The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) hosted a webinar on 24 February 2021 to discuss findings of a new NEA report on strategy and considerations for the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle.

A wealth of technical information exists on nuclear fuel cycle options, covering various combinations of nuclear fuel types, reactor types, used or spent nuclear fuel treatments, and disposal schemes.  To help policymakers understand the different fuel cycle options, the NEA Expert Group on Back-End Strategies (EG-BEST) examined the fuel cycle options and their differentiating characteristics.  Crucial factors that affect decision-making in selecting the fuel cycle options were also evaluated.  

The International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) has the mission of exploring beneficial approaches to ensure nuclear energy use for peaceful purposes among participating countries. In particular, the IFNEC Reliable Nuclear Fuel Services Working Group (RNFSWG) has focused its work on evaluating multinational nuclear infrastructure in recent years.

The NEA EG-BEST and IFNEC RNFSWG held a joint webinar to disseminate their latest findings. The webinar aimed at providing in-depth insights for the planning and deployment of the nuclear fuel cycle.

Please find the answers to all questions raised during this webinar here.

 Programme

Session 1 - Opening

Opening remarks by William D. Magwood IV, NEA Director-General

Presentation on the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC)

Aleshia Duncan, IFNEC Chair, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Nuclear Energy Policy and Cooperation, US Department of Energy

Session 2 - Strategies for the Back-End of the Fuel Cycle 

Key findings from Expert Group on Back-end Strategies

William McCaughey, NEA EG-BEST Chair, Office of Nuclear Energy, US Department of Energy

An example of multinational approach to back-end strategy

Ewoud Verhoef, Chairman of the European Repository Development Organization (ERDO) and Deputy Director of COVRA, Netherlands

IAEA Safeguards for Geologic Repositories

Jeremy Whitlock, IAEA Section Head, Department of Safeguards, IAEA

The development of a deep geological repository in the Russian Federation

Vsevolod Igin, Director, Department of international cooperation, National Operator on RadWaste Management, Russian Federation

Session 3 - Panel discussion

Moderated by William McCaughey

Tomaž Žagar, IFNEC RNFSWG Co-Chair, President Nuclear Society of Slovenia

Cécile Evans, Marketing and Strategic Development Director, ORANO, France

Sophie Pedoux, Nuclear Analyst,SPF Économie, Belgium

Brent Dixon, Lead systems analyst for the Fuel Cycle Technologies Program, Idaho National Laboratory, US

William D. Magwood IV, NEA Director-General

Closing remarks by William D. Magwood IV, NEA Director-General