Potential Interface Issues in Spent Fuel Management

Taking a holistic view of the nuclear fuel cycle ensures that influences from and impacts on all phases of the nuclear fuel cycle are clearly understood. This general view facilitates effective decision making in the back end of the fuel cycle (BEFC). It is important therefore, to establish interfaces and any potential issues which can impact on parts or the whole of the BEFC at an early stage. Particular challenges include maintaining flexibility to accommodate the range of potential future spent fuel disposition options as well as defining and addressing the relevant issues in storage and transportation; given the uncertainties regarding the storage duration, the availability of future technologies and also of future financial, regulatory and political conditions. This publication provides an approach to identify the interfaces in the BEFC as well as the potential issues related to those interfaces that should be addressed. It also provides examples of Member States approaches on identifying and addressing interface issues.