2006 International RERTR Meeting

Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the Meeting

The Experience of Shipping Spent Nuclear Fuel
From Uzbekistan to the Russian Federations

Dr. B. Yuldashev and Dr. U. Salikhbaev
Institute of Nuclear Physics
Ulugbek, Tashkent 702132 - Uzbekistan

And

Dr. I. Bolshinsky, INL and J. Thomas, SRS
Research Reactor Fuel Return Program
1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585 - USA

And

V. Tyazhkorob
Production Association Mayak
Lenina Prospekt 31 456790 Ozersk, Cheliabinskaya Oblast - Russian Federation

And

Y. Golyapo
KATEP-AE
Lisa Chaikina 4, Cottage 5, 480020 Almaty - Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT

In April 2006 the last of four shipments of spent nuclear fuel left the Institute of Nuclear Physics outside of Tashkent, Uzbekistan and traveled to the Mayak site in the Russian Federation. The shipment marked the completion of the first campaign under the National Nuclear Security Administration's Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return (RRRFR) Program to return highly enriched spent nuclear fuel to its country of origin. In total, 252 spent fuel assemblies containing over 63 kg of highly enriched uranium were returned. The project proved to be an excellent example of cooperation as four countries, Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan and the United States, were involved in its planning and implementation. This paper will describe the shipment process from planning to completion with emphasis placed on the critical activities. Specifically the paper will discuss: the activities performed to prepare for the shipments; the roles and responsibilities of each country; the shipment details; the lessons learned; and the future plans of the Institute and the RRRFR program.

 

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