Fuel Cycle Strategies to Optimize the MOX in Reactors

By 2030 the overall volume of used fuel will reach about 400 000 tHM worldwide.Recycling is the preferred solution for all the countries engaged in the development of nuclear energy, like China, India, Russia, Japan, France especially; The overall stockpile generated by these countries until 2030 represents more than 50% of the worldwide stockpile.The paper will present different strategies for recycling, optimizing the MOX fuel use in reactors by combination of different parameters:-reactor characteristics favouring the performance: GEN2 type reactors which can accept a ratio of MOX in a UO2core, or GEN3+ EPR reactor which, for the first time for PWR reactors, offers the full MOX core opportunity,-the plutonium management taking into account and combining all the characteristics of the used UO2 fuels either from existing stockpiles or generated each year by operating reactors,-the possibility to recycle in LWR reactors, used MOX fuels by dilution with UO2 used fuels before GEN4 fast neutron reactors with high level of safety and economic attractiveness are developed.Existing stockpiles of used fuels are a real asset. All the technological means and know how needed to capitalize on it are offered by AREVA. MOX in LWR is complementary to MOX in FNR.