The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is developing a framework to evaluate advanced nuclear fuel cycles to support long-term strategic planning for research, development and demonstration. As part of the framework, EPRI-sponsored work underway at Vanderbilt University is developing a comparative risk assessment tool to assess fuel cycle options. The risk tool uses performance metrics focused on quantifying several environmental, health and safety risks. As part of the initial risk tool development, the occupational collective dose was quantified for the baseline case representing the modern U.S. once-through nuclear fuel cycle (OTC). In this second phase, radioactive waste metrics have been quantified and the modified-open NFC (MOC) in the U.S. was modeled as a near-future, advanced nuclear fuel cycle that introduces reprocessed uranium and plutonium from low-enriched uranium used nuclear fuel into the U.S. light water reactor fleet. Using a simplified energy demand scenario for the next 50 years, the MOC model tracks mass flows of nuclear material processed at NFC facilities that are deployed to provide necessary annual electric power requirements. MOC mass flows and EH&S metrics for the MOC are then compared to the OTC baseline to determine differences in worker collective dose and radioactive waste volume impacts. Worker collective doses associated with the MOC activities were not significantly higher (～1%) and radioactive waste volumes were reduced, overall, due to the front-end savings produced by recycling plutonium and uranium from UNF.
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