June 2008 Archives

PO Mayak wants to build a MOX fuel fabrication facility that would provide fuel for the BN-800 reactor. Although Rosatom has not approved the idea yet, Mayak already came up with an estimate - the facility that would produce about 12 MTHM of fuel would cost about 8 billion rubles (about $350 million). It would have to begin operations in 2012 to provide a first batch for the reactor that is expected to go online in 2013.

The projected cost of the facility seems to be on the low side, but not much. A MOX fabrication plant in Savannah River, MFFF, with a capacity of  about 70 MTHM/year is expected to cost about $2.7 billion.

Rosatom announced that it completed fuel delivery to Kudankulam (Koodankulam) for the first of the two VVER-1000 nuclear power reactors that are under construction there. The first shipment was reported to take place on May 25, 2008.The initial fuel delivery will provide fuel for startup of the reactor and for subsequent refueling during its first year of operation. The fuel is enriched to less than 4.1%.

Cameco will invest $124 million for a 24% stake in Global Laser Enrichment (GLE), a venture that is building a uranium enrichment facility based on Silex laser enrichment technology. Cameco will also supply uranium to GLE. The 24% share worth $124 million, is combined with a 51% share by GE-Hitachi joint venture, and the remaining 25% share directly owned by Hitachi.

Idaho Samizdat has a detailed post.

On June 5, 2008, Russia shut down the ADE-5 plutonium production reactor at the Siberian Chemical Combine, ending plutonium production in Seversk/Tomsk-7. The other plutonium production reactor in Seversk - ADE-4 - was shut down on April 20, 2008.

The only remaining plutonium production reactor - ADE-2 in Zheleznogorsk/Krasnoyarsk-26 - will continue to operate until 2010. Since 1994, the plutonium produced by the three reactors was stored in oxide form and was not used for weapon purposes.

UPDATE 06/09/08: The reactor was stopped at 1:03pm local time. This post on Totalwonkerr.com has links to photos and videos.

Rostekhnadzor initiated an environmental impact assessment of a project to remove spent fuel of the IRT-2000 research reactor from Bulgaria. The fuel will be taken to Mayak, where it will be reprocessed. Fresh HEU fuel was removed from the IRT-2000 reactor site in December 2003.