Table of Contents
Interim Storage
After it has been “burnt” in a nuclear reactor to generate electricity, spent nuclear fuel is interim stored pending final disposal (or reprocessing).
How is spent nuclear fuel stored?
- Spent fuel rods are categorised as High Level Waste (HLW), because they continue to generate heat.
- Typically, the first stage of interim storage is within a cooling pond on the reactor site.
- If it is not to be reprocessed, spent nuclear fuel is then usually transferred to a dry store for longer-term interim storage, prior to disposal.
- Disposal options include near or sub-surface disposal and deep geological disposal (within a Geological Disposal Facility).
Spent Fuel Pond
Wet Storage of Spent Fuel in a Cooling Pond located at CLAB, Central Interim Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel, Oskarshamn, Sweden.
What happens in the UK?
What happens in the UK?
Adam Piatt
NSAN – Graduate Awareness in Nuclear (GAIN) Course (https://www.nsan.co.uk/page/GAINInductionTraining)
World Nuclear Association – Storage and Disposal of Radioactive Waste (https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-waste/storage-and-disposal-of-radioactive-waste.aspx)
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority – Managing nuclear materials and spent fuels (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/managing-nuclear-materials-and-spent-fuels)
Dean Calma / IAEA – Safeguard Inspectors Training (https://www.flickr.com/photos/iaea_imagebank/51814406899/in/album-72177720295881805/)
