Development of a strategy for the management of PBMR spent fuel in South Africa

South Africa is planning to expand its nuclear power generating capacity by deploying a number of pressurized-water reactors and pebble-bed modular reactors. It can be expected that this program will impact on the current and planned spent fuel and radioactive waste management systems in South Africa. This paper proposes an approach to develop a strategy for the management of PBMR spent fuel that would form an integral part of the overall national radwaste management system. The approach is expected to provide a conceptual spent fuel management strategy and will also highlight areas that need to be further developed, thus providing guidance for basic technology development.