page 4 Security aspects f SFM. Ageing management prgrammes: Surveillance and mnitring; Time limited ageing analysis; and Hw t develp an internatinal database n ageing experience and ageing management plans. Impact f the frnt end f the nuclear fuel cycle n the back end: Advantages and disadvantages f alternative fuels and revised reactr peratin (e.g. new claddings, thrium fuels, high burnup fuel and mixed xide fuel). Research and develpment required t deliver an integrated apprach: Fr example, current studies n hydrgen behaviur in zircnium cladding, drying f spent fuels, crrsin issues. Safety aspects f spent fuel management: The licensing prcess fr SFM (strage, transprt after strage, reprcessing and dispsal); Safety case develpment fr the different steps f SFM; Safety and technlgical cnsequences f reprcessing (r nt) spent fuel; and Safety cnsideratins fr dual purpse casks. E. Cntributed Abstracts and Papers Papers n issues falling within the tpics utlined in Sectin D abve may be submitted as cntributins t the cnference. All papers, apart frm invited papers, must present riginal wrk and shuld nt have been published elsewhere. E.1 Submissin f Abstracts Persns wishing t present a paper at the cnference either rally r in the frm f a pster must submit an abstract f between 250 and 400 wrds in electrnic frmat directly t the IAEA. Instructins n hw t uplad the abstract t the cnference s web brwser-based file submissin system (IAEA-INDICO) are available n the IAEA cnference web page (see Sectin N). The abstracts must be submitted thrugh this system. N ther frm f submissin will be accepted. The abstract shuld give enugh infrmatin n the cntents f the prpsed paper t enable the Prgramme Cmmittee t evaluate it. Authrs shuld state t which f the tpics utlined in Sectin D their cntributin relates. The accepted abstracts will be reprduced unedited in the Bk f Abstracts which will be distributed t all participants at the cnference.

5 Page 5 Authrs must further submit the fllwing tw frms t their apprpriate fficial authrity (see Sectin F) fr transmissin t the IAEA. These frms must be received by the IAEA n later than 15 December 2014: Participatin Frm (Frm A) Frm fr Submissin f a Paper (Frm B) E.2. Acceptance f Papers fr Oral r Pster Presentatin Authrs will be ntified by by 31 January 2015 as t whether, n the basis f the electrnically received abstract, their paper has been accepted, and whether it is accepted fr ral presentatin r fr pster presentatin. Authrs f accepted abstracts will be requested t prvide a full length paper (between 4 and 10 pages) by 30 April 2015 using the IAEA prceedings template. This paper must als be submitted thrugh the IAEA-INDICO system. The Cnference Secretariat reserves the right t exclude papers that d nt cmply with its quality standards and/r that d nt apply t ne f the tpics utlined in Sectin D abve. E.3. Prceedings The prceedings f the cnference will be published by the IAEA as sn as pssible after the cnference. F. Participatin The Internatinal Cnference n Management f Spent Fuel frm Nuclear Pwer Reactrs is held every three t five years and is intended t bring tgether participants frm the nuclear cmmunity, including plicymakers and representatives f gvernmental rganizatins, regulatry bdies, industry, and spent fuel and waste management rganizatins. All persns wishing t participate in the cnference are requested t register nline in advance thrugh the cnference web page (see Sectin N). In additin, they are required t send a cmpleted Participatin Frm (Frm A) and, if applicable, the Frm fr Submissin f a Paper (Frm B) and the Grant Applicatin Frm (Frm C) t their cmpetent natinal authrity (e.g. Ministry f Freign Affairs r Natinal Atmic Energy Authrity), r t ne f the rganizatins invited t participate, fr subsequent electrnic transmissin t the IAEA (Official.Mail@iaea.rg). A participant will be accepted nly if the Participatin Frm is transmitted thrugh the cmpetent natinal authrity f a Member State f the IAEA r by an rganizatin invited t participate. Participants whse fficial designatins have been received by the IAEA will receive frm the IAEA further infrmatin apprximately fur mnths befre the cnference. This infrmatin will als be psted n the cnference web page (see Sectin N).

6 Page 6 G. Expenditures N registratin fee is charged t participants. The IAEA is generally nt in a psitin t bear the travel and ther csts f designated participants in the cnference. The IAEA has, hwever, limited funds at its dispsal t help cver the cst f attendance f selected participants. Generally nt mre than ne grant may be awarded t any ne cuntry. If Gvernments wish t apply fr a grant n behalf f ne f their specialists, they shuld address specific requests t the IAEA t this effect. Gvernments shuld ensure that applicatins fr grants are: 1. Submitted by 15 December 2014; 2. Accmpanied by a cmpleted and signed Grant Applicatin Frm (Frm C); and 3. Accmpanied by a cmpleted Participatin Frm (Frm A). Applicatins that d nt cmply with the abve cnditins cannt be cnsidered. Apprved grants will be issued in the frm f a lump sum payment that usually cvers nly part f the cst f attendance. H. Distributin f Dcuments A preliminary prgramme will be psted n the IAEA cnference web page as sn as pssible. The final prgramme and the Bk f Abstracts will be available free f charge upn registratin at the cnference. I. Wrking Language The wrking language f the cnference will be English. All cmmunicatins and papers must be sent t the IAEA in English. J. Venue and Accmmdatin The cnference will be held at the IAEA s Headquarters in Vienna, Austria. Participants must make their wn travel and accmmdatin arrangements. Htels which are ffering a reduced rate fr cnference participants will be listed n the cnference web page (see Sectin N). Please nte that the IAEA is nt in a psitin t assist participants with htel bkings, nr can the IAEA assume respnsibility fr paying cancellatin fees r fr re-bking and n shws.

7 Page 7 K. Visas Designated participants wh require a visa t enter Austria shuld submit the necessary applicatin t the nearest diplmatic r cnsular representative f Austria at least fur weeks befre they travel t Austria. Since Austria is a Schengen State, persns requiring a visa will have t apply fr a Schengen visa. In States where Austria has n diplmatic missin, visas can be btained frm the cnsular authrity f a Schengen Partner State representing Austria in the cuntry in questin. L. Key Deadlines Submissin f Frm fr Submissin f a Paper (Frm B) and abstract: 15 December 2014 Submissin f Grant Applicatin Frm (Frm C): 15 December 2014 Ntificatin f acceptance f papers: 31 January 2015 Submissin f accepted full paper (4 pages max.): 30 April 2015 M. Cnference Secretariat General cntact details f the Cnference Secretariat: Internatinal Atmic Energy Agency Vienna Internatinal Centre PO Bx VIENNA AUSTRIA Tel.: Fax: Official.Mail@iaea.rg Scientific Secretaries f the cnference: Mr Paul Standring Divisin f Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technlgy Department f Nuclear Energy Tel.: Fax: P.Standring@iaea.rg

8 Page 8 Mr Gerard Brun Divisin f Radiatin, Transprt and Waste Safety Department f Nuclear Safety and Security Tel.: Fax: G.Brun@iaea.rg Administratin and rganizatin: Ms Karen Mrrisn Cnference Services Sectin Divisin f Cnference and Dcument Services Department f Management IAEA-CN-226 Tel.: Fax: K.Mrrisn@iaea.rg Subsequent crrespndence n scientific matters shuld be sent t the Scientific Secretaries f the cnference and crrespndence n administrative matters t the IAEA Cnference Services Sectin. N. Cnference Web Page Please visit the fllwing IAEA web page regularly fr new infrmatin regarding this cnference: