Australia has no nuclear power generation capacity and there are no plans to introduce nuclear power.

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO) presently operates one nuclear research reactor, the High Flux Australian Reactor (HIFAR) at the Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre south of Sydney. HIFAR is a heavy-water cooled and moderated reactor with a thermal output of 10MW. Its main uses are:

• Material science experiments using neutron beam lines
• The production of medical and industrial isotopes
• Neutron transmutation doping of silicon for the semiconductor industry

The heart of the reactor is an array of 25 cylindrical fuel elements which in total occupy the same volume as a large washing machine. This ‘fuel core’ is located in an aluminium tank full of heavy water which is surrounded by a thick graphite region to reflect neutrons back into the core. The whole structure is housed in a large solid concrete block incorporating extensive radiation protection measures. Each fuel element contains about 170 grams of uranium-235 in an aluminium matrix. An element is used on average for about 8 months during which about 60% of this uranium-235 is consumed.

ANSTO’s stocks of fresh and spent fuel are checked and audited frequently by safeguards inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (and by the Australian Safeguards and Nonproliferation Office) as part of Australia’s nonproliferation commitments. The ANSTO Safeguards unit maintains rigorous control and accounts for all nuclear material used and stored on site.

• Between mid-January and mid-June 2002, HIFAR ran at an average power of 10.09 MW over 153 operating days. There were 19 fuel elements changed over in this period. Justunder 1.9kg of uranium-235 was consumed and ~15.5g of plutonium was produced.
• Between mid-June 2002 and early-January 2003, HIFAR ran at an average power of 10.07 MW over 183 operating days. There were 22 fuel elements changed over in this period. Just under 2.3kg of uranium-235 was consumed and ~22.2g of plutonium was produced.

This will be updated at 6-monthly intervals

Spent fuel elements are stored underwater in deep ponds. After a period, they can be transferred to dry, stainless steel-lined tubes sunk into the ground. Australian policy is to send all HIFAR spent fuel overseas for reprocessing or for final disposition. ANSTO has arrangements with the US Department of Energy for the repatriation of US-origin spent HIFAR fuel (no waste will be returned to Australia), and a contract with the French company Cogema for the reprocessing of the remainder of spent HIFAR fuel.

The solid waste arising from the reprocessing of HIFAR spent fuel will be encapsulated in borosilicate glass and will meet the IAEA definition of long-lived intermediate-level waste (ILW). The vitrified waste will be returned to Australia where it will be managed in the planned national store for ILW.

Australian Safeguards and Nonproliferation Office (ASNO)

Australian Nuclear Science and technology Organization (ANSTO)

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