Full Title: Outcomes of the RWMC-57 Topical Session: Challenges in the Back-End Management of Small Modular Reactors and Generation IV Nuclear Technologies
Author(s): Nuclear Energy Agency
Publisher(s): Nuclear Energy Agency
Publication Date: March 21, 2025
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Description (excerpt):
The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC), established in 1975, serves as an international forum bringing together senior representatives from regulatory authorities, radioactive waste management organisations, policy-making bodies, and research and development institutions across NEA member countries. As a neutral platform, the RWMC tackles key challenges in radioactive waste management through a holistic approach that integrates environmental and operational safety, economic considerations, societal impacts, and regulatory frameworks.
As many countries are turning to nuclear energy to solve pressing security and climate challenges, small modular reactors (SMRs) and Generation IV nuclear technologies are expected to play pivotal roles in the evolving energy landscape. These new reactor designs often feature significant differences compared to the currently used nuclear technologies, including the use of high-assay low enriched uranium (HALEU); innovative fuel types, like TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) particles or molten salts; novel coolants; and options for fuel recycling. With diverse systems and fuels currently in development and extended timelines for back-end management, all stakeholders need to anticipate the associated unique requirements and long-term impacts of these developments.