Reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from civilian nuclear reactors in Russia was started in 1977 when the RT-1 plant at the Mayak complex was brought into operation. The plant reprocesses spent fuel from VVER-440 and BN-600 civilian power reactors; naval propulsion reactors of icebreakers, and submarines; and also research reactors. The installed capacity of the plant is 400 metric tons of SNF per year. Uranium which is separated through reprocessing goes to the production of fuel for RBMK-1000 reactors (2.4% enriched). Separated plutonium in oxide form is put into storage; at the present time it exceeds 30 metric tons.

Most of the liquid low- and medium-level waste which accompanies reprocessing is sent to storage tanks, pools, and reservoirs without treatment. High-level waste is stored in tanks. The total amount of high-level waste at the Mayak complex resulting from the reprocessing of fuel from production and commercial reactors is about of 389 million curies. It is stored at the present time in the forms of solution (11,200 cubic meters, 258 million curies) and pulp (18,650 cubic meters, 131 million curies).

Vitrification of liquid high-level waste began in February 1991 with the introduction of the EP-500 furnace. The furnace can process 500 liters of high-level waste per hour and produces phosphate glass. Although designed to have a lifespan of 3 years, the furnace is still in operation, although its productivity has significantly diminished. Over the course of its operation, the furnace has vitrified 280 million curies of high-level waste. Currently, two additional furnaces of the same design are under construction, one of which could be completed within a year if funding is sufficient.

The construction of a "cold" crucible furnace¹ with a projected capacity of 100 liters of solution per hour is near completion. This facility will produce borosilicate glass. It is believed that with its introduction, it will be possible to vitrify high-level waste which contains large amounts of silicon, molybdenum, iron, sulfur, and other components-waste that could not be vitrified in the EP-500 furnace, and therefore has been accumulating in metal tanks.

In 1995, about 200 tons of SNF were reprocessed at RT-1, and about 150 tons will be reprocessed in 1996. The plant has reprocessing contracts with both foreign and domestic nuclear power plants. Among the suppliers of SNF are two Finnish VVER-440 reactors (about 25 tons per year), four Hungarian reactors (about 50 tons per year), the Kolsk nuclear power station, and two reactors at the Novovoronezh station. Some spent fuel from Ukrainian reactors is also reprocessed.

Recently there have been disagreements between the plant and the Finnish power stations. Because of the rising prices of fuel and electricity, Mayak wants to raise the contract price of reprocessing to $800 per kilogram of uranium. According to unofficial sources the price is now about $400-500 per kilogram. The Finnish side is unwilling to agree to this rise in contract prices, and will stop reprocessing at the end of 1996. Another difficulty in foreign contracts lies in new Russian laws, according to which separated and vitrified radioactive waste must be returned to the country from which the spent fuel originates. The Finns object to Russian insistence on returning the waste. A similar situation exists with Hungary, which also does not intend to take back waste.

It was once assumed that spent fuel from VVER-1000 reactors would be reprocessed at the RT-2 station at Zheleznogorsk (formerly called Krasnoyarsk-26). However, construction on this station is only in the primary stages, and in recent years construction has stopped for financial reasons. It is not realistic to count on domestic sources of financing, and attempts to attract foreign investment are are unlikely to be successful because of negative attitudes abroad toward reprocessing spent fuel. In light of these circumstances, Mayak is examining the possibility of reprocessing spent fuel from VVER-1000 reactors at RT-1. However, significant investment would be required to build a facility for preparation of VVER-1000 spent fuel.

Anotoli Diakov is a professor of physics at the Moscow Institute of Physics and technology. In 1990 he established jointly with Professor Frank von Hippel the Center for Arms Control, Energy and Environmental Studies at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Dr. Diakov's current activities include work on the Russian policy for weapon grade plutonium disposition, transparency and irreversibility of nuclear arms reduction.

1. A furnace in which a layer of solid glass seperates the cooled crucible wall from the glass melt.