Environment & Energy
In reply to the discussion: Russia Unveils Detailed Plans To Build 21 New Nuclear Power Units By 2030 [View all]intaglio
(8,170 posts)Novaya Zemlya?
They reprocess but like every other country in the world they have no long term storage of the "reprocessed" waste. Some reprocessing goes to MOX which, I'm sure you are aware, is an abysmal fuel (just ask TEPCO) but that only affects an insignificant part of the waste. Some is low level but most, both intermediate and high, is in "temporary" storage ponds. There is no plant that can vitrify large amounts of waste and no evidence that vitrified waste will not become cracked and porous in the long term.
As to the "designed" life of 60 years as far as I know the closest to that is the H B Robinson, no other nuclear plant in the world has operated for close to 60 years. BTW would you trust the ex-USSR to design a power reactor given the safety record?