Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section

Technical Working Group on
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options (TWGNFCO)


2004 Meeting

Date : 17-19 May 2004

Place : Vienna, Austria

Participants : 26 from 14 countries and 3 Int. Organizations.

Country/Organization Participant
BELGIUM Mr. T.E. VAN RENTERGEM
CANADA Mr. P. BOCZAR
CHINA Mr. L. SEN
FRANCE Mr. D. GRENECHE
GERMANY Mr. H.P. FUCHS
Mr. W.J. WEBER
Mr. W.D. PERSCHMAN
Mr. J. BANCK
HUNGARY Mr. G. BUDAY
INDIA Mr. C. GANGULY
JAPAN Mr. H. TAKAYA
Mr. T. KAWATA
REPUBLIC OF KOREA Mr. H.S. PARK
Mr. K.C. SONG
SLOVAKIA Mr. E. DURCEK
Mr. J. SIMKO
SWEDEN Mr. H. P. GRAHN
UKRAINE Mr. A. AFANASYEV
UNITED KINGDOM Mr. M. DUNN
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Ms. M. CLAPPER
Mr. J. PHILIPS
Mr. D. CHONG
Mr. K. PASAMEHMETOGLU
EC Mr. E. PLA
OECD/NEA Mr. K.S. LEE
ISTC Mr. L. TOCHENY

Agenda of the 2004 TWGNFCO Meeting

Monday, 17 May
10:00-10:20 Opening of the meeting, introduction of the new chairman (Acting SH/NFC&M)
10:20-10:50
  • Chairman’s remarks (D. Greneche, France)
  • Introduction of Participants
  • Comments and approval of meeting agenda
  • General items (W. Danker)
10:50-12:30

Presentations of national program status as well as programs by international organizations (OECD/NEA, EC). As determined in the May 2003 meeting, these presentations should also address one or both of the following specific topics: “1) overview of advanced fuel cycle development, and 2) IAEA future support to national programmes on nuclear fuel cycle options and spent fuel management”. Each presentation is allocated 15 minutes, plus 5 minutes for discussion.
12:30-14:00 Lunch
14:00-16:00 Presentations, continued
16:00-16:30

Overview of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section activities (Acting SH/NFC&M)
16:30-17:30

Other related IAEA activities:

  • Overview of Waste Technology Section activities (M. Laraia)

  • TWGFPT-progress since last TWG/NFCO (V. Onoufriev)
18:00 Hospitality, VIC Restaurant, FOE
Tuesday, 18 May
09:00-09:50

Results of 2004 SAGNE meeting; NFC&M programme for next budget cycle (DIR/NEFW)
09:50-12:30 Presentations, continued
12:30-14:00 Lunch
14:00-18:00
  • Discussion on Agency’s Fuel Cycle, Information Systems, and Spent Fuel Management activities:
  • Report and discussion on current activities of nuclear fuel cycle issues, including responses to 2003 TWGNFCO recommendations (Subprogramme B.3, W. Danker)
  • Report and discussion on current activities of nuclear fuel cycle issues, including responses to 2003 TWGNFCO recommendations (Subprogramme B.4, H. Nawada)
  • Discussion on the next programme and budget cycle (2006/07), including review of member responses to 2006-07 questionnaire
Wednesday, 19 May
09:30-12:30
  • Summary of meeting (D. Greneche):
  • Conclude preceding discussions as required;
  • Review draft chairman’s summary and recommendations;
  • Other business, including dates for next meeting
Closing remarks (DIR/NEFW)

Chairman's Summary of the 2004 TWGNFCO Meeting

(Vienna, 17-19 May 2004)

The third meeting of the TWGNFCO was convened on 17-19 May 2004 and attended by 26 delegates from 14 countries and representatives from the OECD/NEA, the European Commission, and the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC).

Mr. Ritchie, acting Head, Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section opened the meeting by welcoming the participants and thanking the new chair for assuming this responsibility. In his opening remarks, he reviewed the role of TWGNFCO, together with a brief background and context within the Agency. He addressed related issues, such as the growing needs for spent management, fuel cycle backend options and international initiatives for innovative nuclear fuel cycles. He also mentioned the Agency activities related with the TWGNFCO, including INPRO and major International Conferences such as Spent Fuel Storage from Power Reactors, Innovative Nuclear Systems, and Knowledge Management.

Mr. Greneche from France chaired the meeting. He obtained approval of the agenda, and introduced the participants, reminding them that national presentations should address at least one of the two specific topics selected for this meeting during the 2003 TWGNFCO meeting: (1) Overview of advanced fuel cycle development, and (2) IAEA future support to national programmes on nuclear fuel cycle options and spent fuel management.

Presentations by Member States provided an update on current status of their national programmes. In addition, many of the presentations address one or both of the topics selected for the meeting as described by the chair and noted above. The OECD/NEA, European Commission, and the ISTC also gave presentations on their activities related to the nuclear fuel cycle. While the Russian Federation was unable to attend, part of the Russian status was included in the ISTC presentation and a subsequent Agency presentation on the Contact Expert Group. Other Member States unable to attend included the Czech Republic, Spain, and Switzerland. This review of current and planned activities by Member States provided useful context for subsequent programmatic discussions.

Mr. Ritchie, Acting Section Head, presented the activities of the NFC&M Section addressing progress since the 2003 TWG meeting as well as planned activities. As further background to the work of the TWGNFCO, presentations were given on other IAEA and special activities including: