Deferral of nuclear fuel reprocessing and plutonium breeder commercialization

Abstract

Nuclear weapons proliferation and environmental and economic concerns have resulted in the U.S. deferral of commercial-scale reprocessing of nuclear fuel and the development of plutonium breeding reactors. It has been argued that deferral of reprocessing might further delay a U.S. decision to proceed with breeder commercialization. This paper provides a background of the relationships between nuclear fuel reprocessing and recycling for existing power reactors and the proposed plutonium breeders. After a brief assessment of recent economic studies of reprocessing for recycle, the paper analyzes the time and capacity of commercial-scale reprocessing facilities and the associated minimum Present Discounted Costs (PDC) that would support a later decision to proceed with breeder commercialization. The PDC analysis suggests that future U.S. plans for plutonium breeder commercialization are not economically dependent on initiating commercial-scale reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel at the present time.