The Economics of Reprocessing�and MOX Recycle�April 5, 2004�4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 1 and Policy Analysis4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 2 and Policy AnalysisReprocessing�Hanford WA - not in use La Hague, France - in use�4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics and Policy Analysis 3 Image removed due to copyright considerations.Image removed due to copyright considerations.Estimated Separated Plutonium Holdings�Country Separated civilian Pu (kg) Declared military Pu (kg)* Japan 4,900 0 Germany 6,600 0 Belgium 3,800 0 Switzerland <50 0 France 29,100 0 United States 4,650 47,500 China 0 0 United Kingdom 69,100 4,400 Russia 32,000 50,000 *Declared to be in excess of national security requirements 4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 5 and Policy Analysisc.fuelc.Disposal Interim Storage PWRFabriSpent OT Reprocess-ing HLW+IL W/LLW DisposalUranium credit Pu MOX Ore Enr Disposal Interim Storage PWRFabri Tails : Nat U UOX (once-through) cycle4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 6 and Policy AnalysisAssumptions�1. The contents of the spent fuel discharged from reactors operating on the UOX once-through cycle with a burnup of 50,000 MWDth/MTIHM are as follows: Uranium: 93.4 w/o (U235 enrichment: 1.1 w/o)�Plutonium: 1.33 w/o (total fissile enrichment (Pu239+Pu241) = 0.93 w/o)�Fission products: 5.15 w/o�Minor actinides: 0.12 w/o�2. Fissile plutonium (Pu239+Pu241) is approximately equivalent to U-235 on a gram for gram basis; that is, equal weight percent enrichments of U-235 and fissile plutonium in U-238 are needed to drive a fuel assembly to the same cycle and discharge burnups. (In practice, MOX fuel has a lower initial reactivity for the same weight percent fissile enrichment, but undergoes a slower loss of reactivity with burnup.) 3. Value of uranium recovered from reprocessing spent PWR fuel is zero. �(The recovered uranium is still slightly enriched in U-235, but other U isotopes make it less attractive, and under current market conditions, with low natural uranium prices, it is not economic to reuse it.) 4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics and Policy Analysis 7--MOX Fuel Cycle Cost Parameters�Transaction Unit Cost Lead Time (to start of MOX fuel loading) Credit for elimination of $500/kg HM 2 years SF interim storage and disposal cost Reprocessing $400 - $1600/kg HM 2 years Uranium credit 0 HLW/ILW/LLW storage $200-400/kg HM in SF 1 year and final disposal cost Natural uranium ore $40/kg HM 1 year purchase and yellowcake conversion Blending + MOX fuel $1500/kg HM 1 year fabrication Interim storage of spent $100/kg HM At discharge MOX fuel Final disposal of spent $400/kg HM At discharge MOX fuel Note: Duration of irradiation = 4.5 years. 4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 8 and Policy AnalysisMaterial balance�Q: How many kilograms of spent PWR fuel must be reprocessed and natural U purchased to�produce 1 kg of MOX fuel at 4.51% fissile enrichment?�Let W be the mass of spent fuel (in kg/kg of MOX fuel)�Let M be the mass of natural uranium (in kg/kg of MOX fuel)�Let x be the enrichment of fissile Pu in the MOX fuel�Let y be the enrichment of U-235 in the MOX fuel�M kg natural uranium MOX Fabrication 1 kg HM (as MOX) •••Reprocessing Spent fuel W kg HM 1% loss 1% loss x kg fissile Pu y kg U-235 0.711 w/o U-235 z kg fissile Pu of HM of HM fissile Pu 4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 9 and Policy AnalysisMaterial Balance: Front-end of MOX cycle�M kg natural uranium • 0.711 w/o U-235 Spent fuel W kg HM 1.01z kg fissile Pu Reprocessing z kg fissile Pu MOX Fabrication 1 kg HM (as MOX) 1% loss 1% loss • x kg fissile Pu • y kg U-235 4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 11 and Policy Analysis† Calculation of MOX Fuel Cycle Cost� Total batch cost ªÂ M iCi +Â[ M iCi]f•DTi i i Transaction Unit Cost, Ci ($/kg) Mass Flow, MI (kg) DTI (years) Direct Cost, MICI ($/kg) Carrying Charge, MICIf•DTI (f• - 0.1/yr) SF Storage Disposal Credit 400 4.2 4.25 -2100 -893 Reprocessing 1000 4.2 4.25 4200 1785 HL/IL/LL Waste Disposal 300 4.2 3.25 1260 410 U purchase + conversion 40 0.97 3.25 39 11.7 MOX fab 1500 1.01 3.25 1515 492 Interim storage and disposal of MOX fuel 500 1.0 -2.25 500 -113 TOTAL 5414 1692.7 GRAND TOTAL $7107/kg HM MOX fuel i.e., MOX fuel cycle cost ~ 3 x once through cycle cost 4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 12 and Policy AnalysisQuestions�1. What is the minimum price of natural uranium ore at which MOX recycle would be economic? 2. 3. What is the maximum cost of reprocessing at which MOX recycle would be economic? 4. 5. Why are countries such as France and Japan pursuing MOX recycle? 4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 13 and Policy AnalysisBreakeven uranium price as a function of reprocessing cost 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 Breakeven uranium price ($/kg U) 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000�Reprocessing cost ($/kg HM)�4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 14�and Policy AnalysisNatural Uranium Price Trends�Source: OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and IAEA, Uranium 2001: Resources, Production and Demand, 2002, p. 68. 4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 15 and Policy Analysis4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 16 and Policy Analysis4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 17 and Policy Analysis4/5/04 22.812 Nuclear Energy Economics 18 and Policy