Second transport of spent fuel from the Czech Republic to Russia

Hundreds of kilograms of spent fuel (initial ²³⁵U enrichment 36%)  left the territory of the Czech Republic and so no fuel with initial ²³⁵U enrichment higher than 20 %, what is considered to be the limit between low and high enriched nuclear material, remained in the country. As in 2007 the whole shipment has been performed under the auspices of the international initiative striving to minimize the risk of nuclear material misuse - GTRI (Global Threat Reduction Initiative), as a part of the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return (RRRFR) Programme focused on the return of spent fuel from research reactor to Russian Federation. The Czech Republic has been the first EU member state, which had repatriated the high enriched spent fuel to Russia in 2007 and is one of the last ones finishing the shipments of all HEU material (fresh and spent fuel) to the country of origin. For both spent fuel shipments the high capacity transport and storage casks, developed by the Czech company Škoda JS a. s. in cooperation with ÚJV Řež, a. s., were used. These casks are and will be also used for spent fuel shipments from other countries to Russia. The shipment has been organized by ÚJV Řež, a. s. together with other state and private organizations from the Czech Republic, USA, Russia, transit country and IAEA full in compliance with rigorous national and international safety standards.