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Energy: Nuclear Waste

Answer

It is for the owners of spent nuclear fuel to decide whether or not to reprocess it in order to recover reusable nuclear materials. There are, however, some technological constrains and spent fuel from MAGNOX reactors is reprocessed because there is currently no alternative means of dealing with it. The NDA also has existing commercial contracts with both overseas and UK reactor operators to reprocess other spent fuel through THORP. The NDA will continue to manage these contracts taking into account the most appropriate use of the existing plant and their resources. In the case of new nuclear the plans are still as set out in the 2008 White Paper on nuclear power and are, ““any new nuclear power stations that might be built in the UK should proceed on the basis that spent fuel will not be reprocessed and that plans for, and financing of, waste management should proceed on this basis””. Government are not currently expecting any proposals to reprocess spent fuel from new nuclear power stations, but should such proposals come forward in the future, we would consider them on their merits at the time. It is also worth noting that the price of uranium is only a small factor in the overall running costs of a nuclear power station and by itself might not be enough of a concern for reactor operators to consider reprocessing an economical option. However, the Government intend to keep this issue under review with the NDA.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

3001; 721 c254-5WA

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Radioactive waste Nuclear fuel reprocessing Prices Waste management Uranium

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk