Sustainable Nuclear Fuel Cycles

Dr. Pete Lyons

Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy

U.S. Department of Energy

Georgia Institute of Technology

50th Anniversary Celebration

Founding of the School of Nuclear Engineering 1962

Symposium on the Future of Nuclear Energy

November 1, 2012

2

Nuclear Energy – A Vital Part of

America’s Future Energy Security

Ensure reliable energy to power our economy, homes, and maintain a

standard of living, free from carbon emissions

The only economic large-scale method to generate electricity that is

essentially carbon-free

Challenges

Managing used nuclear fuel from the current fleet of reactors (near-term)

Safely disposition nuclear fuel (near to mid-term)

Nuclear energy sustainability (long-term)

Success in meeting the above challenges is essential to ensure energy

security, economic security, and environmental security

3

DOE’s Nuclear Energy R&D Roadmap Nuclear power is a key component of a portfolio

of technologies that meets U.S. energy goals

R&D activities are organized along four main objectives that address challenges to expanding the use of nuclear power Develop technologies that can improve the

reliability, sustain the safety, and extend the life of current reactors

Develop improvements in the affordability of new reactors to help meet energy security and climate change goals

Develop sustainable nuclear fuel cycles Understand and minimize risks of nuclear

proliferation

DOE Nuclear Energy R&D Roadmap

4

Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee

Senior Advisors

NE-1/2

Office of Uranium Management and Policy

NE-54

Deputy Assistant Secretary

for Fuel Cycle Technologies

NE-5

Office of Systems Engineering & Integration

Office of Fuel Cycle Research & Development

NE-52

Office of Used Nuclear Fuel Disposition

Research & Development

Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Nuclear Energy

Policy and Cooperation

NE-6

Office of International Nuclear Energy Policy

NE-61

Office of International Nuclear Fuel Management

NE-62

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Facility

Operations

Idaho Operations Office

NE-3

Office of Innovative Nuclear Research

NE-42 Office of Facilities Management

NE-31

Office of Human Capital & Business Services

NE-21 Office of Budget &

Planning

NE-22

Office of Space & Defense Power Systems

NE-75

Deputy Assistant Secretary

for Nuclear Reactor Technologies

NE-7

Office of Advanced Modeling & Simulation

NE-41 Office of Light Water Reactor

Technologies

NE-72

Office of Advanced Reactor Technologies

NE-74

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology

Innovation

NE-4

Chief Operating Officer

Office of Nuclear Energy

NE-51

NE-53

Planning Project

5

Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC)

Report - 8 Key Recommendations

BRC provides policy and planning framework that

will help guide management of used nuclear fuel

• A new approach to siting and development

• A new, single‐purpose organization focused on

nuclear waste in the United States

• Develop permanent deep geological disposal

site(s) for spent fuel and high-level nuclear

waste

• Develop one or more consolidated interim

storage facilities as part of managing back end

of nuclear fuel cycle

BRC affirms the need for R&D on

advanced fuel cycles that represent

advantages over today’s

technologies

• Create stable, long‐term support

for research, development, and

demonstration (RD&D)

• Active U.S. leadership in interna-

tional efforts to address safety,

non-proliferation, and security

concerns

Advanced Fuel Cycles Used Fuel Management

BRC-7

BRC-8

BRC-1

BRC-5

BRC-4

BRC-2

6

Fuel Cycle Technologies - Objectives

Near-Term Long-Term

7

Development of Sustainable Nuclear

Fuel Cycles – A Systems Approach

A Nuclear Energy System is: all required facilities and

operations for the progression of nuclear fuel from

mining and enrichment to power generation to ultimate

disposal of the used fuel or derived waste products.

Sustainable fuel cycle

options are “those that

improve uranium resource

utilization, increase energy

generation, reduce waste

generation, enhance safety,

and do not contribute to an

increase in proliferation

risk.”

Many possible fuel cycle options exist

8

Once-Through Nuclear Systems-

Includes Current U.S. Fuel Cycle

Key Questions and Issues:

Continuing storage of a growing spent fuel inventory

Interim storage and geologic disposal still needs to be implemented

Extent of uranium resources

What are the impacts of alternative geologic media for disposal?

Are there “promising” once-through options?

9

Closed or Partially Closed Nuclear

Systems involving Recycle

Key Questions: What are the benefits for systems involving recycle?

Does irradiated fuel have “value” that can be recovered by reprocessing?

Do engineered HLW forms offer significant disposal advantages over SNF?

Issue: Numerous potential options are possible, including

Limited or continuous recycle

Different fuels, e.g. thorium » Note: Different reactor types may be used as fuel is recycled.

10

Answering Key Questions

Which nuclear fuel cycle system options offer substantial

beneficial improvements in performance?

Where is DOE R&D investment needed to support the set

of promising fuel cycle systems options and nuclear

materials management approaches?

What are the necessary technical objectives and performance goals?

What materials management approaches can favorably impact fuel cycle options?

11

Sustainable Fuel Cycle Options -

Analysis

Provide a systematic, objective, and traceable method for

evaluating and categorizing nuclear fuel cycles according

to their performance potential in meeting FCT program

objectives

Enable R&D needs to be identified and prioritized more

clearly, which enables better communication of the

rationale for R&D funding decisions

Allow the program to more rapidly adapt to future policy

changes including any decisions taken based on

recommendations by the Blue Ribbon Commission on

America's Nuclear Future

Facilitate dialog among a variety of stakeholder groups

interested in U.S. energy policy and the future of nuclear

energy in the U.S.

12

Approach:

Evaluation & Screening of Options

Evaluation and Screening informed by: Requirements

Policy

Stakeholder input

Goals Evaluate technology alternatives

Examine deployment options

Understand system dynamics

Identify critical program elements to inform where R&D should be targeted

13

Numerous Challenges in Selecting

Options for Further/Future Development

Numerous fuel cycle options are possible

Numerous studies in the past with no clear consensus

Long-time horizon

Multiple interests and stakeholders

Variations in policy directions over time

“To its credit DOE has taken a systematic approach to planning

for the complex, scientifically challenging process of

identifying and selecting sustainable nuclear fuel cycle options

and associated technologies…”

Government Accountability Office

14

Key Activities in Screening

Fuel Cycle Options

Develop a comprehensive fuel cycle option list

Approximately 5300 fuel cycles were identified that were then collected into about 45 groups with similar characteristics for evaluation

Develop metrics to measure performance

Develop evaluation and screening approach and tools

Conduct the evaluation and screening using experienced, internationally recognized scientists and engineers

Identification of possible R&D directions

Independent review of process and outcomes

2013 Evaluation Criteria

Nuclear Waste

Management

Proliferation Risk

Nuclear Material

Security Risk

Safety

Financial Risk and

Economics

Environmental Impact

Resource Utilization

Development and

Deployment Risk

(including licensing)

Institutional concerns

15

Accomplishments and

Milestones

FY12: Development Phase -

Developed Options, Metrics and Evaluation Methods

Developed Fuel Cycle Catalog (Sep 2012)

FY13: Evaluation Phase -

Begin evaluation and screening (Jul 2013)

FY14: Final Report Phase -

Complete evaluation and screening (Dec 2013)

Publish final report on evaluation and screening (May 2014)

FY15+: Transition Analyses -

Conduct transition scenario analyses

Conduct more detailed evaluation and screening on preferred options

16

Closing Remarks

Energy Security: Nuclear energy is critical to the nation’s energy

security and clean energy needs

Fuel Cycle Options Analysis has completed the “Development Phase”

and is transitioning to the “Evaluation Phase” - Final Report May 2014

Near term program focus on:

Development of enhanced accident tolerant fuels

Exploration of generic concepts for storage and disposal of UNF

Long term focus on sustainable fuel cycles

Numerous potential fuel cycle options are technically possible

Analysis will optimize fuel cycle choices for further research