Reprocessing And Recycli

Safe

g y uards and Securit

y

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissio

Reprocessing Workshop

October 19th and 20th, 2010

Albuquerque, NM
Safeguards and Securit

• 10 CFR 73 – Physical Protection Of 

And Materials

• 10 CFR 74 – Material Control And 

Accounting (MC&A) Of Special NuclAccounting (MC&A) Of Special Nucl

Material

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Special Nuclear Material (SN

• SNM comprises:

– Plutonium– Uranium-235– Uranium-233

• NRC divides SNM into three categories, fo

security and MC&A, based upon potential f

– Direct use for nuclear fissile explosive– Indirect use – for the production of materials 

used for a nuclear fissile explosive

• Categories based upon:

– Mass quantities– Enrichment levels (for U-235)

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Three SNM Categories

(defined in 73.2)

Nuclide and % 

Enrichment Level Category I Category II Cat

Plutonium

≥ 2 kgs < 2 kgs and > 500 g

≤ 500 

Uranium 235 

≥ 5 k < 5 kgs and > 1 kg

≤ 1 k 

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop ≥ 20%

≥

5

kgs

<

5 kgs and

>

1 kg

≤

1

k

Uranium 235 < 20% & 

≥ 10%

≥ 10 kg < 10 k

Uranium 235 < 10% & >NaturalUranium 233

≥ 2 kgs < 2 kgs and > 500 g

≤ 500 
Current Categorization for Materials Inv

in Reprocessing and Recycling

• All current U.S. nuclear power reactor fuels 

Category III materials

• Reprocessing and recycling would introduc

plutonium and other TRUs

– Fuels containing >=2 kg Pu would be Catego

regardless of isotopics, form, or the presence materials (i.e., different “attractiveness”)

– Other TRUs (e.g., Np, Am) have SNM-like 

characteristics

• Current regulations do not consider the oth• Pu is categorized without consideration of f

isotopic composition

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Part 73 Fuel Cycle Securit

Rulemaking

“...engage a broad range of stakeholders as it devel

rulemaking package, including the international com

• Public meetings Public meetings• Initial discussions with licensees, OGAs, 

international colleagues

• Further technical discussions with OGAs• Future bilateral / multilateral international 

discussions

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Part 73 Fuel Cycle Securit

Rulemaking

“This security-related rulemaking should not focus 

categorization of material associated with reproce

Instead, as a separate effort, and not on the same p

this rulemaking, ...”

• C t i ti h f i C

a

tegorization approac

h

for reprocessing

– Due Date to be associated with date of reprocessing r

• MOX transport

– Rulemaking for Transport Security for SNM will be clo

coordinated with fuel cycle security rulemaking

• Applications that use large quantities of americiu

neptunium

– Analysis to be provided concurrent with reprocessing 

rulemaking

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Part 73 Fuel Cycle Securit

Rulemaking

“The staff should determine the proposed quantity values as 

development of the technical basis for the rulemaking t

special nuclear material and fuel cycle facility security

regulations and these values should be presented t

Commission in the proposed rule package.”

• Informed by

– Current regulations and international guid– Feedback from international and domestic 

outreach

– Ongoing NRC studies

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Reprocessing Exclusion

• 10 CFR Part 74.51 currently exclude

reprocessing facilities from Category MC&A requirements

– Thus Category I reprocessing facilities 

Thus, Category I reprocessing facilities 

not have the same MC&A requirementother Category I materials

• Appropriate and predictable requirem

are needed

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Discussion Questions

• Are there any aspects of NRC’s current regulatory require

physical protection and for MC&A that need to be revised augmented to ensure the secure use and handling of nucmaterials at a reprocessing facility?

• What issues should NRC staff consider for revising mixed 

transportation requirements?

• What issues or alternatives should the NRC consider for 

establishing a diversion path analysis requirement for repfacilities?

• What issues or approaches should NRC consider for repr

facility material accounting management, including inventholdup materials?

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop