Nuclear Fuel Cycle
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To build and advanced nuclear fuel cycle industry is the major objective of Chinas nuclear fuel cycle industry. Efforts will be intensified to improve the production capacity and technical level of all links of the nuclear fuel cycle, and the self-reliant innovation capability, so as to secure long-term and stable supply of nuclear fuel to meet the needs of Chinas nuclear power industry.

China is devoted to making full use of both domestic and international markets and both types of resources to ensure the supply of natural uranium. China adheres to the policy of reliance on the domestic nuclear fuel fabrication. The production scale, cost-effectiveness and technical level related to uranium purification, conversion, enrichment, fuel element production have significantly been improved, and technical upgrading has been achieved in some areas. China adopts the closed nuclear fuel cycle system. The reprocessing pilot plant has successfully completed the hot test, and a major breakthrough has been made in the reprocessing technology of spent fuel from power reactors.

The Chinese government attaches great importance radioactive waste management. New progress has been obtained in the establishment of the radioactive waste treatment and disposal system and relative capacity building; technical measures have seen further improvements.

Since 1990, China started to implement the special programs of the decommissioning of nuclear facilities and radioactive waste management,formulated the technical policy of regional near surface disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive waste, and deep geological concentrated disposal of high level radioactive waste, and determined the technologies for decommissioning and waste management, for example: cementation of low-level liquid waste, vitrification of high-level radioactive liquid waste, and solid waste compression, volume reduction and conditioning. After years of scientific research, China has the disposal capability for radioactive liquid and solid waste, and the technical supporting system is now in place, which will reduce the hazards to nuclear safety and the environment.

At present, China has completed some of the decommissioning of nuclear facilities and radioactive waste treatment and disposal. Low and intermediate level radioactive waste disposal sites have been constructed separately in different regions. The Planning Guide on the High-level Radioactive Waste Disposal was issued, research on high-level radioactive waste disposal was conducted, and the site pre-selection for the high-level radioactive waste repository is being carried out on schedule.