Nuclear waste and power generation

Abstract

Nuclear waste produced in light water-cooled reactors contains long half-life, high-level radioactive waste. Although this waste can be safely stored in underground repositories, the public remains anxious because they consider repository sites too close to their living space. Therefore, separation and transmutation of this radioactive waste is important. In this chapter, transuranic isotope separation and transmutation technologies using fast reactors are discussed, and a roadmap to achieve the realization of this process is proposed. This chapter introduces ways to maintain the use of nuclear power without producing additional waste because continued nuclear power is important to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.