KEEPING USED FUEL CASK FLEET CURRENT

More than 40 years ago, the Business Unit Logistics (BU-L) of AREVA began designing casks for the transport of nuclear material and subsequently for the intermediate storage of fuel elements. The BU-L became involved in the history of the civil nuclear industry at a very early stage and TN casks have accompanied the evolution of the nuclear industry and the requirements of the Competent Authorities. First designed under the 1973 Edition of the IAEA, the Mark II casks family everyday safely transports all the fuel elements to be reprocessed at the AREVA La Hague plant. They have been regularly upgraded over the last 30 years by mainly improving the design of the baskets, the use of burn-up credit to accommodate higher enrichment and the maintenance programme. Since the ‘80s, the BU-L has also designed the TNTM24 dual purpose casks family to securely transport and store the fuel elements for intermediate storage. To stay competitive, the BU-L has to upgrade and enlarge regularly its product portfolio. Thus, the BU-L will soon start designing new types of cask for transport as well as for intermediate storage of spent fuel. These new casks, will take into consideration the new fuel elements data of many nuclear power plants including the 3rd generation reactor EPR, as well as the latest demands of the Competent Authorities. During the last 40 years, the BU-L has never stopped creating or evolving its designs to fit exactly the needs of the nuclear industry and the requirements of the Competent Authorities. Therefore, even though the creation of a new range of casks always appears a challenge, thanks to its experienced staff, its know how and its forty years of feedback from operations, the BU-L is confident of making it a success.