Reprocessing
Reprocessing refers generally to the processes used to separate spent nuclear reactor fuel into nuclear materials that may be recycled for use in new fuel and material that would be discarded as waste. There are no commercial reprocessing facilities currently operating in the United States, but there are commercial facilities operating in other countries.
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Upcoming Public Meetings
For upcoming meetings, see our Public Meeting Schedule. Information for the meetings on this page is available at this Web site or in the ADAMS if an accession number is given.
Recent Public Meetings
The following table lists, in chronological order, the public meetings that the NRC staff has conducted to discuss the regulatory efforts regarding reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel.
| Public Meetings and Other Interactions |
| Meeting Date |
Subject |
|
06/21/2011
and
06/22/2011
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Public meeting to discuss potential rulemaking for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities.
Presentations
- NRC Perspective: Regulatory Framework for Reprocessing
- Regulatory Framework for Reprocessing and Definitions (Gaps 1 and 6)
- Waste & Environmental Considerations (Gaps 2, 3, 15, 16, and 19)
- Safeguards and Security (Gaps 4, 8, 17, and 18)
- Safety and Licensing Consideration (Gaps 5, 7, 9, 10, and 11)
- Financial Protection Requirements and Fees (Gaps 12, 13, and 14)
Handout
Public comments
|
10/19/2010
and
10/20/2010 |
Public workshop to discuss major issues associated with the development of a regulatory framework for a potential rulemaking for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities (Albuquerque, NM).
Transcripts
Presentations
Meeting Summary |
08/07/2010
and
08/08/2010 |
Public workshop to discuss major issues associated with the development of a regulatory framework for a potential rulemaking for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities (Rockville, MD).
Transcripts
Presentations
Handouts
Meeting Summary
|
| 05/13/2010 |
Public meeting with NRC staff and NEI representatives to discuss NRC's ongoing activities related to revising the regulatory framework for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. The meeting included the following presentations from NRC staff and NEI representatives:
- Industry Perspectives on the Development of Recycling Regulations – Rod McCullum, John Greeves, Bob Pierson, Jack Bailey and Robert Hogg, Nuclear Energy Institute
- Revising Reprocessing Regulatory Framework – Overview – Thomas Hiltz, Branch Chief, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
- Regulatory Gap 5, Risk Considerations for a Production Facility Licensed Under 10 CFR Part 70 – Yawar Faraz, Sr. Project Manager, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
- Regulatory Gap 9, General Design Criteria and Baseline Design Criteria, GDC/BDC – Alexander Murray, Sr. Chemical Process Engineer, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
- Meeting Summary
|
| 10/28/2009 |
Public meeting to address:
- Waste Discussions related to regulatory gaps – including definitions of High Level Waste and Waste Incidental to Recycling; waste classification: waste confidence, independent storage of UNF and HLW, and definitions of additional terms
- Safeguards Issues – including reprocessing facility exemption from Cat. 1 requirements, material accounting management, advanced fuel cycles and SNM, and risk-informing parts 73 and 74
|
| 09/18/2009 |
Public meeting to discuss the current work being done to develop a regulatory framework for reprocessing. The meeting included the following presentations from NRC management and staff:
|
| 02/26/2009 |
Meeting with Nuclear Energy Institute on its White Paper regarding a proposed regulatory framework for licensing spent fuel reprocessing facilities.
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Related Technical Presentations
| Seminar Date |
Subject |
| 12/08/2010 |
DOE Seminar on Reprocessing – Transmutation
|
| 07/28/2010 |
DOE Seminar on Reprocessing - 40 CFR Part 190
|
Related Commission Papers (SECY)
| Document number |
Description |
Date |
| SECY-13-0093 |
Reprocessing Regulatory Framework – Status and Next Steps
|
08/30/2013 |
| SECY-11-0163 |
Reprocessing Rulemaking: Draft Regulatory Basis and Path Forward |
11/18/2011 |
| SECY-09-0082 |
Update on Reprocessing Regulatory Framework – Summary of Gap Analysis |
05/28/2009 |
| SECY-08-0134 |
Regulatory Structure for Spent Fuel Reprocessing |
09/12/2008 |
| SECY-07-0198 |
Performance and Coordination of the Regulatory Framework for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership |
11/07/2007 |
| SECY-07-0081 |
Regulatory Options for Licensing Facilities Associated with the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership |
05/15/2007 |
| SECY-06-0066 |
Regulatory and Resource Implications of a Department of Energy Spent Nuclear Fuel Recycling Program |
05/16/2006 |
Related Staff Requirement Memoranda (SRM's)
| Document number |
Description |
Date |
| SRM-SECY-13-0093 |
Staff Requirements – SECY-13-0093 – Reprocessing Regulatory Framework – Status and Next Steps
|
11/04/2013 |
| SRM-SECY-07-0081 |
Staff Requirements – Regulatory Options for Licensing Facilities Associated with the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) |
06/28/2007 |
| SRM-SECY-06-0066 |
Staff Requirements – Regulatory and Resource Implications of a Department of Energy Spent Nuclear Fuel Recycling Program |
05/16/2006 |
Background
In 2007, the Commission directed the staff to complete an analysis of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) to identify regulatory gaps for licensing an advanced reprocessing facility and recycling reactor.
In mid-2008, two nuclear industry companies informed the agency of their intent to seek a license for a reprocessing facility in the U.S. An additional company expressed its support for updating the regulatory framework for reprocessing, but stopped short of stating its intent to seek a license for such a facility. At the time, the staff also noted that progress on some Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) initiatives had waned and it appeared appropriate to shift the focus of the staff's efforts from specific GNEP-facility regulations to a more broadly applicable framework for commercial reprocessing facilities.
Reprocessing Framework Schedules
Staff's Preliminary Plan for Gap Resolution
| Gap |
Description |
Fiscal Year *** |
2
0
1
3 |
2
0
1
4 |
2
0
1
5 |
2
0
1
6 |
2
0
1
7 |
2
0
1
8 |
2
0
1
9 |
2
0
2
0 |
2
0
2
1 |
2
0
2
2 |
2
0
2
3 |
2
0
2
4 |
2
0
2
5 |
2
0
2
6 |
2
0
2
7 |
2
0
2
8 |
2
0
2
9 |
2
0
3
0 |
2
0
3
1 |
2
0
3
2 |
| 1 |
Regulatory Framework (Complete) |
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| 2 |
Independent Storage of High Level Waste |
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| 3 |
Waste Incidental to Reprocessing |
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| 4 |
Exclusion of Irradiated Fuel Processing Facilities in 10 CFR 74.51 (*) |
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| 5 |
Risk Considerations for production facility |
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| 6 |
Definitions |
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| 7 |
Licensed Operators and Testing |
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| 8 |
Risk-Informed 10 CFR Parts 73 and 74 (**) |
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| 9 |
General Design Criteria |
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| 10 |
One-Step Licensing and ITAACs |
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| 11 |
Technical Specifications |
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| 12 |
Financial Protection Requirements |
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| 13 |
Schedule of Fees |
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| 14 |
Annual Fees |
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| 15 |
Waste Confidence |
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| 16 |
Waste Classification |
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| 17 |
Diversion Path Analysis |
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| 18 |
Material Accounting |
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| 19 |
Effluent Control and Monitoring |
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(*) Addressed through ongoing 10 CFR Part 74.51 rulemaking approved by Commission
(**) In this context, risk informing means staff will evaluate 10 CFR Part 73 and 10 CFR Part 74 for any changes needed to support reprocessing licensing
(***) Assuming resources of 2 FTE per year
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, July 08, 2020