Plutonium Disposition

CLIENT NAME:NDA

Dates: 2013 - Present

Value: >£500k

Background

For more than 5 years TÜV SÜD Nuclear Technologies Division has provided technical expertise to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in support of the development of the disposition strategy for separated plutonium held in the UK. This inventory has arisen as a result of large scale reprocessing of nuclear fuel from both UK and overseas reactors and through development activities.

There are two potential options for the long term management of plutonium; reuse as Mixed Oxide Fuel (MOx) or immobilisation in a suitable matrix. TÜV SÜD support to date has predominantly focussed on the evaluation of the technical maturity of immobilisation techniques and defining the range of development activities required to elevate their progress to the level of maturity comparable with established re-use options. This support provides information for the NDA and is being used to develop their approach in identifying a long-term solution to put separated plutonium beyond reach.

Scope

TÜV SÜD has provided supported support in the following areas:

• Evaluation of innovative immobilisation technologies for licensing potential
• Technology road mapping to support development of immobilisation technologies
• Support to evaluation of lifecycle management protocols for immobilised waste products
• Provision of specialist advice in relation to technical issues associated with re-use and immobilisation options
• Facilitation of stakeholder engagement activities
• Development of technical and engineering specification to support ongoing research and development activities

Benefits to the client

• Ready access to extensive multi-disciplined technical resource pool
• Fast, responsive service
• Independent technical assurance
• Effective communication with stakeholder community
• Robust underpinning of the plutonium disposition strategy
• Justification for significant investment in support of immobilisation development

What went well

• Provision of specialist technical guidance
• Fast, responsive service
• Collaborative client focussed approach
• Expert facilitation