Provisional Operation Plans for Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant and MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant (Possible Annual Quantities of Reprocessing and Plutonium for MOX Fuel Fabrication)

The Nuclear Reprocessing and Decommissioning facilitation Organization of Japan (NuRO) requested that JNFL should prepare a five-year provisional operation plan of the possible capacities of JNFL's reprocessing plant and MOX fuel fabrication plant in order to consider the revision of Mid-Term Implementation Plan for Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing and Others. JNFL, therefore, investigated the technically achievable capacities of both plants from FY2025 to FY2029, considering the outlook for the plant operation and the replacement of vitrification melters and others with top priority on safety and stable operation and developed operation plans as shown in the tables below.

The final operation plans of Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant and MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant are Mid-Term Implementation Plan for Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing and Others, which is formulated by NuRO in the future and approved by Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, considering a balance between demand and supply of plutonium in accordance with “the Basic Principles on Japan's Utilization of Plutonium” (Japan Atomic Energy Commission Decision on July 31, 2018).

JNFL announces its plans in order to enhance the transparency of discussions on the utilization of plutonium.

(1) An Operation Plan for Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (Possible Annual Quantity of Reprocessing)

Where

*1: ton U_Pr means converted mass in tons of metallic uranium before irradiation

*2: ton Pu_total means total mass in tons of Pu isotopes

(Note)

1. JNFL will treat solutions and waste liquids in FY2027 and start shearing of spent fuel afterward.
2. After the start of shearing, JNFL will gradually increase the quantity of reprocessing, and introduce advanced vitrification melters. The quantity of spent fuel reprocessing will gradually increase to the maximum annual quantity of 800 ton UPr by FY2032 as a target with top priority on safety and stable operation.
3. JNFL will replace the vitrification melters in the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (RRP) in a planned manner before they reach their lifetimes. The RRP has two operation lines of vitrification melters. The vitrification melter in the first line will be replaced from FY2028 to FY 2029, and the one in the second line will be replaced later. Therefore, reprocessing quantity will decrease in FY2029.
4. The figures for plutonium recovery may fluctuate depending on the types of reprocessed spent fuel and timing of reprocessing and others. The figures are rounded to one decimal place.

(2) An Operation Plan for MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant (Possible Annual Quantity of Plutonium for MOX Fuel Fabrication)

Where

*3: ton Pu_total means total mass in tons of Pu isotopes

(Note)

JNFL will conduct the quality verification tests and others after the completion of the MOX fuel fabrication plant, and start the MOX fuel fabrication in FY2030 afterward.