IPFM Blog

Spent HEU fuel removed from a research reactor in Kiev

In May 2010 the Nuclear Research Institute in Kiev, Ukraine shipped spent HEU fuel of its VVR-M reactor to Russia, according to an AtomInfo.ru report. According to the report, which quotes an official from the institute, it was the first spent fuel shipment since 1988. The cost of transportation, estimated to be $8 million, was covered by DoE (apparently as part of the RRRFR program of the GTRI). 

The VVR-M reactor in Kiev was used 36% enriched fuel and has been converted to LEU in 2009 - the LEU fuel assemblies were delivered to the site in 2009.

UPDATE: According to a GAO Report, released in December 2010, the shipment involved 56 kg of HEU in spent fuel, which represents "more than a third of Ukraine's HEU inventory" (p. 27).

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