Full Title: Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Nine Shutdown Sites
Author(s): Steven J. Maheras, Ralph E. Best, Steven B. Ross, Kenneth A. Buxton, Jeffery L. England, Paul E. McConnell
Publisher(s): DOE
Publication Date: April 1, 2013
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Description (excerpt):
This report fulfills the M2 milestone M2FT-12SN0814057, “Status of Stranded Used Nuclear Fuel.”
The Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future identified removal of stranded used nuclear fuel at shutdown sites as a priority so that these sites may be completely decommissioned and put to other beneficial uses (BRC 2012). Shutdown sites are defined as those commercial nuclear power reactor sites where the nuclear power reactors have been shut down and the site has been decommissioned or is undergoing decommissioning. In this report, a preliminary evaluation of removing used nuclear fuel from nine shutdown sites was conducted. The shutdown sites included Maine Yankee, Yankee Rowe, Connecticut Yankee, Humboldt Bay, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Trojan, La Crosse, and Zion. At these sites a total of 7649 used nuclear fuel assemblies and a total of 2813.2 metric tons heavy metal (MTHM) of used nuclear fuel are contained in 248 storage canisters. In addition, 11 canisters containing greater-than-Class C (GTCC) low-level radioactive waste are stored at these sites.
The evaluation was divided in four components:
- Characterization of the used nuclear fuel and GTCC low-level radioactive waste inventory at the shutdown sites
- An evaluation of the onsite transportation conditions at the shutdown sites
- An evaluation of the near-site transportation infrastructure and experience relevant to the shipping of transportation casks containing used nuclear fuel from the shutdown sites
- An evaluation of the actions necessary to prepare for and remove used nuclear fuel and GTCC low-level radioactive waste from the shutdown sites.
Using these evaluations the authors developed time sequences of activities and time durations for removing the used nuclear fuel and GTCC low-level radioactive waste from a single shutdown site, from three shutdown sites located close to each other, and from all nine shutdown sites.