3. MOX policy and plans

3.1 Fast Breeder Reactors

The first reactor ever to generate (a modest amount of) electricity was a Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) in Idaho, US. It went into operation in December 1951.¹ In spite of more than four decades of experience with FBRs, the option has proved to be a complete failure. Only in the very long term are FBRs seen by an optimistic nuclear industry as a commercially viable option. Japan plans to build FBRs again around 2030.² By now 13 FBRs have been closed worldwide. Only 10 FBRs remain, five of which are more or less regularly functioning. The other five are being repaired (Monju, Phenix) or rebuilt (Superphenix) or in hot standby, such as the FFTF. Three FBRs are little pilot plants: the FBTR in India, the Japanese Joyo and the EBR-2 in the US.

The FBRs were the first to use MOX fuel, except the Russian FBRs which use High Enriched Uranium. The share of plutonium in FBR MOX however is much higher: about 35% against 4-8% plutonium in LWR MOX fuel and the whole core is MOX fuel as in LWR only one-third of the core contains MOX fuel.

Table 3.1 Present Fast Breeder Reactors ³

* Still closed after sodium-fire on 8 December 1995
** Put in hot standby in 1992 ⁴

3.2 MOX fuel production

By the end of 1997 there will be four commercial fuel fabrication plants in the world for the production of MOX for Light Water Reactors. These four are:

• The Sellafield plant (SMP), England, with a production capacity of 120 ton MOX fuel/year, will start operation at the end 1997;⁵
• the Complexe de Fabrication des Combustibles Cadarache (CFCa) in France with an annual capacity of 15 tons.⁶ The CFCa plant, owned by Cogema, was first meant to produce fuel for the fast breeders Rhapsodie, Phenix and Superphenix but has been rebuild for the fabrication of LWR MOX.⁷
• Etablissement Melox at Marcoule (France) with an annual capacity of 120 tons; increase is planned to a capacity of 160-200 tons after the year 2001.⁸
• the Belgonucléaire Usine de Fabrication d'Eléments Plutonium (P0) at Dessel, Belgium, with 35 tons/year started in 1973.⁹

So including the British MDF, the total capacity worldwide by 1998 to produce MOX fuel for Light Water Reactors would be roughly 313 tons per year. Expansion of the plants at Cadarache, Melox and Dessel are foreseen. The estimated world MOX fuel production in the year 2000 will be about 350 tons/year. Assuming a plutonium content of 6% in the MOX fuel, the quantity re-used plutonium in the year 2000 will be 21,000 kg. This capacity is far too short considering the annual amount of 33,400-kg of plutonium being separated at reprocessing plants. Let alone the US and Russian weapons plutonium if they ever decide to use it as MOX fuel.

Table 3.2 Current and planned largescale LWR MOX fuel production plants

Country	Plant	Prod.Cap. (ton/yr)	Prod. 1996	Start up
Belgium	Dessel	35	35	1973
UK	MDF	8	8	1993
	SMP	120	-	1998
France	CfCa	30	24	1989
	Melox	120	58	1995
Total		313	125