Understanding the changing nuclear and mechanical characteristics of used nuclear fuel (UNF) over time and how these changing characteristics affect storage, transportation, and disposal options can require many tools and types of data. To streamline analysis capabilities for the waste management system, a comprehensive, integrated data and analysis tool has been assembled—UNF-Storage, Transportation & Disposal Analysis Resource and Data System (UNF-ST&DARDS).

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) convened a workshop of over 40 representatives of the nuclear industry, federal government, national laboratories, and suppliers of used-fuel dry-storage systems to discuss the potential issues associated with extended dry storage of used fuel, that is, storage considerably beyond the term of current and recently proposed U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations. The workshop was held November 18-19, 2009, at EPRI's offices in Washington, DC.

U.S Court of Federal Claims Senior Judge James F. Merow issued a favorable ruling on September 30, 2006 for the three former Yankee nuclear power plants in their litigation with the federal government over its failure to remove used nuclear fuel from the three New England sites. Yankee Vice- President and Chief Financial Officer Michael Thomas said, “While the Court’s decision will need to be reviewed and evaluated, the Yankee companies’ initial reaction to the monetary award is very positive.

The Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company (CY) today announced that it has been notified by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that its former plant site has been decommissioned in accordance with NRC procedures and regulations. The NRC has formally approved Connecticut Yankee’s Final Status Survey Reports in accordance with the License Termination Plan. The site under the federal license is now reduced to the approximately 5 acres surrounding the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation site.

The work reported here is an investigation of the sensitivity of component temperatures in a specific storage system, including fuel cladding temperatures, in response to modeling assumptions that differ from design-basis, including age-related changes that could degrade the thermal behavior of the system. Preliminary evaluations of representative horizontal and vertical storage systems at design basis conditions provides general insight into the expected behavior of storage systems over extended periods of time.

The Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company (CY) today announced that the State of Connecticut’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has approved CY’s application for a Stewardship Permit for its former plant site in Haddam CT. The approval marks a significant milestone in the decommissioning of the plant site.