Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites

Technical Report · Wed Sep 30 04:00:00 EDT 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1255412· OSTI ID:1255412

Maheras, Steven J. ^[1]; Best, Ralph E. ^[1]; Ross, Steven B. ^[1]; Buxton, Kenneth A. ^[1]; England, Jeffery L. ^[2]; McConnell, Paul E. ^[2]; Massaro, Lawrence M. ^[1]; Jensen, Philip J. ^[1]

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1. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
2. Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

A preliminary evaluation of removing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from 13 shutdown nuclear power reactor sites was conducted. At these shutdown sites the nuclear power reactors have been permanently shut down and the sites have been decommissioned or are undergoing decommissioning. The shutdown sites were Maine Yankee, Yankee Rowe, Connecticut Yankee, Humboldt Bay, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Trojan, La Crosse, Zion, Crystal River, Kewaunee, San Onofre, and Vermont Yankee. The evaluation was divided into four components: (1) characterization of the SNF and greater-than-Class C low-level radioactive waste (GTCC waste) inventory, (2) a description of the on-site infrastructure and conditions relevant to transportation of SNF and GTCC waste, (3) an evaluation of the near-site transportation infrastructure and experience relevant to shipping transportation casks containing SNF and GTCC waste, including identification of gaps in information, and (4) an evaluation of the actions necessary to prepare for and remove SNF and GTCC waste. Every site was found to have at least one off-site transportation mode option for removing its SNF and GTCC waste; some have multiple options. Experience removing large components during reactor decommissioning provided an important source of information used to identify the transportation mode options for the sites. Especially important in conducting the evaluation were site visits, through which information was obtained that would not have been available otherwise. Extensive photographs taken during the site visits proved to be particularly useful in documenting the current conditions at or near the sites. It is expected that additional site visits will be conducted to add to the information presented in the evaluation.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1255412
• Report Number(s): PNNL--22676 Rev. 6; AF5865020
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
BIG ROCK POINT REACTOR
CONNECTICUT YANKEE REACTOR
CRYSTAL RIVER-3 REACTOR
CRYSTAL RIVER-4 REACTOR
DOCUMENTATION
EVALUATION
HUMBOLDT BAY REACTOR
INFORMATION
INFORMATION NEEDS
INVENTORIES
KEWAUNEE REACTOR
LACBWR REACTOR
LAND TRANSPORT
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MAINE YANKEE REACTOR
NFST
PHOTOGRAPHY
RANCHO SECO-1 REACTOR
RANCHO SECO-2 REACTOR
REACTOR DECOMMISSIONING
REMOVAL
ROWE YANKEE REACTOR
SAN ONOFRE-1 REACTOR
SAN ONOFRE-2 REACTOR
SAN ONOFRE-3 REACTOR
SPENT FUEL CASKS
SPENT FUELS
TROJAN REACTOR
VERMONT YANKEE REACTOR
ZION-1 REACTOR
ZION-2 REACTOR
shutdown sites
spent nuclear fuel
used nuclear fuel