LABOR FOR SAFEGUARDS BUSINESS IN FUEL PLANT

Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel Co. (MNF) in Japan has operated its Tokai fuel manufacturing plant since 1972 and supplied more than 7,700 PWR fuel assemblies for Japanese PWR power plants. It is manufacturing fuel assemblies by starting from UF6 conversion. The safeguards status has been satisfactory mainly due to a good management of uranium as well as a good relationship between inspectors of IAEA and GOJ and the plant operator. But the inspection support efforts (man-day) by the operator has increased gradually year by year, in spite of production volume and inventory at PIV decreasing and uranium accountancy procedure improving. This report is suggesting the improvement of the situation by introduction of a pseudo-NRTA system, a joint use of NBA equipments and data by IAEA and GOJ, better informaion exchange between inspector and operator, an adequate seal system adaption and the new NDA techniques with less labor and so on.