KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF ROUTINE MOX FUEL TRANSPORT

For more than 25 years, AREVA TN has been organizing worldwide transportation of MOX fuel assemblies. As MOX fuel assemblies are partially made of Plutonium, their transportation must comply with the International Physical Protection rules, in accordance with each national application thereof. AREVA TN implements more than 60 shipments per year of MOX fuel assemblies using the MX cask fleet. The first use of a MX cask was in 2002. The MX cask family is now the referenced cask family for the transportation of MOX fuel assemblies in Europe and in Japan. The purpose of this paper is to present: - The MX cask family characteristics for the transportation of MOX fuel assemblies - The evolution of the different regulations for the transportation of MOX in the world - How ARENA TN complies with these different regulations for international transportation with regards to the transport procedures, the different monitoring systems implemented during the shipments, the adaptation of the transport means, the conditions for the transportation of the empty casks after unloading of the MOX fuel assemblies - The evolution of insurance policies covering loss and damage and their contractual consequences - The management of the cleanliness of MOX transport casks vis-à-vis plant constraints Application of the MX6 cask in the case of German and Japanese transport is also presented, proving that such transport is fully mastered and made simple for the customers.