JNFL and COGEMA : A wide and Innovative Cooperation in the fields of spent fuel reprocessing and MOX fuel fabrication Obninsk, 2004 July 1st JC. PIROUX Project Deputy Director JNFL Project COGEMA La Hague/Program Department

3 3 JNFL and COGEMA : A wide and Innovative Cooperation in the fields of spent fuel reprocessing and MOX fuel fabrication La Hague (France) RRP (Japan)

4 4 Contents  Status of the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant and J.MOX Plant  Description of the cooperation between JNFL and COGEMA  Main results of the cooperation  Lessons learnt since the launching of this cooperation Rokkasho-mura

5 5 Status of the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant  Nominal capacity: 800 tons/year  Spent fuel storage pools started active operation in 1998

6 6 Status of the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant  Schedule  The Main Plant is under Tests: Chemical Tests are completed and have shown a satisfactory behavior of the mechanical and chemical processes  Uranium Tests are scheduled to start this summer and will be followed by Active Tests.  Commercial operation is expected to start in July 2006

7 7 Status of the J.MOX Plant  J.MOX Plant will produce PWR and BWR MOX fuel assemblies only for Domestic Nuclear Power Stations  J.MOX Plant will be built in the ROKKASHO site of JNFL  Construction schedule will be consistent with RRP start-up conditions  As of today, process has been chosen, and detailed design has been performed, in view to the licensing procedure to be launched

8 8 Description of the cooperation between JNFL and COGEMA for RRP  Since 1987, JNFL and COGEMA have jointly been working for the design and construction of RRP, adapting the La Hague most advanced technology and taking into account the Japanese rules and standards with the support of Japanese manufacturers.  On April 2001, tests period "Water Tests" started, which was the last stage of construction At the same time, JNFL and COGEMA started comprehensive discussions targeted to agree on a field of cooperation aiming at ensuring a smooth and safe start-up of RRP.

9 9 Description of the cooperation between JNFL and COGEMA for RRP In July 2001, JNFL and COGEMA signed a cooperation agreement. This cooperation, which actually started in May 2000 by dispatching few COGEMA engineers at RRP, was comprehensively launched in September 2001 and is scheduled to be implemented until the end of Active Test. This cooperation, beyond the usual assistance that a process licensor can bring to a customer, is very unique and innovative in many fields.

10 Description of the cooperation between JNFL and COGEMA for RRP: A deep involvement Very deep involvement of COGEMA engineers and technicians: an average of 50 engineers in COGEMA Rokkasho Office, and about 100 people working at La Hague, as a back-up of the COGEMA Rokkasho Team

11 Description of the cooperation between JNFL and COGEMA for RRP: A tailor-made training at La Hague A 3-months tailor-made training session so-called "Model Campaign" performed in UP3 at La Hague, on the most complex process units. 99 JNFL operators followed one of the 7 training sessions from September 2001 to April Training in laboratory Training in T1 facility Tutor Operator Trainee Tutor Operator Trainee

12 Description of the cooperation between JNFL and COGEMA for RRP: A tailor-made training at La Hague Such a La Hague training is performed based on a man to man relationship, one COGEMA Tutor for one JNFL Trainee, supported by "Training Booklets" describing in details each task to be carried out by each Trainee.

13 Description of the cooperation between JNFL and COGEMA for RRP: A training at Rokkasho Training in the control room of RRP, on all the process units of the Main Plant. Such training, being devoted to gain operation skills and knowledge, started on January 2003 and will continue through Uranium and Active Tests phases.

14 Description of the cooperation between JNFL and COGEMA for RRP: A wide support on significant fields  Confirmation of the good design: Implementation since May 2000 of the "Validation Plan" approach, which main objective is to analyze and comment the RRP chemical and mechanical process units by bringing to JNFL the whole feed-back experience on operation and maintenance of the La Hague plants for similar units or pieces of equipment.  Support for tests phases: Drafting of the General Test Program documents, thus bringing to JNFL the necessary information for the performance of the different tests phases of RRP, in particular the detailed tests sequences for the Uranium and Active Tests. The COGEMA Rokkasho team analyzes "on-line" the results of the tests and makes recommendations to JNFL.

15 Description of the cooperation between JNFL and COGEMA for RRP: A wide support on significant fields  Preparation for operation: Drafting of documents for the operation of RRP, allowing JNFL to draw up the Unit Operating Procedures of each RRP process units.  Preparation for maintenance: Drafting of documents for the maintenance of RRP in particular general maintenance procedures of the main RRP pieces of equipment.  Information System : providing JNFL with the most updated view of the whole La Hague Information System (IS), including the history and the reasons of evolutions since the start-up of UP3 Plant. Selecting with JNFL, out of this IS, several Computer Systems for RRP.

16 Description of the cooperation between JNFL and COGEMA for RRP: The "Common Target" Implementation of a common approach which purpose is to confirm that JNFL is ready to pass through Uranium and Active Tests. Such approach, so-called "Common Target", is focusing on 4 main fields Design/hardware Training/preparation for operation Organization: forming of teams, adequations of skills Organization: management

17 Description of the cooperation for J.MOX  JNFL and COGEMA have initiated another cooperation for the MOX fuel fabrication plant J.MOX in view to recycle the plutonium recovered from the reprocessing of Japanese spent fuel at RRP  Up to now the cooperation has been developed in 3 fields: Transfer of proven technology Technical support during R&D tests MOX plant operation experience

18 Description of the cooperation for J.MOX  Transfer of the proven technology of MELOX commercial plant which produces high quality MOX fuel giving total satisfaction in PWR and BWR. MELOX plant has produced since 1995 about 800 tHM of MOX fuel pellets. Its authorized capacity was increased to 145 tHM in September 2003 The technology transfer for J.MOX encompasses key steps of MOX powder preparation and MOX pellet fabrication The content of comprehensive technical files was explained and detailed by COGEMA/MELOX experts during a period spent in Japan in the offices of NFI the engineering company in charge of J.MOX Project

19 Description of the cooperation for J.MOX  Technical support during R&D tests performed in Japan COGEMA/MELOX experts have provided advices about test program, test operating conditions and test results Laboratory scale tests with 50%PuO 2 – 50%UO 2 microwave heated powder which will be used at J.MOX, to check MOX pellet quality Full-scale tests with representative UO 2 powders in particular to check full-scale equipment

20 Description of the cooperation for J.MOX: MOX Plant Operation Experience  Valuable information about powder preparation and pellet fabrication gained from the operation of MELOX plant the world leader MOX fuel fabrication plant is available for J.MOX plant  This information is about actual production, changes of operating conditions, main operational problems and corrective actions, etc…

21 Main results of the cooperation for RRP: Example of the training in France Training at La Hague: satisfaction of JNFL (based on 22 questions answered by each Trainee) MC1: 82 %; MC2: 92 %; MC3: 94 %; MC4: 97 %; MC5: 99 %; MC6 : 96; %; MC7: 99 %

22 Training at La Hague: satisfaction of JNFL Statement of one Trainee: "Rokkasho plant is designed by French engineers taking into account Japanese ideas. In UP3 we did carry out real process control operating tasks, and learnt how to react in case of process drifts. We are now aware that running such a plant is not so difficult. We had already gained a theoretical knowledge. Throughout this training, this knowledge has turned to confidence". One can also notice the very positive reactions from the Japanese Authorities who visited the La Hague plant and witnessed this training. Main results of the cooperation for RRP: Example of the training in France

23 Training in Japan is becoming very efficient and is helping JNFL to implement its "cascade" training to be performed from the operator that went to LH for MCs training to the whole JNFL operating staff. Main results of the cooperation for RRP: Example of the training in Japan La Hague (FRANCE) RRP (JAPAN)

24 Main results of the cooperation for RRP: Example of the common approach On the "Common Target" approach, about 180 recommendations have been identified to be performed and checked before the start-up of Uranium Tests phase, and they have been taken into account.

25 The technology transfer has been smoothly implemented in particular thanks to COGEMA/MELOX experts dispatched to Japan The tests have demonstrated that the MELOX plant technology is fully compatible with the 50% PuO 2 – 50% UO 2 microwave heated powder which will be produced at RRP Main results of the cooperation for J.MOX

26 Lessons learnt since the launching of this wide cooperation: Conclusion  For both management JNFL and COGEMA, these cooperations are considered as a major stake. There is a clear common will of success.  It is the entrance of maturity of a long-term relationship between the two companies.