Russia won't import foreign-origin spent fuel

Russia won't import foreign-origin spent fuel

Washington (Platts)--26Jul2006

In a reversal of policy, Russia won't import foreign-origin spent nuclear
fuel, the Federal Atomic Energy Agency, Rosatom, confirmed July 26. Sergey
Novikov, a spokesman for Rosatom, told Platts the Russian nuclear industry had
decided to focus on international business in uranium and uranium enrichment
sales as well as building up a nuclear power plant fleet at home. Legislation
approved in June 2001 by the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, allows
Russia to take in for long-term storage and reprocessing, foreign-origin spent
nuclear fuel. About 80% of the spent fuel in target markets is under US
control. Thus, US approval would be needed for the predicted $20 billion spent
fuel reprocessing and management business to materialize, but securing such
approval would involve complex negotiations. Novikov said Russia now has
different priorities and will concentrate on building more nuclear power
plants at home and developing its nuclear industry.

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