A STRATEGY ANALYSIS OF THE FAST BREEDER R EACTOR INTRODUCTION AND NUCLEAR-FUEL CYCLE SYSTEMS DEPLOYMENT

A study is made on a strategy analysis of the long term nuclear fuel c ycle systems deployment in accordance with the nuclear power growth pr ojection and fast breeder reactor (FBR) introduction. In the analysis, the reprocessed plutonium(Pu) is charged into the reactor in such a w ay that the reprocessed Pu is not stored outside the reactor, i.e., th ere is no excess Pu outside the reactor. The analysis characterized th e fuel cycle systems, and showed the usefulness of the present method to determine future directions for the FBR introduction and nuclear fu el cycle systems deployment. Concerning an intermediate-term strategy, the time of introduction and required capacities of a second commerci al LWR reprocessing plant, Pu-thermal, and the first FBR reprocessing plant deployment are evaluated. A long term strategy analysis shows th at the two or three large plants are run in parallel for each fuel cyc le facility and that FBR related facilities deal with a markedly large amount of Pu. IL is concluded that the early stage introduction of FB Rs of significant capacities seems necessary to materialize a consiste nt total FBR/fuel cycle system where Pu balance becomes feasible throu gh its flexible operation of, for instance, adjusting breeding ratio, in order to keep the transparency of the Pu utilization.