Returning to the contradictory statements about handling the reactor fuel rods.
The IAEA in both their communications state that they have been assured that the reactors will be provided as sealed and welded units. This is repeated in the AUKUS briefing fact sheet. Quote:
”The United Kingdom and United States intend to provide Australia with nuclear material in complete, welded power units that will not require refueling during their lifetime;”
I cannot see how this is compatible with the statement that:
”As part of this commitment to nuclear stewardship, Australia has committed to managing all radioactive waste generated through its nuclear-powered submarine program, including spent nuclear fuel, in Australia.”
Opening the reactors in Australia to extract the fuel at the end of life would seem to drive a coach and horses through the undertaking to the IAEA/NPT. I mean, “they’re sealed and welded - until we open them up to get the stuff inside out”…
The only other possibility would be that the boats would be defuelled and the fuel rods extracted for reprocessed in U.K./USA into LEU/MOX or solid/vitrified form and then sent back to Australia for storage - which would seem unduly complicated and perverse.
I come back to the reactor cores/fuel rods being returned to the UK/USA and the waste described being just to the LLW and ILW contained in the pressure vessel and pipe work.