Japan Nuclear Fuels Limited (JNFL) is to extend a cooperation agreement with Areva for technical assistance related to the start up the Rokkasho-Mura spent nuclear fuel (SNF) reprocessing plant.
The reprocessing plant, located at Rokkasho-Mura in Japan’s Aomori province, is scheduled for commercial operations in mid-2007. The amendment extends by two years the initial cooperation agreement, signed in July 2001 and Areva will therefore support JNFL until commercial operations get underway at the facility.
The next two years are expected to mainly involve active testing using SNF, which is scheduled to begin in early 2006. This phase follows uranium testing which is almost complete. Financial details of the contract have not been disclosed.
