Reprocessed Uranium
(uranium recovered from spent nuclear fuel by reprocessing, also known as recycled uranium)
Current Issues · Resources · Literature
(last updated 29 Sep 2022)
- Sep. 29, 2022: French exports of reprocessed uranium to Russia continue in spite of Ukraine war
- Apr. 27, 2022: ANDRA to study shallow underground deposit in a clay medium for potential disposal of reprocessed uranium (France)
- Apr. 20, 2022: Jury condemns Orano for misleading public on recycling of nuclear fuel (France)
- Feb. 24, 2022: In view of Russian invasion of Ukraine, Robin des Bois calls for halt of French exports of reprocessed uranium to Russia
- Oct. 29, 2021: Greenpeace disrupts shipment of reprocessed uranium from France to Russia
- Oct. 14, 2021: ASN approves continued operation of TU5 uranyl nitrate conversion plant
- Oct. 12, 2021: Greenpeace denounces shipments of reprocessed uranium from France to Russia
- Nov. 19, 2020: Framatome plans to manufacture nuclear fuel from reprocessed uranium at its FBFC Romans nuclear fuel fabrication plant (France)
- Nov. 2, 2020: Public inquiry into construction of new uranium storage buildings for reprocessed uranium P36 at Tricastin (France)
- Aug. 26, 2020: Rosatom to develop REMIX (MOX with reprocessed uranium) fuel fabrication at Seversk (Russia)
- May 24, 2019: Orano plans to construct four additional buildings to extend storage capacity for reprocessed uranium at Tricastin (France)
- May 24, 2019: Almost 100,000 t of depleted uranium oxide in use as radiation shield for Orano's reprocessed uranium stored at Tricastin (France)
- Sep. 10, 2018: EDF plans to restart use of reprocessed uranium in some of its reactors
- Aug. 9, 2018: CANDU fuel from spent light water reactor fuel to be used at Qinshan nuclear power plant (China)
- July 4, 2018: Urenco to enrich reprocessed uranium for EdF
- May 25, 2018: Framatome to produce reprocessed uranium fuel for use in French reactors
- May 25, 2018: Russia to enrich reprocessed uranium for EdF
- Apr. 6, 2016: French Nuclear Safety Authority, in view of potential re-classification of reprocessed uranium as a waste, orders study for disposal of reprocessed uranium (!)
- November 7, 2012: Fact-finding mission of Swiss utility denied access to Russian Mayak reprocessing plant - again
- September 26, 2012: Swiss reactors use reprocessed Russian military uranium
- September 15, 2012: German nuclear power plants silently use fuel made from recycled uranium and Russian military HEU
- August 23, 2012: Rosatom now concedes Swiss experts access to Mayak reprocessing plant
- November 12, 2011: Swiss utility halts use of nuclear fuel originating from Russian Mayak reprocessing plant, in response to denial of site inspection
- September 16, 2011: 50,000 tonnes of depleted uranium oxide in use at Tricastin to shield radiation from 7,360 tonnes of stored reprocessed uranium oxide (France)
- June 19, 2011: Rosatom denies fact-finding mission of Swiss utility access to Mayak reprocessing plant
- September 9, 2010: Swiss reactors use fuel reprocessed in Russian Mayak plant
- October 19, 2009: Fuel manufacture from reprocessed uranium under consideration for Springfields nuclear fuel plant (United Kingdom)
- October 12, 2009: Enrichment of French recycled uranium at Seversk enrichment plant (Russia)
- July 5, 2009: Swiss reprocessed uranium transferred to Eastern Europe for use as inferior quality fuel in old RBMK-1000 reactors
- May 11, 2009: Russian and Japanese NGOs oppose re-enrichment of reprocessed uranium at the planned Angarsk International Enrichment Center in Russia
- November 3, 2008: AECL, China conclude agreement on development of CANDU fuel from spent light water reactor fuel
- February 28, 2007: Russian and Japanese NGOs oppose Japan's plan to contract Russia for enrichment of recycled uranium
- February 22, 2007: Japan to contract Russia for enrichment of recycled uranium
- November 30, 2005: Urenco Capenhurst seeks approval for enrichment of recycled uranium and for higher enrichment levels (United Kingdom)
- January 25, 2005: No use of reprocessed uranium in French reactors in the near future
- July 16, 2003: Judge rejects Paducah workers' recycled uranium exposure claims (Kentucky)
- March 29, 2001: U.S. DOE Releases Historical Studies of Recycled Uranium
- September 29, 1999: U.S. DOE releases data on former processing of recycled uranium at enrichment plants
- Interim Guidance for the Safe Transport of Reprocessed Uranium
, IAEA TECDOC Series No. 750, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1994 (3.1M PDF 
)
- Management of Reprocessed Uranium - Current Status and Future Prospects , IAEA TECDOC Series No. 1529, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Feb. 2007 (1.2M PDF )
- Management of Recyclable Fissile and Fertile Nuclear Materials , OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, 2007 (1.65MB PDF read only)
- Reprocessed Uranium Issues, by H.Bairiot, K.Fukuda, in:
Fissile Material Management Strategies for Sustainable Nuclear Energy , Proceedings of a Technical Meeting held in Vienna, 12-15 September 2005, Proceedings Series, STI/PUB/1288, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Nov. 2007 (16.2MB PDF ), p.469-488
- Recycling von Wiederaufarbeitungsuran? Ein Einblick in die Geschäfte der Schweizer Atomindustrie mit russischen Brennstoffproduzenten , Greenpeace Schweiz, Juli 2009 (3.65MB PDF - in German)
- Use of Reprocessed Uranium: Challenges and Options , IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NF-T-4.4, Dec. 2009 (978k PDF )