The US Department of Energy (DoE) has sought expressions of interest from the public and private sectors to propose and evaluate sites suitable for demonstrating advanced recycling technologies under the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP).
In accordance with Congressional direction, a total of $20 million, or $5 million at individual sites, is available in 2006 for site evaluation studies and the DOE is to initiate a competition by 30 June, 2006, to select one or more sites suitable for development of integrated recycling facilities. A request for proposals is due to be issued this spring with 90-day site evaluation study awards anticipated in the summer.
The three major elements of the GNEP technology plan are to demonstrate a proliferation-resistant process to separate usable elements contained in commercial spent nuclear fuel from its waste elements, to develop and fabricate new fuels from the transuranic elements contained in spent nuclear fuel, and to demonstrate the ability to consume transuranic fuels in an advanced burner test reactor.
