Experiences on Domestic Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuels in Japan

Currently, most of the spent fuel from nuclear power stations in Japan is transported to oversea's reprocessing plants (COGEMA, BNFL), although part of it is reprocessed by Power Reactcr and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., (Hereafter called PNC) at Tokai-mura in Ibaraki Prefecture. This spent nuclear fuel is transported by sea to this domestic reprocessing plant on a exclusive use ship the Hinouramaru. This year is tl1e fourteenth year since lhefirstshipmentheldinJanuary 1978. During thatperiod some 550 MTU was transported in about 100 trips, using a total of about 200 casks. (fhese figures do not include irradiated test-use nucleafuel) Nuclear Fuel Transport Co, Ud was originally set up as Nuclear Transport Services Company (hereaftercalledNTS) to transport nuclear fuel, the investment being provided by power companies, transport companies, and trading COJnpanies. At that time, as a contractor for spent nuclear fuels, it provided technical guidance concerning spent nuclear fuel transportation to transport companies. Subsequently in line with lhe development of domestic nuclear fuel cycle planning, the company strengthened its organization and changed its name in 1986 from NTS to Nuclear Fuel Transport Co., Ltd .. (hereafter called NFT) in order to perform overall transportation of spent nuclear fuel,lowlevel radioactive waste, retumcd waste, etc., in place of the each electric power canpany. It now plays a central role in the transportation of downstream part of the domestic nuclear fuel cycle. Maritime transportation of spent fuel in Japan was introduced in 1980 at PATRAM '80 by NTS. The following is a repat of ilie results d transportation in the ten years following that date and of expected future trends.