Spent Fuel Management in Japan

6 November 2019

Eiichiro Ito

Strategic Planning Group Manager

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Department

1

Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Spent Fuel Management

1

MOX fabrication plant

(Rokkasho)Geological Disposal

Facility

La Hague

Sellafield

9 Units in

Operation

Including

4 Units

using MOX

Mutsu Intermediate

Wet

Storage

Dry Storage

Power Plant

(MOX fuel)

MOX fabrication plant

Dry Storage

(Away from

Reactor Site)

Ex. Tokai II

Source: https://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/about/special/johoteikyo/shiyozuminenryo.html

MOX fabrication

plant(2011 closed)

Vitrified Waste etc.

Reprocessing plant(Rokkasho)

2

National and Legal Framework

Cabinet Orders

Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) Ordinances and Interpretation of

Ordinances

NRA Regulatory Guides

⚫ The image of Safety Standards Hierarchy of Applicable Regulations is

five layers.

⚫ After the 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami, the Japanese government made

a comprehensive review and New Safety Standard .

Act on the Regulation of Nuclear Source

Material, Nuclear Fuel Material and Reactors

Atomic Energy Basic Act

Requirement

Performance-based Criteria

GuidesDescribe examples to satisfy the

performance –based regulatory criteria.

3

◼ Sep. 2012 - Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) is established, independent of the Government

◼ Feb. 2013 - Draft new safety standard issued

➢ Severe Accident Countermeasures:

➢ Design-Basis Safety Standards (Re-establish)

➢ Earthquake and Tsunami Measures (Enhancement)

◼ Jul. 2013 - New Safety Standard for reactors in effect

◼ Dec.2013 - New Safety Standard for cycle facilities in effect

⚫ In order to comply with additional regulatory requirements of the NRA,

the repossessing plant, MOX fuel fabrication plants, and Interim spent

fuel storage companies are under modifying permission and

construction.

New Safety Standard after 2011

4

Details of the New Safety Standards

Outline of the Facility at Rokkasho

5

Scale Status

Reprocessing

Plant

Maximum processing ability:

800 ton Uranium/year

Spent fuel storage capacity

3,000 ton Uranium

Start of construction: 1993

Completion of construction:

The first half of FY2021

MOX Fuel

Fabrication

Plant

Maximum fabrication ability

130 ton - HM/year

Product:

MOX fuel assemblies for domestic

light-water reactors (BWR, PWR)

Start of construction: 2010

Completion of construction:

The first half of FY2022

6

Status of Spent Fuel Storage at Each Plant

Utility Plant １Core 1 Refuel Batch Capacity Storage

Hokkaido Tomari 170 50 1,020 400

TohokuOnagawa 260 60 860 480

Higashidori 130 30 440 100

Tokyo (TEPCO)

Fukushima Daiichi 580 140 2,260 2,130

Fukushima Daini 520 120 1,360 1,120

Kashiwazaki

Kariwa960 230 2,910 2,370

Chubu Hamaoka 410 100 1,300 1,130

Hokuriku Shika 210 50 690 150

Kansai

Mihama 70 20 760 470

Takahama 290 100 1,730 1,280

Ohi 180 60 2,100 1,670

Chugoku Shimane 100 20 680 460

Shikoku Ikata 70 20 1,080 710

KyushuGenkai 230 80 1,130 910

Sendai 150 50 1,290 980

JAPCTsuruga 90 30 910 630

Tokai Daini 130 30 440 370

Utility Total 4,550 1,190 20,950 15,350

JNFL 3,000 2,968

(As of March 2019) Unit: tU

Spent Fuel Storage Capacity Expansion

⚫ Until the time of eventual transportation to Rokkasho, we have to make

a plan for safe storage of spent fuel on site.

⚫ We in Japan have some options on increasing storage capacity.

⚫ Those options are following.

A) Increase existing Spent Fuel pool capacity by re-racking

(Wet storage (AR))

B) Install dry storage on site

(AFR – On Reactor Site)

C) Install dry storage off site

(AFR – Away from Reactor Site)

7

A) Re-racking Wet storage (AR)

8

Unit 3 Genkai Power Station, Kyushu Electric Power Company, Inc.(Applied in February 2010)

◼ Increase the storage capacity of the spent fuel storage from 1,050 to 2,084

◼ Sharing of spent fuel storage permission of Unit 3 by Units 1, 2, 3, and 4

Building surrounding a reactor Spent Fuel Pit (Blocks)

Spent Fuel Pit (A)

Spent Fuel Pit (B)

Spent Fuel Pit (Blocks)

Blocks

Blocks

Blocks

Blocks

Blocks

Blocks

Blocks

Blocks

Spent Fuel Pit (B)

Spent Fuel Pit (A)

Schematic drawing of Spent Fuel Pit

Spent fuel rack cell

Fuel assembly

Schematic drawing of the facility related to re-racking Schematic drawing of re-racking

Currently, response given to the New Regulatory Requirements is being examined

After changesBefore changes

About 370mm

About 370m

m

About 280mm

About 280

mm

Spent fuel rack cell(Stainless steel)

Spent fuel rack cell(Boron-added stainless steel)

Source : https://www.fepc.or.jp/about_us/pr/pdf/kaiken_s_e_20171117.pdf (FEPC)

B) Install dry storage on site (AFR – On Reactor Site)

9

Tokai Daini Power Station,The Japan Atomic Power Company

Total capacity: 250tCurrently managed capacity: 180tAdditional 70t can be stored

Source : https://www.fepc.or.jp/about_us/pr/pdf/kaiken_s_e_20171117.pdf (FEPC)

Air comes in naturally from the air supply inlet

Experiencing scale of the cask and the building

C) Install dry storage off site (AFR – Away from Reactor Site)

⚫ Recyclable-Fuel Storage Company (RFS) is invested by Tokyo Electric

Power Company Holdings, Inc(TEPCO) and Japan Atomic Power

Company, Ltd.

⚫ 1st building under construction and under review of Facility Installation

Permit

10

item summary

Operating company

Recyclable-Fuel Storage Company(RFS)

LocationMutsu City, Aomori,Prefecture,Japan

Facility scale

・1st building under construction（2nd building planned）・131m×62m×（height）28m

Storage capacity

３,000tU（1st building）２,000tU（2nd building）

Image figure

Source : https://www.fepc.or.jp/about_us/pr/pdf/kaiken_s_e_20171117.pdf (FEPC)

Funding Mechanisms of Reprocessing and MOX

11

⚫ The Nuclear Reprocessing Organization of Japan (NuRO) was inaugurated

under the Act for Partial Revision of the Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

Implementation Act, on October 3, 2016, .

⚫ The NuRO will aim to advance steady and efficient reprocessing of spent

nuclear fuel.

Source : https://www.meti.go.jp/english/policy/energy_environment/law/index.html#press (METI)

<Past Scheme> <Current Scheme>

Cost estimation (Reprocessing plant)

(As of 2019) Unit : trillion Yen

12

Category of Cost Cost

Capital

related

Costs

Reprocessing Plant 2.15

Investment for Safety

Measures for New Regulatory

Requirements

0.70

Other Facilities 1.58

Operation and Maintenance costs 7.50

Decontamination and decommissioning 1.62

Cost reduction through efficiency -0.50

Total 13.05

Facilities to be designed and built:

2.8 trillion yen

Facilities in operation for 40 years:

10.2 trillion yen

(including D&D 1.6 trillion yen)

⚫ The total cost of the Reprocessing Plant is estimated by the Nuclear

Reprocessing Organization of Japan (NuRO)

13

Cost estimation (MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant )

⚫ The total cost of the MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant is estimated by the Nuclear

Reprocessing Organization of Japan (NuRO).

(As of 2019) Unit : trillion Yen

Category of Cost Cost

Capital

related

Costs

MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant 0.39

Other Facilities0.28

Operation and Maintenance costs 1.54

Decontamination and decommissioning 0.12

Total 2.33

Facilities to be designed and built

0.4 trillion yen

Facilities in operation for 40 years:

1.9 trillion yen

(including D&D 0.1 trillion yen)

14

Funding Mechanisms of HLW

⚫ NUMO (Nuclear Waste Management Organization) was established in October

2000 in accordance with the Specified Radioactive Waste Final Disposal Act.

Source : https://www.numo.or.jp/en/about_numo/basic.html https://www.numo.or.jp/en/faq/main1.html (NUMO)

15

Cost estimation (HLW and TRU Waste)

⚫ The total cost of final disposal of vitrified waste and TRU waste is

estimated at 3.8 trillion yen, according to 2017 reference materials from

the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE).

◼ 3.0 trillion yen for HLW (40,000 canisters)

◼ 0.8 trillion yen for TRU waste (18,100 m3)

Source : https://www.numo.or.jp/en/faq/main1.html (NUMO)

⚫ This includes costs such as technology

development, surveys, land acquisition,

design and construction, operation,

dismantling and closure, monitoring, and

project management.

16

Spent Fuel Transportation

⚫ In Japan, Nuclear Fuel Transports ltd. (NFT) manages metal-cask for transportation and purpose-build ships.

⚫ The total cost of transportation scheme from AR to AFR and Reprocessing plant

is estimated at 920 billion yen (including D& D of SF transport Casks, vessels and

etc.) according to 2004 reference material from the Government Technical

Subcommittee on Nuclear Power, Nuclear Fuel Cycle, etc.

Source: http://www.nft.co.jp/english/index.html (NFT)

Company Outline : Nuclear Fuel Transport Company, Ltd.

Establishment April 1973

Shareholders70% - 10 Utilities

20% - 5 Trading Companies

10% - 5 Transport Companies

Transport

Equipments

- Transport vessels

- Spent fuel and HLW canisters transportation casks

- SF and HLW conveying vehicles and etc.

Category of Cost Cost SF Quantity

AR to AFR 540 31 KtU

AR to Reprocessing Pant 370 24 KtU

Decontamination and decommissioning 5

Total 920 55 K tU

(As of 2004) Unit : Billion Yen

Thank you