Japan Atomic Energy
Research Institute
Oarai-machi Ibaraki-ken, Japan
ABSTRACT
The Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) has been consistently
making the enrichment reduction of reactor fuels in cooperation with RERTR
Program and FRR SNF Acceptance Program both conducted along with the U.S.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Policy and JMTR, 50 MW test reactor in Oarai Research Establishment, has achieved core conversion,
from its initial 93% enriched UAl alloy to 45%
enriched uranium-aluminide fuel, and then to the current 19.8 % enriched
uranium-silicide fuel.
In order to return all of JMTR spent fuels, to be discharged
from the reactor by May 12, 2006,
to the U.S.A.
by May 12, 2009, JAERI is
planning the transportation schedule based on one shipment per year. The sixth
shipment of spent fuels to U.S.
was carried out as scheduled this year, where the total number of fuels shipped
amounts to 651 elements. All of the UAl alloy
elements have so far been shipped and now shipments of 45% enriched
uranium-aluminide type fuels are in progress. Thus far the JMTR SFs have been transported on schedule. From 2003 onward are
scheduled more then 850 elements to be shipped. In this paper, we describe our
activities on the transportation in general and the schedule for the SFs shipments.