Information to serve Blue Ribbon Commission s Purpose of Visit

Transcription

1 Information to serve Blue Ribbon Commission s Purpose of Visit February 9-11, 2011 Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd.

2 BRC purpose of visit See first-hand the infrastructure involved in reprocessing of commercial LWR fuel and gain an appreciation for the labor and material requirements for constructing such a facility Understand the policy and other factors that have enabled Japan to sustain its decades-long commitment to fully closing the nuclear fuel cycle Understand Rokkasho s role in the implementation of Japanese nuclear fuel cycle policy Learn about the financing of Rokkasho construction and operation Learn about coordination and communication with local governments regarding the siting and construction of Rokkasho Understand Japanese approach to storage of used nuclear fuel prior to reprocessing Discuss occupational safety and health considerations of reprocessing as compared with a once-through fuel cycle Investigate Japan s practices for the safe transportation of used nuclear fuel Learn about safeguards and security precautions being taken at the site, including for the storage of separated plutonium prior to MOX fabrication 2

3 Infrastructure involved in RRP site at Rokkasho ; 7.4 km 2 (1,830 acres) 3.8 km 2 (940 acres) for spent fuel reprocessing, MOX fuel fabrication and storage of HLW returned from Europe. 3.6 km 2 (890 acres) for uranium enrichment and LLW disposal. No railway near the site. Ground transportation by private road ; 7 km (4.4 miles) from the Port of Mutsu-Ogawara to RRP. Electricity supplied by external power source ; Double power transmission lines with 154 kv connected to the grid of Tohoku EPCo. Internal electric power source for emergency ; 5 diesel generators and many batteries for RRP. Fuel oil supply for house boilers and diesel engines ; Oil purchased from private suppliers. Water supply ; waterworks system connected to the nearest river. 3

4 Labor requirement for construction Construction of RRP started on Apr. 28, Number of employees ; 3,000 1,850 on an average, 2,500 70% for reprocessing, 2,000 1,300 people. 1,500 1, Person-days of contractors ; 844,000 person-days/yr on an average divided by 250 days/yr, 3,380 people, 90% for reprocessing, 3,000 people. 0 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000, , Total number of people required for constructing RRP ; 1, ,000 = 4,300 people on an average. 10,000 people on peak. 0 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 4

5 Material requirement for construction Total amount of materials built in the whole structure of RRP ; excluding the construction tools such as dump trucks, bulldozers, cranes including storage buildings of products and wastes added in the future. Concrete for walls, floors and ceilings Reinforcing steel bars Lining for drip trays Equipment Piping Electric cables Equipment supports Pipe supports Duct supports Control panels and switchboards 4,578,750 t 537,208 t 2,762 t 74,717 t 7,945 t 11,822 t 1,807 t 3,054 t 5,912 t 1,387 t 5

6 Consistent commitment to closed fuel cycle Nuclear Energy Policy of Japanese government has been aiming at closing of nuclear fuel cycle. Electric power industry has agreed to the government policy for closing of nuclear fuel cycle. Nuclear power is one of the most important sources for generation of electricity. Reprocessing of spent fuel and fabrication of MOX fuel are essential for sustainable utilization of nuclear power in the future. Japanese government has continuously sponsored R&D at national laboratories for closing nuclear fuel cycle. Construction of NPP is licensed by the regulatory authority that requires the clear statement of the applicant regarding the method of spent fuel management that corresponds to the government policy of closed fuel cycle. Cost for fuel recycling and waste disposal is approved to be included in the electricity rate and to be reserved for the future. Governors of the prefectures where NPPs are located have requested electric power companies to take spent fuel out of the prefectures. 6

7 Role of RRP for Japanese fuel cycle All of the spent fuel discharged from LWRs in Japan have been and will be reprocessed to supply MOX fuel as the energy resources for today and the future. from ,190 t Reprocessed at Sellafield, UK 2,940 t Reprocessed at La Hague, France 24,900 t 1,020 t Reprocessed at Tokai, Japan to ,700 t Today from ,000 tu to be re-processed at Rokkasho by. 57,000 t to ,700 t 15,300 t Interim storage for reprocessing in the future. 7

8 Financing RRP construction and operation Investment for is 100% private company. Paid-in capital; 600 billion yen 91% funded by 10 EPCs, ie., nuclear power reactor operators 9% funded by reactor vendors, general constructors, banks, insurance companies, etc. Financing of RRP construction s own capital fund Loan from banks; liabilities totally guaranteed by 10 EPCs Advance payment made by customers, ie., 10 EPCs Financing of RRP operation; 270 billion yen/year is paid by EPCs according to the contract for reprocessing service. EPCs include the cost for reprocessing in the electricity rate every year, in proportion to the amount of spent fuel discharged out of the LWRs in the year. Money collected by EPCs for spent fuel reprocessing is saved in the special reserve fund so that some interest is accumulated. EPCs withdraw from the fund the amount of money requested by. 8

9 Relation with local governments Federation of Electric Power Companies (FEPC) proposed siting of nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Rokkasho to the local governments of Aomori prefecture and Rokkasho village. The local governments accepted the FEPC s proposal and signed the basic agreement with FEPC, JNFS and JNFI. The special agreement was signed by the local governments and for the start of active testing of RRP using real spent fuel. Modification to the original document for application to the regulatory authority, significant addition and expansion of facilities, change of the construction schedule, improvement of operation and maintenance methods learned from experience of troubles are explained in detail to the local governments, local assemblies, press conference, etc. visits all houses in Rokkasho and communicates with residents twice a year to listen to the public opinion. 9

10 Approach for spent fuel storage NPPs Underwater storage in the spent fuel pool, next to the reactor, constructed from the beginning. Modification to the rack in the fuel pool so as to densify the structure and increase the storage capacity. Construction of additional water pool commonly used to receive spent fuel from all reactors in the same site. Construction of dry storage facility, using casks filled with inert gas. RRP Underwater storage before reprocessing. Intermediate spent fuel storage facilities must be established. Annual amount of spent fuel discharged from LWRs in Japan exceeds the maximum capacity of RRP. The second commercial reprocessing plant would be start operation at the end of the service life of RRP, in around Intermediate storage site with a capacity of 5,000t is under construction at the city of Mutsu in Aomori prefecture for TEPCO and JAPCO. 10

11 Occupational safety and health No occupational fatalities in the construction of RRP up to now. 15 to 30 occupational injuries per a year; Most of them are road accidents, heat strokes and slips Exposure of radiation workers The highest personal exposure is less than the upper limit specified by law. Number of radiation workers Cumulative dose (person-sv) Average individual dose (msv) The highest individual dose (msv) FY2006 5, FY2007 6, FY2008 5, FY2009 5, The exposure of a radiation worker must be less than 100 msv/5 years. 11

12 Spent fuel transportation All of the NPPs in Japan are located on the sea coast. Spent fuel transportation from NPPs to the harbor of Mutsu- Ogawara, close to RRP; by dedicated vessels with radiation shielding, collision prevention system, double-hulled structure and enhanced buoyancy. Ground transportation from the harbor of Mutsu-Ogawara to RRP; by dedicated transporter for the heavy spent fuel casks, through private road. Radiation must not exceed; 2 msv/hr on the surface of the spent fuel cask and 0.1 msv/hr at 1 m apart from the surface. All of the above processes for spent fuel transportation are physically protected. 12

13 Safeguards (nonproliferation) RRP ; completely transparent to IAEA safeguards. Plutonium ; extracted through the co-denitration process from liquid solution as the mixture of uranium and plutonium oxides in RRP. Validation by IAEA during design and construction stages DIE ; IAEA examined the design documents and developed the most effective safeguards system suitable for RRP. DIV ; IAEA confirmed that RRP was constructed in accordance with the above reviewed design with no clandestine pipes. IAEA inspectors on-site 24 hrs a day during plant operation Inspectors independently collect and evaluate ; operational data of handling of nuclear material, and samples that contains plutonium. Inspectors freely access everywhere in RRP. IAEA innovative safeguards system Cameras and radiation monitors are installed along nuclear material flow from spent fuel to product storages. Independent analysis at IAEA s on-site laboratory. 13

14 Security Physical protection (PP) for RRP has the following stringent features and meets Japanese regulation as well as the international standard (INFCIRC-225/Rev.4) ; Only registered people allowed to enter the protected area. Metal detectors at the entrance to the protected area. Automatic intrusion detection. Guarded by riot policemen armed with submachine guns. Design Basis Threat (DBT) for evaluation of PP. Annual inspection of PP capability. Obligation to keep sensitive information related to PP and punishment on any violation by law. Multiple barriers for MOX powder storage. 14

15 Production and consumption of Pu There will be no problem regarding the capacity for storage of MOX powder recovered from reprocessing at RRP. It will take several years for RRP to reach 800 t/yr. MOX fuel fabrication plant, JMOX at Rokkasho, will start operation in Loading of MOX fuel assemblies fabricated in Europe to NPPs in Japan has already started. Four reactors, at present. Will be increased year by year. Number of LWRs to be MOX-fuelled will be 16 to 18 by /3 of commercial LWRs in Japan, including a full-mox ABWR. 15

16 List of LWRs to be MOX-fuelled All Japanese nuclear reactor operators will utilize MOX fuel. Hokkaido EPCo. ; PWR Tomari #3 Tohoku EPCo. ; BWR Onagawa #3 Chubu EPCo. ; BWR Hamaoka #4 Kansai EPCo. ; PWRs Takahama #3 (operating with MOX) and #4, and one or two PWRs at Ohi. Chugoku EPCo. ; BWR Shimane #2 Shikoku EPCo. ; PWR Ikata #3 (operating with MOX) Kyushu EPCo. ; PWR Genkai #3 (operating with MOX) J-POWER ; Tokyo EPCo. ; ABWR Ohma, full core MOX fuel loading BWRs Fukushima Daiichi #3 (operating with MOX), Kashiwazaki-Kariwa #3, and one or two BWRs. JAPCo. ; PWR Tsuruga #2 and BWR Tokai #2 Hokuriku EPCo. ; BWRs Shika #1 16 to 18 LWRs as a total will be MOX-fuelled by

17 Volume of wastes Japan Atomic Energy Commission; Comparative study for fuel cycle options in Volume of wastes was estimated, including waste resulted from decommissioning of facilities and equipment required for fuel cycle activities. Closed fuel cycle HLW 1,400 m 3 /yr LLW 19,000 m 3 /yr Direct disposal HLW (Spent fuel) 3,800-5,200 m 3 /yr LLW 15,000 m 3 /yr LLW 15,000 m 3 /yr for both fuel cycle options ; Waste generated from operation and decommissioning of NPPs Difference 4,000 m 3 /yr = 19,000-15,000 m 3 /yr ; TRU-contaminated waste Approx. 1/10 will go to geological disposal, deep underground. 17