Electrical circuit model for quantifying the proliferation resistance of nuclear fuel cycles

For quantifying the proliferation resistance of nuclear fuel cycles, the proliferation resistance index was modeled in imitation of an electrical circuit and linked with multi-attribute utility theory. As a case study, this model was applied to Korean nuclear fuel cycle alternatives including DUPIC(Direct Use of spent PWR fuel In CANDU) fuel cycle. The main features of the model are that political issues as well as technical issues relevant to the proliferation resistance can be included, and also all facilities and activities in a specific nuclear fuel cycle, from mining to disposal, can be considered. It appeared that the resistance index derived using an electrical circuit concept could be used as an international measure for the risk of nuclear proliferation. From the case study, it seems that the DUPIC fuel option in Korea could be strongly competitive with the reprocessing option in respect of nuclear proliferation resistance