Spent fuel recycling and conditioning topic of U.S.-Japan meeting

Officials with the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management discussed spent nuclear fuel recycling and conditioning with counterparts from Japan during the 13th U.S.-Japan Technical Meeting of the Civil Nuclear Energy Research and Development Working Group, held recently in Santa Fe, N.M.

Created to enhance coordination of joint civil nuclear research and development efforts between Japan and the United States, the working group collaborates on the safe and secure management of spent nuclear fuel and advanced fuel cycle technologies.

Details: Hosted by Los Alamos National Laboratory, the meeting brought together representatives from the DOE and several Japanese government organizations, including the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology; the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry; and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency.

During the meeting, DOE-EM presented its evolving vision for a future recycling and conditioning capability focused on unlocking spent fuel's full potential value, the office announced on June 2.

A presentation highlighted opportunities for continued collaboration on the management and advanced conditioning of damaged spent fuel and highlighted the United States' extensive history and expertise in managing complex and challenging fuel forms, which provides a strong technical foundation for future recycling and conditioning capabilities.

In addition to the technical sessions, the Japanese delegation toured several DOE facilities in Los Alamos, including the Low-Enriched Fuel Fabrication Facility, Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, Fuels Research Laboratory, and other research facilities supporting nuclear energy missions.