The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership John W. Herczeg U.S. Department of Energy

1. The Global Nuclear Energy PartnershipJohn W. Herczeg U.S. Department of Energy U.S. Women in Nuclear The Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh, Pa July 18, 2006

2. What is GNEP? This morning, I want to speak to you about one part of this initiative: our plans to expand the use of safe and clean nuclear power. Nuclear power generates large amounts of low-cost electricity without emitting air pollution or greenhouse gases. ….my Administration has announced a bold new proposal called the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership. Under this partnership, America will work with nations that have advanced civilian nuclear energy programs, such as France, Japan, and Russia. Together, we will develop and deploy innovative, advanced reactors and new methods to recycle spent nuclear fuel. This will allow us to produce more energy, while dramatically reducing the amount of nuclear waste and eliminating the nuclear byproducts that unstable regimes or terrorists could use to make weapons. President George W. Bush Radio Address: February 18, 2006

3. GNEP Goals Lots of Nuclear Power (1000 ~2000 GWyr by 2050) Reduced Proliferation Risk GNEP Has Two Simultaneous Goals GNEP Principles: • Global Issues require global solutions • Spent Fuel is an asset to be managed – not a waste.

4. Fuel Leasing Fuel Fuel Cycle States Reactor (Partner) States GNEP Fuel Leasing Principles • Encourage expansion of nuclear power Spent Fuel • Should make “commercial” sense • Consistent with Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Key Non-proliferation Element of GNEP is Fuel Leasing

5. Repository Repository Possible Fuel Leasing Configuration Reactor Partner State Thermal Reactor Fuel Enriched Uranium Spent Fuel ORE Separate Recycle Fast Reactor Fuel Fuel Cycle State

6. US Technology: Recycle & Fast Reactors GNEP Vision

7. Reliable Fuel Service Partners • Shared GNEP goals: more nuclear energy, less proliferation • Fuel Cycle Nations: operate reactors & fuel cycle facilities • User Nations operate reactors, lease and return fuel • IAEA: safeguards & fuel assurances GNEP Vision

8. GNEP Process Just Beginning Countries Approached by U.S. to be possible Fuel Cycle States Japan – active follow-up France – active follow -up Russia – active follow - up United Kingdom (In midst of Government Energy Study) China (Follow-up being arranged) ~ 40 Countries briefed at International Atomic Energy Agency Science Attaches briefed in DC Detailed Discussion with Canada, South Korea International Response Positive

9. Proposed U.S. GNEP Technology Demonstration Facilities Available for Cooperative Research

10. Progress • U.S. Public Support: • Nuclear Power Plants orders getting closer (EPACT, NP2010) • Potentially 25 new plants in the next 15 years in the U.S. (NRC estimate) • 43 Expressions of Interest to host GNEP recycling demonstration projects • Yucca Mountain: • Legislation submitted to Congress • Congressional support for SNF recycling & interim storage • International Framework: • Fuel cycle nations share vision for secure sustainable nuclear energy • Much agreement among major fuel cycle nations and the U.S. to • Avoid the need to produce separated pure plutonium • Transmute the transuranics to reduce the burden of eventual disposal • Technical discussions ongoing to define potential R&D partnerships • Japan, Russia, France, UK, China • Need to address obstacles to partnership created by US criteria • Canada, Australia, South Korea, Brazil, URENCO states… Progress & Insights

11. Progress • Technology Maturity: • Possible to start now on GNEP • Forty-year base of experience with liquid metal fast reactors and test reactors • France, U.K., Japan and Russia have reprocessing (PUREX) facilities and experience • Industry interest • Technology Challenges for GNEP is transuranic recycle • Separation, fuel fabrication, burning and recycle of transuranic fuel • U.S. should focus on developing integrated recycling center • Build Demonstrations • Interim process storage needed to feed the recycle facility • A sodium fast burner reactor • Targeted advanced fuel cycle research • Focus on gaps not solved or pursued by industry in transuranic recycle • GNEP recycling can be secured cost-effectively in scale up • Could process material to always have radiation equivalent to spent fuel or be in lowest category of attractiveness for a weapon • Blending actinides with uranium good for security during fuel fabrication Progress & Insights

12. Demonstrated Technologies & Required R&D Chopping and LWR Spent Fuel Uranium Product Conversion Nitric Acid UREX Process Dissolution Well understood &demonstrated, fewissues associated with scale-up Technetium TRU + Fission Products Decay Storage Cs/Sr U O 3 8 CCD-PEG Cladding Hullsand Iodine Powder of Cs & Sr Understood & demonstrated at lab-scale/prototypic environment TRU + Remaining Fission Products High-Level Waste Form (Vitrification) Fission Products TRUEX Process Still significant R&D, not well understood & not demonstrated at any scale Advanced Burner Reactor Lanthanides TRU + Lanthanides . Product Conversion & Packaging TRU and Lanthanides Oxides UREX +1 Nitric Acid Re-dissolution U3O8 for fuel fabrication TALSPEAK Process Storage/Disposal of Remaining U3O8 Advanced Fuel Fabrication TRU Blending and Product Conversion Progress & Insights

13. Summary • GNEP vision - vibrant • Making progress in addressing challenges • International partnership more essential for technology path • Success of US program more dependent on R&D at foreign facilities in bypassing engineering demos • Interest by Japan, France, Russia makes manageable • Important to enlist partners in GNEP outside P-5 • Leverage the real political support for GNEP that outstrips the ability to implement the technology but helps define its mission Path Forward

14. Key U.S. Program Elements • Expand nuclear power (NP2010) • Manage & minimize spent fuel (Yucca Mountain) • Demonstrate recycle technology (UREX+, Pyro) • Demonstrate Advanced Burner Reactors (Sodium FSR) • Establish reliable fuel services (Leasing, Backup) • Demonstrate small, exportable reactors (Robust, Secure) • Enhanced nuclear safeguards technology (Design Norms) GNEP Vision

15. Backup Material

16. Japan (France) Russia Maintain LWR (Export LWR) Expand LWR Export LWR Interim Storage Interim Storage (international) Recycle PUREX/MOX Recycle PUREX Fast Breeder Reactors Fast Breeder Reactors Disposition = (Spent Fuel) –(U +Pu)) Disposition = (Spent Fuel –(U +Pu)) • Disposition, • Cost of FBR Issues: • Infrastructure • Disposition, • Cost of FBR Different Current National Strategies

17. NP-2010/Energy Policy Act Expand LWR Export (L)WR Small Reactors Issues: $ Separation Actinide Fuel $ FBuR “Interim” Storage UREX + Recycle Fast Burner Reactors (Pyroprocessing) Demonstration Programs R&D Especially Simulation Disposition = Spent Fuel - (U+C/S+ Actinides) Yucca Mountain (1) Proposed GNEP Strategy for U.S. • An Integrated Approach: • Domestic/International • DOE: NE/RW/SC/NA • DOE Labs (9) • Industry