Cost Estimate for an Away-From-Reactor Generic Interim Storage Facility (GISF) for Spent Nuclear Fuel

As nuclear power plants began to run out of storage capacity in spent nuclear fuel (SNF) storage pools, many nuclear operating companies added higher density pool storage racks to increase pool capacity. Most nuclear power plant storage pools have been re-racked one or more times. As many spent fuel storage pools were re-racked to the maximum extent possible, nuclear operating companies began to employ interim dry storage technologies to store SNF in certified casks and canister-based systems outside of the storage pool in independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSIs). Since there will be a need for additional SNF storage capacity for several decades into the future, an alternative to storing SNF at reactor sites would be to store SNF at away-from-reactor interim SNF storage facilities, referred to herein as a “generic interim storage facility” or “GISF.” This study provides an overview of the timing and projected costs associated with the design, licensing, construction, and operation of a GISF.