Summary of Consolidated Interim Storage Advantages and Disadvantages from an Integrated Systems Perspective from Prior Reports and Studies

The question of whether centralized storage of civilian 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. Centralized storage facilities were included as a potential component of the U.S. spent fuel management system in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), but the NWPA did not identify these facilities as being essential. At the time the NWPA was enacted, it was expected that a permanent repository would be available around the turn of the century to meet the commitment that was made to start accepting waste by that time. For several reasons, a permanent repository was not available at that stage.

This report summarizes or directly quotes statements in prior reports and studies regarding the advantages and disadvantages of including a consolidated interim storage facility (ISF) as part of an integrated waste management system. This report does not contain any new analysis or conclusions and should not be construed as endorsing any view expressed in those reports. This report should not be construed as reflecting the views of the Department of Energy.

Storing SNF before disposal is a functional requirement for an integrated waste management system. As described below, the reports and studies summarized or quoted in this report have identified potential benefits that could be obtained by adding a consolidated ISF to the waste management system, including (1) earlier acceptance of fuel by the federal government, (2) reduction in the number of unintended long-term storage sites, (3) added system flexibility and opportunity for better integration, and (4) near-term development and demonstration of institutional and technical infrastructures for large-scale management of SNF. Other reports and studies and in some cases the same reports and studies have identified potential disadvantages to including an ISF to the waste management system, including (1) potential adverse impacts on development of a repository, (2) additional transportation of SNF, and (3) upfront economic investment to establish the consolidated storage capability. This report presents a summary by the authors of the views expressed in prior reports and studies regarding these advantages and disadvantages.