Publication Laka-library:
La Hague center. Irradiated fuel reprocessing
| Author | CEA |
| Date | September 1970 |
| Classification | 2.02.8.10/18 (FRANCE - LA HAGUE - GENERAL) |
| Front | 
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From the publication:
FOREWORD THE FUEL CYCLE France possesses all of the facilities required to execute the complete nuclear fuel cycle, and which were gradually installed, initially, to supply purely national needs in the military sphere and the generation of nuclear power. The fuel cycle extends from the extraction of uranium ore to the final enriched uranium or plutonium product, passing through the various phases of ore processing, uranium refining, production of UF 6 or metallic uranium, and manufacture of the fuel elements. Spent fuel reprocessing is a necessary part of the cycle, as it results in the recovery of enriched uranium or the production of plutonium. The economic value of the reprocessing phase depends on two factors: the time required, and its cost. Recovery of the fissile material contained in the fuel must be as rapid as possible, and if the purpose is to produce plutonium, its cost must be as low as possible for the product to be of interest for power generation and to encourage the market for fast neutron reactors. Finally, in considering the economics of the processing, it must be remembered that commercially valuable by-products are also recovered: such fission products as: strontium 90, caesium 137, promethium 147, etc., and such actinides as neptunium 237 and curium 242. THE SECOND PLANT In 1959, construction of a second reprocessing plant (UP 2), was decided to: • cater for possible failures in UP 1, at Marcoule, which had just been put into service and had not yet proven its reliability and efficiency; • handle spent fuel from Electricity Authority reactors of the metallic natural uranium/graphite/gas design, a substantial corresponding program having been laid down in the 3rd five-year plan (1956-1960). • supply the military program with additional plutonium derived from the Electricity Authority reactors, UP 1 not being designed to reprocess their fuel.
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