Browsing by Author "Compagnie Générale des Matières Nucléaires (COGEMA)"

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    Shipment of research reactor spent fuel from Australia to France
    (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and Compagnie Générale des Matières Nucléaires (COGEMA), 1999-11) Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation; Compagnie Générale des Matières Nucléaires (COGEMA)
    The first maritime shipment of research reactor spent fuel from Australia to France initiates a new partnership between the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, ANSTO, and the French Compagnie Générale des Matières Nucléaires, COGEMA. The spent fuel elements that will be transferred to France arise from the HIFAR research reactor, operated by ANSTO. HlFAR is at the heart of Australia's nuclear science and technology program, which encompasses the fields of nuclear medicine, serving domestic and foreign markets, materials and environmental research. Spent fuel from nuclear research reactors may be managed under three main strategies: long-term storage, direct disposal or overseas reprocessing. Given the particular nature of ANSTO’s fuel, Australia has chosen the overseas reprocessing path due to the widely recognised advantages of this proven industrial solution. To implement this strategy, ANSTO has contracted with COGEMA, the World leader in nuclear fuel reprocessing, with more than three decades of successful and safe industrial operation. The reprocessing operations as well as the associated transports will be carried out under very stringent Quality Assurance/ Quality Control policies and will be in full compliance with all relevant international and national regulations, particularly those related to safety.