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Nuclear Wastes: Technologies for Separations and Transmutation
Nuclear Wastes: Technologies for Separations and Transmutation
Disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear weapons production and power generation has
caused public outcry and political consternation. Nuclear Wastes presents a critical review
of some waste management and disposal alternatives to the current national policy of
direct disposal of light water reactor spent fuel. The book offers clearcut conclusions for
what the nation should do today and what solutions should be explored for tomorrow.
The committee examines the currently used "once-through" fuel cycle versus different
Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982
Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982
An Act to provide for the development of repositories for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, to establish a program of research, de- velopment, and demonstration regarding the disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, and for other purposes.
SOCIAL DISTRUST: IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATION FOR SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL AND HIGH LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SOCIAL DISTRUST: IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATION FOR SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL AND HIGH LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
The management of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and defense high level waste (HLW) is a complex sociotechnical
systems challenge. Coordinated, reliable, and safe performance will be required over very long
periods of time within evolving social and technical contexts. To accomplish these goals, a waste
management system will involve a host of facilities for interim storage and longterm disposal, a
transportation infrastructure, and research and development centers. The complexity of SNF and HLW
Nuclear Waste: Is There A Need For Federal Interim Storage?
Nuclear Waste: Is There A Need For Federal Interim Storage?
About 20,000 metric tons of spent, or used, nuclear
fuel have accumulated since the beginning of commercial
nuclear power prbduction in the United States. At the end
of the currently licensed period of all existing nuclear power
plants and those under construction, the amount of spent
nuclear fuel is expected to total 87,000 metric tons.
Thus far, practically all of the spent nuclear fuel is
stored in water-filled pools at reactor sites. However, space
does not exist in the pools to store all the spent fuel expected
Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap
Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap
To achieve energy security and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction objectives, the United States must develop and deploy clean, affordable, domestic energy sources as quickly as possible. Nuclear power will continue to be a key component of a portfolio of technologies that meets our energy goals. This document provides a roadmap for the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) research, development, and demonstration activities that will ensure nuclear energy remains viable energy option for the United States.
Assessment of Accident Risk for Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuel to Yucca Mountain Using RADTRAN 5.5
Assessment of Accident Risk for Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuel to Yucca Mountain Using RADTRAN 5.5
This report evaluates the radiological impacts during postulated accidents associated with the
transportation of spent nuclear fuel to the proposed Yucca Mountain repository, using the
RADTRAN 5.5 computer code developed by Sandia National Laboratories. RADTRAN 5.5 can
be applied to estimate the risks associated both with incident-free transportation of radioactive
materials as well as with accidents that may be assumed to occur during transportation. Incidentfree
transportation risks for transport of spent nuclear fuel to Yucca Mountain were evaluated in
Options for Management of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste for Countries Developing New Nuclear Power Programmes
Options for Management of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste for Countries Developing New Nuclear Power Programmes
The IAEA has published guidance on particular elements of radioactive waste and spent fuel management,
such as establishing nuclear technical and regulatory infrastructure, relevant financing schemes, national policy
and strategies, multinational approaches and other aspects linked to building nuclear power plants. The present
publication is intended to provide a concise summary of key issues related to the development of a sound radioactive
waste and spent nuclear fuel management system. It is designed to brief countries with small or newly established
Transportation and Storage Subcommittee Report to the Full Commission Updated Report
Transportation and Storage Subcommittee Report to the Full Commission Updated Report
The main question before the Transportation and Storage Subcommittee was whether the United States should change its approach to storing and transporting spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) while one or more disposal facilities are established.
Gap Analysis to Support Extended Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel
Gap Analysis to Support Extended Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel
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<p><span style="font-size: 12.000000pt; font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'">This report fulfills the M1 milestone M11UF041401, “Storage R&D Opportunities Report” under Work Package Number FTPN11UF0414. </span></p>
West Valley Spent Fuel Shipment Project - Lessons Learned
West Valley Spent Fuel Shipment Project - Lessons Learned
On July 17, 2003, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) completed the movement of 125 commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assemblies from the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). The assemblies were transported by rail in two dual-purpose shipping and storage casks specifically designed for the one shipment to the INEEL and for interim storage.
Environmental Impact Statement, Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste. Volume 1
Environmental Impact Statement, Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste. Volume 1
In the course of producing electrical power in light water reactors (LWRs), the uranium
fuel accumulates fission products until the fission process is no longer efficient.for power
production. At that point the fuel is removed from the reactor and stored in water basins
to allow radioactivity to partially decay before further disposition. This fuel is referred
to as "spent fuel." Although spent fuel as it is discharged from a reactor is intensely
radioactive, it has been stored safely in moderate quantities for decades. Spent fuel could
The Report to the President and the Congress by the Secretary of Energy on the Need to a Second Repository
The Report to the President and the Congress by the Secretary of Energy on the Need to a Second Repository
The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended (NWPA), establishes a process for the siting, construction and operation of one or more national repositories for permanent disposal of the Nation’s spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). In 1987, after the Department of Energy (the Department or DOE) had conducted studies of nine potential repository sites located throughout the United States, Congress amended the NWPA and selected the Yucca Mountain site in Nye County, Nevada as the only site for further study for the first national repository.
Recommendation by the Secretary of Energy of Candidate Sites for Site Characterization for the First Radioactive-Waste Repository
Recommendation by the Secretary of Energy of Candidate Sites for Site Characterization for the First Radioactive-Waste Repository
The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (the Act), established a
step-by-step process for the siting of the nation's first repository for
high-level radioactive waste and spent fuel. The Act gave the Department of
Energy (DOE) the primary responsibility for conducting this siting process.
The first step in the process laid out in the Act was the development by
the DOE, with the concurrence of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), of
general guidelines to be used by the Secretary of the DOE (the Secretary) in
Confidence in the Long-term Safety of Deep Geological Repositories--Its Development and Communication
Confidence in the Long-term Safety of Deep Geological Repositories--Its Development and Communication
Confidence in the long-term safety of deep geological disposal, and the ways in which this
confidence can be obtained and communicated, are topics of great importance to the radioactive waste
management community.1
The technical aspects of confidence have been the subject of considerable debate, especially
the concept of model validation. It has, for example, been pointed out that it is impossible to describe
fully the evolution of an open system, such as a repository and its environment, that cannot be
A Multiattribute Utility Analysis of Sites Nominated for Characterization for the First Radioactive-Waste Repository--A Decision-Aiding Methodology
A Multiattribute Utility Analysis of Sites Nominated for Characterization for the First Radioactive-Waste Repository--A Decision-Aiding Methodology
The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954
as amended, the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, the Department of Energy
Organization Act of 1977, and the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (the Act),
has the responsibility to provide for the disposal of high-level radioactive
waste and spent nuclear fuel.* The DOE selected mined geologic repositories
as the preferred means for the disposal of commercially generated high-level
radioactive waste and spent fuel (Federal Register, Vol. 46, p. 26677, May 14,
Transportation and Storage Subcommittee Report to the Full Commission - Updated Report
Transportation and Storage Subcommittee Report to the Full Commission - Updated Report
To organize its investigation of whether changes are needed in the nation’s current approach to storing and eventually transporting spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level waste (HLW), the Subcommittee began by asking a series of related questions:
• What role should storage play in an integrated U.S. waste management system and strategy in the future?
Options for Developing Public and Stakeholder Engagement for the Storage and Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High Lievel Waste (HLW) in the United States
Options for Developing Public and Stakeholder Engagement for the Storage and Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High Lievel Waste (HLW) in the United States
This report puts forth a number of options and recommendations for how to engage
stakeholders and other members of the public in the storage and management of spent
nuclear fuel and high level waste in the United States. The options are generated from a
scientific review of existing publications proposing criteria for assessing past efforts to
engage publics and stakeholders in decision-making about risky technologies. A set of
nine principles are derived for evaluating cases of public and stakeholder engagement with
Benchmarks for Quantifying Fuel Reactivity Depletion Uncertainty
Benchmarks for Quantifying Fuel Reactivity Depletion Uncertainty
Analytical methods, described in this report, are used to
systematically determine experimental fuel sub-batch
reactivities as a function of burnup. Fuel sub-batch reactivities
are inferred using more than 600 in-core pressurized water
reactor (PWR) flux maps taken during 44 cycles of operation
at the Catawba and McGuire nuclear power plants. The
analytical methods systematically search for fuel sub-batch
reactivities that minimize differences between measured and
computed reaction rates, using Studsvik Scandpower’s
Utilization of the EPRI Depletion Benchmarks for Burnup Credit Validation
Utilization of the EPRI Depletion Benchmarks for Burnup Credit Validation
Pressurized water reactor (PWR) burnup credit validation is
demonstrated using the benchmarks for quantifying fuel reactivity
decrements, published as Benchmarks for Quantifying Fuel Reactivity
Depletion Uncertainty, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
report 1022909. This demonstration uses the depletion module
TRITON (Transport Rigor Implemented with Time-Dependent
Operation for Neutronic Depletion) available in the SCALE 6.1
(Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluations) code
Feasibility of Direct Disposal of Dual-Purpose Canisters-Options for Assuring Criticality Control
Feasibility of Direct Disposal of Dual-Purpose Canisters-Options for Assuring Criticality Control
The concept of direct disposal of dual-purpose canisters (DPCs) has not been previously considered
for the Yucca Mountain geologic repository because of concerns, among other reasons,
about degradation of the reactivity-control material over the relatively long period of the repository
analyses. Aluminum-based neutron absorber materials, typically used in DPCs, are not
expected to have sufficient corrosion resistance necessary to retain their integrity over a 10,000+
Japan's Spent Fuel and Plutonium Management Challenges
Japan's Spent Fuel and Plutonium Management Challenges
Japan’s spent fuel management and fuel cycle programs are now at a critical stage. Its first commercial-scale reprocessing plant, at Rokkasho Village, will soon start full-scale operation.
Disposal and Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel--Finding the Right Balance--A Report to Congress and the Secretary of Energy
Disposal and Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel--Finding the Right Balance--A Report to Congress and the Secretary of Energy
The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended, established a statutory basis
for managing the nation’s civilian (or commercially produced) spent nuclear
fuel. The law established a process for siting, developing, licensing, and constructing
an underground repository for the permanent disposal of that waste.
Utilities were given the primary responsibility for storing spent fuel until it is
accepted by the Department of Energy (DOE) for disposal at a repository —
originally expected to begin operating in 1998. Since then, however, the repository
Topical Report on Actinide-Only Burnup Credit for PWR Spent Nuclear Fuel Packages
Topical Report on Actinide-Only Burnup Credit for PWR Spent Nuclear Fuel Packages
A methodology for performing and applying nuclear criticality safety calculations, for PWR spent nuclear fuel (SNF) packages with actinide-only burnup credit, is described. The changes in the U-234, U-235, U-236, U-238, Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, Pu-241, Pu-242, and Am-241 concentration with burnup are used in burnup credit criticality analyses. No credit for fission product neutron absorbers is taken. The methodology consists of five major steps. (1) Validate a computer code system to calculate isotopic concentrations of SNF created during burnup in the reactor core and subsequent decay.