Back End of Fuel Cycle(BEFC) Regulation in JAPAN

Hisanori NEINISA, METI

Government of Japan

Outline of Japan’s Nuclear Policy Strict “Peaceful-Purposes Only” policy.

• Explicitly declared in the Atomic Energy Basic Law (1955).• Member of IAEA since 1957.• Ratified NPT Treaty in 1977.

Nuclear Programs based on “Long-Term Program for Research, Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy”.• Periodically reviewed -- the newest version issued in 2005.

Independent committees to audit relevant Ministries.• AEC (Atomic Energy Committee), for general policy affairs;• NSC (Nuclear Safety Committee), for safety affairs.

Cabinet OfficeCabinet OfficeCabinet OfficeCabinet Office

– – Legislative and Regulatory Framework –Legislative and Regulatory Framework –

3

Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA)

Science and Technology Policy Bureau

Pharmaceutical and Medical Safety Bureau

Health Policy Bureau

Nuclear Safety Commission

Scientific use of nuclear technology, radio isotopeScientific use of nuclear technology, radio isotope

Energy use of nuclear technology Energy use of nuclear technology

Medical use of radio isotope, etcMedical use of radio isotope, etc

Transportation, onboard reactorTransportation, onboard reactor

supervise and audit supervise and audit safety regulationsafety regulation

Maritime Bureau

Ports and Harbors Bureau

Road Transport Bureau Railway Bureau

Civil Aviation Bureau

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW)

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)

Outline of Japan’s Nuclear Program Low “Energy Self-Sufficiency Ratio”.

• 4% -- the lowest among major developed countries.• Counting Nuclear Energy as “Semi-domestic”, this ratio will rise goes up to

20%.

Nuclear Power expected to account as much as 30 to 40% of the total electricity generation in years after 2030.• To meet the common challenges such as Global Warming, Resources

Constraints, while securing safety and security. • Japan as the leading player in the world’s nuclear program.

Pursue “closed” BEFC from the start of the Nuclear Program.• Commercial introduction of Reprocessing around 2010.• Commercial introduction of FBR cycle around 2050.

Spent Fuel recognized as Resources, not Wastes.

USA99.0(104) 10.2(7)

Canada

Mexico1.3(2)

12.7(18) 5.5(6)

Brazil1.9(2)1.2(1)

Japan47.6(55) 17.2(13)S Korea 17.6(20)9.9(8)

China8.6(11) 36.5(35)

France

63.4(59) 1.6(1)Germany

20.3(17)UK

11.0(19)

Belgium5.7(7)

Holland0.5(1)

Sweden9.1(10)

Czech3.5(6)

Switzerland

3.2(5)

Finland ﾞ2.7(4)

Lithuania1.2(1)

Slovakia2.1(5)

1.6(1)

0.8(2)Belarus

2.0(2)

Ukraine13.1(15)1.9(2)

Bulgaria1.9(2)1.9(2)

Hungary1.8(4)

Romania1.3(2)1.3(2)

Slovenia0.7(1)Spain

7.4(8)

Russia21.7(31)14.5(15)

India

3.8(17) 11.5(16)

Armenia0.4(1)

Iran2.9(3)

Indonesia2.0(2)

N Korea

1.0(1)

Pakistan0.4(1)0.9(3)

S Africa1.8(2)0.2(1)

Argentine1.4(2)0.9(2)

Figures: GW

Japan as one of the leading players in Nuclear Program

As of April 2010

Nuclear Installations in JapanNuclear Installations in Japan

Management of Spent Fuel in JapanManagement of Spent Fuel in Japan

About 1,000tU of Spent Fuels arises from 54 NPPs annually. Volume of Spent Fuels produced so far;

All the amount of Spent Fuel produced are supposed to be reprocessed. As Rokkasho reprocessing plant (800tU/year capacity) is not designed to reprocess all the amount of spent fuel from domestic NPPs, we need to secure adequate storage capacity in NPP sites or in storage facilities.

Total volume Produced

Reprocessed in Tokai 1,140 tU 1975 to 2007

Transported outward for reprocessing (France, UK)

7,130 tU 1969 to 2001

Transported to Rokkasho 2,926 tU 1998 and after

Stored in NPP sites 12,840 tU

BEFC in Japan (1) Reprocessing

Domestic Reprocessing

• In the Tokai, 1,140 tU of spent fuel have been processed so far. This facility was converted into the “R&D purpose” in 2006.

• In the Rokkasho, the final phase of “active test” is in progress aiming at the completion by October 2010.

• The receiving pond of the Rokkasho has a capacity of 3,000 tU and was commissioned in December 1999.

Overseas Reprocessing• Final shipment for the overseas reprocessing has been conducted in 2001.• Total amount of spent fuel shipped to overseas rises up to 7,130 tU.• Spent Fuels reprocessed overseas are fabricated into MOX fuels and

transported to Japan.

Method License Issued in Max. Annual Capacity

Tokai (JAEA) Purex 1980 210tU/year

Rokkasho (JNFL) Purex 1992 800tU/year

BEFC in Japan (2) MOX Fuel

Plutonium extracted in overseas reprocessing plant are converted into MOX fuels, and are applied in LWRs in Japan.• Application started in 2009 in Genkai NPP of Kyushu Electric Power Company,

and in 2010 in Ikata NPP of Shikoku Electric Power Company.

Domestic MOX Fabrication Plant expected to start up by 2015. • Designed capacity of domestic MOX fabrication plant is 130 t-HM/y.• NISA issued operation license for this facility in May 2010.

Public audit conducted before application to MOX fuels in LWRs.

BEFC in Japan (3) FBR

Expected to introduce full-scale commercial FBR reactors in around 2050, on condition of reliability and economic feasibility.

Re-started “MONJU” prototype reactor in May 2010. • MONJU is a sodium-cooled, MOX-fueled prototype FBR of 280 MWe.• Achieved its first criticality in 1994, but was closed in 1995 following a sodium

leak incident. (INES 1)

Fast Reactor Cycle Technology Development Project launched in 2006.• Expected to launch a demonstration reactor by 2025.• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) was selected as a “core enterprise”,

and a new company Mitsubishi FBR Systems, Inc. (MFBR) was established to carry out conceptual design in 2007.

BEFC in Japan (4) Interim Storage

Japan’s first Away-from-reactor type Interim Storage Facility is scheduled to begin operation in 2014.• The proposed facility is located in Mutsu city, Aomori prefecture. The

proposed capacity of the facility is 3,000 tU, with a future plan to expand up to 5,000 tU.

• The facility is designed to use Dual Purpose Dry Metal Casks for storage.• NISA has issued operation license for this facility in May 2010.

BWR large scale casks BWR

medium scale casks

PWR casksType 1 Type 2

Scal

e Length 5.4m 5.4m 5.5m 5.1m

Diameter 2.5m 2.5m 2.4m 2.6m

Weight (fuels included) 118t 119t 116t 117t

No. of fuels stored in

each cask

69 69 52 26

一次蓋

二次蓋

貯蔵架台

本体胴

バスケット

中性子遮へい材

金属キャスク

中性子遮へい材

BEFC in Japan (5) Disposal

・ Shallow-land trench disposal Near surface disposal without artificial barrier

・ Shallow-land concrete pit disposal Near surface disposal with artificial barrier (concrete pit) Operated by JNFL at Rokkasho-mura

・ Sub Surface disposal Sub-surface disposal at the depth of 50 – 100m. Tested by JNFL at Rokkasho-mura

・ Geological Disposal Disposed at deep geological environment at greater depth than 300m below the surface Started site selection program by NUMO

Greater Depth than 300m

25m

50m

100m

300m

0mTrench Disposal

Concrete Pit Disposal

Sub Surface Disposal

Geological Disposal

Low

High

Low-Level Radioactive Waste

High-Level Radioactive Waste

Near Surface Disposal

“Specified Radioactive Waste Final Disposal Act” enacted to deal with HLW in 2000.• NUMO (Nuclear Waste Management Organization in Japan) was established

as an entity to implement final disposal of HLW in October 2000.• NUMO announced to commence the first step of site selection process

(literature survey) , to which, more than 10 municipalities have expressed their interests.

Selection of detailed investigation areas based on the preliminary investigation investigation by boreholes around 2013※

Public solicitation

Proposal by the central

government

※ If mayor of municipality and governor are opposed, NUMO dose not to go to the next phase.

※ Cabinet decision is necessary at the selection of the sites.

Construction of disposal facility

↓Commencement

of disposal(Around middle

of 2030s)

Selection of site for construction detailed investigation based on the investigation by underground facilities around 2028※

Selection of preliminary investigation areas based on the literature survey※

Communication and Cooperation

Stakes-Holders Communication Recognize the importance of Communications with Stakes-

Holders.• Integrate communication activities with residents around nuclear facilities

into NISA’s regulatory processes (i.e., licensing, inspection).• Improve systems to provide safety related information through cell-phone

based web systems (“Mobile NISA”).• Enhance communications between regulator and industries in a broad sense

(including researchers and workers), in order to share the challenges for improving safety standards.

NISA is now planning to convene a new annual conference for this purpose.

International Cooperation Recognize the importance of international cooperation in

fields such as;• Regulatory information exchange, • Operation experience exchange,• International cooperation in safety researches,• Personnel Training.

Thank you for your attention!

Hisanori NEIDeputy Director General for Nuclear Fuel CycleNISAMinistry of Economy, Trade and IndustryJapanese Government

nei-hisanori@meti.go.jp