Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
2003 International RERTR Meeting

RUSSIAN RESEARCH REACTOR FUEL RETURN PROGRAM STARTS SHIPPING FUEL TO RUSSIA

T. Dedik, I. Bolshinsky, US DOE/NNSA

A. Krass, US DOS

ABSTRACT

For almost four years the United States (U.S), the Russian Federation (R.F.), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been discussing an initiative to return Soviet/Russian-origin research reactor fuel to the Russian Federation.  In a series of bilateral and trilateral meetings in Vienna and Moscow, considerable progress has been made toward defining the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return Program as well as obtaining the necessary technical data to facilitate the return.  More than 20 research reactors in 17 countries that have Soviet- or Russian-supplied fuel have identified.  Most of these reactors have stocks of both fresh and irradiated HEU fuel that must be carefully stored and managed for many years to come.  On September 21, 2003 the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return program shipped 14 kg of fresh Russian-origin HEU fuel from Romania to the nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Russia, which represented the beginning of the practical implementation of the program.