The Importance and Benefits of Acceptance of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel in Canisters at the Repository
- BNG Fuel Solutions Corporation, 2105 S. Bascom Avenue, Suite 160, Campbell, CA 95008 (United States)
This paper describes the results of an evaluation of the logistical and technical issues associated with disposition of commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF) that is emplaced within a canister. As of early January 2006, 680 canisters, which contain over 22,000 CSNF assemblies, were in storage at U.S. nuclear power plants [1]. New canisters of CSNF are being loaded at a rate of about 100 per year. At this rate, for a postulated repository opening date of 2015, more than 1,600 canisters containing over 55,000 CSNF assemblies will be in service. Since this constitutes about 25% of the proposed repository capacity of 225,000 CSNF [2], it is of interest to review the options for moving CSNF that is already stored in canisters to final disposal in the repository. The evaluation examined various options for disposition of CSNF in canisters. The four options evaluated include: 1. Unloading and repackaging the CSNF in transportable casks at the reactor site, then unloading and repackaging the CSNF into the disposal package at the repository site. 2. Unloading and repackaging the CSNF in disposable, transportable canisters at the reactor site for direct loading into the waste package at the repository site. 3. Shipping intact canisters of CSNF to the repository, then unloading and repackaging the CSNF in the disposal package. 4. Shipping intact canisters of CSNF to the repository for direct placement in the disposal package. Based on the outcomes of this study, it is clear that shipping intact canisters of CSNF to the repository, either for repackaging or for direct placement in the disposal package, represents a net benefit to both the Purchasers and to the DOE. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, Inc., PO Box 13023, Tucson, AZ, 85732-3023 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21208751
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US--09-WM-06301
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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