Analysis of Dust Samples Collected from an In-Service Interim Storage System at the Maine Yankee Nuclear Site

In July, 2016, the Electric Power Research Institute and industry partners performed a field test at the Maine Yankee Nuclear Site, located near Wiscasset, Maine. The primary goal of the field test was to evaluate the use of robots in surveying the surface of an in-service interim storage canister within an overpack; however, as part of the demonstration, dust and soluble salt samples were collected from horizontal surfaces within the interim storage system.

Analysis of Dust Samples Collected from an Unused Spent Nuclear Fuel Interim Storage Container at Hope Creek, Delaware

In July, 2014, the Electric Power Research Institute and industry partners sampled dust on the surface of an unused canister that had been stored in an overpack at the Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station for approximately one year. The foreign material exclusion (FME) cover that had been on the top of the canister during storage, and a second recently-removed FME cover, were also sampled. This report summarizes the results of analyses of dust samples collected from the unused Hope Creek canister and the FME covers.

Analysis of Dust Samples Collected from Spent Nuclear Fuel Interim Storage Containers at Hope Creek, Delaware, and Diablo Canyon, California

Potentially corrosive environments may form on the surface of spent nuclear fuel dry storage canisters by deliquescence of deposited dusts. To assess this, samples of dust were collected from in-service dry storage canisters at two near-marine sites, the Hope Creek and Diablo Canyon storage installations, and have been characterized with respect to mineralogy, chemistry, and texture. At both sites, terrestrially-derived silicate minerals, including quartz, feldspars, micas, and clays, comprise the largest fraction of the dust.

Strategy for the Management and Disposal of Used Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste 3

The Strategy for the Management and Disposal of Used Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste is a framework for moving toward a sustainable program to deploy an integrated system capable of transporting, storing, and disposing of used nuclear fuel1 and high-level radioactive waste from civilian nuclear power generation, defense, national security and other activities.

Sister Rod Nondestructive Examination Annual Report FY2017

This report documents work performed under the Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition for the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology program. This work was performed to fulfill the Level 2 Milestone M2SF-17OR010201021, “Documentation of Non-destructive Tests on Sister Pins,” within work package SF-17OR01020102.

Cost Sensitivity Analysis for Consolidated Interim Storage of Spent Fuel: Evaluating the Effect of Economic Environment Parameters

This report evaluates how the economic environment (i.e., discount rate, inflation rate, escalation rate) can impact previously estimated differences in lifecycle costs between an integrated waste management system with an interim storage facility (ISF) and a similar system without an ISF. The costs analyzed in this report are based on the document entitled Cost Implications of an Interim Storage Facility in the Waste Management System, a systems study comparing the “constant dollar” future lifecycle costs of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management system scenarios.

Yucca Mountain Project Map, YMP–03–024.2, “Proposed Land Withdrawal” July 21, 2005.

Yucca Mountain Project Map, YMP–03–024.2, “Proposed Land Withdrawal” and dated July 21, 2005. This map is referenced in House of Representatives Bill H.R.3053 — 115th Congress (2017-2018) dated June 26,2017

Execution Strategy Analysis Conference Papers

Conference papers on the IWM Execution Strategy Analysis process and tool.

Potential Cost Implications of an Interim Storage Facility for Commercial SNF

The question of whether or not consolidated interim storage of commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) should be part of the federal waste management system as an intermediate step before permanent disposal has been debated for more than four decades. This paper summarizes an evaluation of the cost implications of incorporating a consolidated interim storage facility (ISF) into the waste management system (WMS). In this study, the order-of-magnitude estimates of total system costs were calculated and tabulated.

Yucca Mountain License Application

10 CFR 63.2 defines the geologic repository operations area (GROA) at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as “a high-level radioactive waste facility that is part of a geologic repository, including both surface and subsurface areas, where waste handling activities are conducted.” A general description of the GROA and its location, the general nature of the activities to be performed at the GROA, and the basis for the exercise of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing authority over a geologic repository are presented in Sections 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3, respectively.

Does Consolidated Interim Storage Make Sense in an Integrated Waste Management System?

Presentation given at the NEI Used Fuel Management Conference in Savannah, Georgia on May 3, 2017. It discusses advantages and disadvantages of consolidated interim storage as well as highlights recent work related to the economics of consolidated storage.

Development of Rail Accident Rates for SNF Rail Shipments

Presentation and Paper for WM 2017. A key factor in evaluating the safety of rail shipments involving the transport of commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is the development of transportation accident rates that are reflective of the unique characteristics associated with these train operations. Typical rail freight operations may involve consists of a hundred cars or more, which may pass through multiple rail yards for trains to be decoupled and reassembled. In contrast, trains carrying SNF are anticipated to be operated in consists of considerably fewer cars.

Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis

This report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), provides a comprehensive set of cost data supporting a cost analysis for the relative economic comparison of options for use in the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) Program. The report describes the AFCI cost basis development process, reference information on AFCI cost modules, a procedure for estimating fuel cycle costs, economic evaluation guidelines, and a discussion on the integration of cost data into economic computer models.

Criticality Evaluation of Degraded Internal Configurations for the PWR AUCF WP Designs

The purpose of this analysis is to provide input on the criticality potential of various degraded configurations to an analysis on the probability of a criticality event in a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Advanced Uncanistered Fuel (AUCF) Waste Package (WP).

Frequency of SNF Misload for Uncanistered Fuel Waste Package

The purpose of this engineering calculation is to estimate the frequency of misloading spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assemblies that would result in exceeding the criticality design basis of a waste package (WP). This type of misload - a reactivity misload - results from the incorrect placement of one or more fuel assemblies into a waste package such that the criticality controls do not match the required controls for the fuel assemblies. An actual criticality event can not occur in a WP unless a moderator (e.g. water) is present.

Spent Nuclear Fuel: Accumulating Quantities at Commercial Reactors Present Storage and Other Challenges

The amount of spent fuel stored on-site at commercial nuclear reactors will continue to accumulate—increasing by about 2,000 metric tons per year and likely more than doubling to about 140,000 metric tons—before it can be moved off-site, because storage or disposal facilities may take decades to develop. In examining centralized storage or permanent disposal options, GAO found that new facilities may take from 15 to 40 years before they are ready to begin accepting spent fuel. Once an off-site facility is available, it will take several more decades to ship spent fuel to that facility.

NFST November FY13 Monthly Summary

Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) Reactor Fuel Criticality Calculations

The purpose of these calculations is to characterize the criticality safety concerns for the storage of Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) nuclear fuel in a Department of Energy spent nuclear fuel (DOE SNF) canister in a co-disposal waste package. These results will be used to support the analysis that will be done to demonstrate concept viability related to use in the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) environment.

Description of Fracture Systems for External Criticality Reports

The purpose of this Analysis/Model Report (AMR) is to describe probabilistically the main features of the geometry of the fracture system in the vicinity of the repository. They will be used to determine the quantity of fissile material that could accumulate in the fractured rock underneath a waste package as it degrades. This AMR is to feed the geochemical calculations for external criticality reports. This AMR is done in accordance with the technical work plan (BSC (Bechtel SAIC Company) 2001 b). The scope of this AMR is restricted to the relevant parameters of the fracture system.

OCRWM National Transportation Plan DOE/RW-0603 Revision 0

This Plan outlines the Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2009 strategy and planning for developing and implementing the transportation system required to transport spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) from where the material is generated or stored to the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. As such, it is a historical document that reflected the DOE's thinking and/or approach in 2009.

Direct Radiation Dose Consequence Calculation for Category 1 and 2 Event Sequences

Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure in 10 CFR 63.111 identify compliance with regulatory dose limits for workers and members of the public as a design objective. The purpose of this design calculation is to determine direct radiation dose consequences for Category 1 and 2 event sequences. It does not include worker dose assessment for recovery operations following Category 1 event sequences.

Safety Evaluation of a Geological Repository

The Law of 30 December 1991 [1] confers to Andra the mission of assessing the feasibility of a repository of high-level and long-lived (HLLL) waste in a deep geological formation.

Radiation Effects of Isotopic Uncertainty for Burnup Credit Validation

The objective of this calculation is to provide the uncertainty term for fission product and minor actinides which contributes to the determination of the critical limit for burnup credit calculations. The scope of this calculation covers PWR and BWR spent nuclear fuel. This activity supports the Criticality Department's validation of burnup credit. The intended use of these results is in future Criticality Department calculations and analyses.