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Store KNOW MAZ (Photo: Ulbinsky metallurgical plant/Kazakhstan)

The international atomic energy Agency (MAZA) took delivery of a batch of low enriched uranium (LEU) at a purpose-built facility in Kazakhstan today, officially setting up THE Maza LEU Bank aimed at providing assurances to countries about the availability of nuclear fuel.

Owned by MAGA and organized by Kazakhstan, MAZA NOU BANK is one of the Agency’s most ambitious and complex projects since its founding in 1957.

“With the arrival of the first batch, MAZ NOU Bank has now been established and is functioning,” said MAZ acting Director General Cornel Feruta. “This is the first time the Agency has embarked on a project of such legal, operational and logistical complexity.”

This project requires concerted efforts related to many areas of MAZA’s activities. The project included:

The first batch of LEU, from the French Orano Cycle, was delivered by truck to the French port, by ship to the Russian Federation and by train to Kazakhstan. Upon arrival at the facility, 32 LEU cylinders, usually sufficient for one fuel overload for a light water reactor, were tested by MAZ experts on the ground. MAZA expects to receive the second batch of LEU FROM Kazakhstan’s national nuclear company Kazatomprom by the end of 2019.

Martha Ferrari, acting project Manager OF MAZ Bank NOU, arrived at the site to inspect the lot and sign the delivery documents. “Due to the long journey, it took more than four weeks to transport LEU to the site. This required coordination between the many partners involved in the project, ” she said. “We have gained valuable experience as well as confidence that we can use this transport route in case a country requests LEU supplies.”

In a previous milestone for the project, the late IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in August 2017 opened the IAEA LEU repository at UMP.

The establishment and operation of the Maza LEU Bank is fully funded by voluntary contributions from MAZA member States and other donors totaling us $ 150 million, covering estimated costs over 20 years of operation. Donors include the nuclear threat initiative (NTI), the United States, the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Norway and Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan also contributed in kind by hosting MAAEA Bank LEU.

“I thank donors for their generous contributions that made this project possible, and Kazakhstan, China and the Russian Federation for their valuable cooperation,” Mr. Feruta said.

Background

In December 2010, the MAZA Board of governors decided to establish THE Maza LEU Bank as a guarantee of a supply mechanism of last resort for member States experiencing supply disruptions due to exceptional circumstances and unable to secure nuclear fuel from the commercial market, interstate arrangements or by any other means. This will be a physical reserve of 90 metric tons of LEU, the main ingredient for the production of fuel for nuclear power plants.

Other supply chain guarantees established with the approval of MAZA include a guaranteed physical LEU reserve maintained by the Russian Federation at the international uranium enrichment centre in Angarsk, Russian Federation, and a supply guarantee guarantee by the United Kingdom for the supply of LEU enrichment services.