Auswirkungen von verschiedenen Brennstoffzyklusoptionen auf die anfallenden Aktinidenmengen im deutschen Reaktorpark

On the basis of the legally stipulated total volume of electricity to be generated in Germany an estimate is given of the amounts of residues arising from reactor operation in terms of spent uranium fuel, plutonium, and minor actinides. Various idealized scenarios are considered as limiting criteria and compared with a realistic scenario in an attempt to show the impacts of various fuel cycle options on the remaining plant life. The case of plutonium reduction by using mixed oxide (MOX) fuels is analyzed in particular. While consistent direct disposal at the end of plant life leaves approx. 160 t of plutonium (upper bound), this quantity can be reduced by some 40 t merely by recycling once. Recycling twice could reduce the amount of plutonium by nearly 60 t (lower bound). Present boundary conditions already reduce the remaining amount of plutonium by some 17 t, which level could be raised to something close to the possible value of 40 t by resuming reprocessing. An additiona!
l scenario considered are the impacts on actinide production of plant life extension for all scenarios as a basis for future discussions of the kind already going on in other countries.