Plans for the Utilization of Plutonium to be Recovered at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant
March
6,
2009
Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan
Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (JNFL) has been performing active tests at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (RRP) since March 2006 using spent fuel. These tests result in the separation of plutonium as a product of reprocessing. The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPC) is announcing the Japanese electric utilities’ plans to utilize plutonium in FY2009 as attached, in the interests of transparency.
According to the paper entitled “Concerning the Basic Position on Japan’s Use of Plutonium” decided by the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan (AEC) on August 5, 2003, each utility shall announce a "Plutonium Utilization Plan" for its share of the plutonium to be recovered at RRP. In addition, in the “Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy” decided by the AEC on October 11, 2005 and resolved by the Cabinet on October 14, 2005, the utilities are expected to announce their plans for the utilization of plutonium in an appropriate manner.
The Japanese electric utilities are aiming to implement the Pluthermal Program (utilization of plutonium in light water reactors) by FY2010 and give it their best effort. As a result, this program is steadily progressing. In the early stage of the program, the utilities are planning to use MOX fuel manufactured overseas using plutonium recovered from overseas reprocessing. Once the Rokkasho MOX fuel fabrication plant commences operation, plutonium recovered at RRP will also be used in due course.