The Nuclear Fuel Cycle : Back End and Generic Issues

A general introduction to the fuel cycle (upstream and downstream) is given in the separate article on the upstream fuel cycle. This first article covers all operations in the fuel cycle, from uranium prospecting and mining to the manufacture of nuclear fuel ready for loading into reactors. The present article deals with all operations concerning spent nuclear fuel, i.e. nuclear fuel once it has been permanently discharged from the reactor after having produced energy in that reactor. The article also addresses a number of generic issues linked to the entire fuel cycle: transport of nuclear and radioactive materials, waste generated by the operation of fuel cycle facilities, safety of these facilities, dismantling of these facilities, and geopolitical aspects.

For the introduction to this article, we therefore refer the reader to the generic introduction presented in the first article on the upstream fuel cycle [BN 3 560] .