Exploitation and improvement of the external costs assessment of fusion power

This study was performed in the framework of the Socio-Economic Research on Fusion (SERF 1999–2000), which is jointly conducted by Euratom and the fusion associations. An assessment of monetarized external impacts of the fusion fuel-cycle was previously performed applying the ExternE methodology (SERF-1), where, based on the SEAFP study, two different power plant designs were assessed, with the main difference being the structural materials and cooling system used. Although external costs values obtained were low, an improvement was achieved in the trade-off between design criteria and consequences on externalities. Structural and shielding materials in the previously studied plant models turned out to have a N-14 content that originated a significant amount of C-14 emissions. The present study includes alternative shielding materials with lower nitrogen content. With updated and improved technical and methodological inputs, a recalculation of externalities in the whole fusion fuel cycle was performed.