Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
2002 International RERTR Meeting

MANAGEMENT OF SPENT FUEL FROM RESEARCH REACTOR IN LATIN AMERICA:
A REGIONAL APPROACH

J. R. Maiorino (IPEN, Brazil), O. Novara (CNEA, Argentina), A. J. Soares ( IPEN, Brazil),

J. Klein (CCHEN, Chile), R. Mazón ( ININ, Mexico), I. Llamas (IPEN, Peru), I. Ritchie, and

 J. Guarnizo (IAEA, Vienna)

ABSTRACT

This paper reports progress in a Regional Technical Cooperation Project for Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Peru), sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency/1/..The Project main objective is to define a regional strategy for managing research reactor (RR) spent fuel, which would provide solutions that are technologically and economically suited to the realities in countries involved. In particular, to determine the needs for temporary wet or dry storage of RR spent fuel and to establish forms of regional cooperation for: (a) storage (operational, interim, and final) of spent fuel or its derivatives; (b) harmonization among the participating countries of safety rules and regulations, and (c) communicational strategies and public information. Argentina, Brazil, and Chile have returned some of their spent fuel to the USA, but this option will cease to be viable in May 2006. Consequently, it was deemed appropriate and timely to identify and assess all possible options that might be implemented in the region. This paper has two purposes: first, to describe a database of inventories of RR irradiated fuel in the participating countries; and second, the main activities already being conducted or planned within the framework of the project from the coordinators point of view. Finally, plans for the second phase of the project in 2003-2004 will be outlined.

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