Technical Co-Operation in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle by the International Atomic Energy Agency

Abstract

At the request of its developing country Member States the IAEA provides technical co-operation in various areas of the nuclear fuel cycle. As might be expected, most technical co-operation has been in the fields of uranium exploration and development. In recent years, however, there has been an increase in requests for assistance in nuclear fuel fabrication and the evaluation of fuel performance from countries developing their nuclear power programmes. In 1988 the Agency is carrying out 44 technical co-operation projects related to the nuclear fuel cycle in 34 countries. Technical assistance has been of two kinds; projects funded under the United Nations Development Programme, and projects funded under the Agency's Regular Programme of Technical Co-operation. In the field of uranium, projects have included activities in uranium geology, exploration techniques, laboratory analysis, ore reserve estimation, mineral resource evaluation, mining and extraction, and university teaching in these fields. The present paper outlines the types of Agency technical co-operation and presents data on the regional distribution of projects. The nature and costs of these projects are discussed along with the mechanisms employed in their implementation in institution building and technology transfer. The ultimate objective of the Agency's programme is not uranium exploration for production and fuel fabrication but the transfer of technological knowledge with the aim of giving Member states better understanding and control of their own resources.