Rush to invent versus the need to succeed

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5169933

Rhodes, S H; Stucker, J J

Integral to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982, which provides for the development of geologic repositories for the permanent disposal of high-level nuclear waste, is a consultation process designed to assure that decisions are made publicly. As a portion of the US Dept. of Energy (DOE) responsibility to establish repositories, the NWPA requires DOE to complete a detailed study of the need for an feasibility of monitored retrievable storage (MRS) in the form of a proposal to Congress. Based on this proposal, Congress may or may not authorize construction of this temporary facility. The MRS proposal presented by DOE to Congress this session has important failings. Various obscure judgments are the foundation of the MRS proposal. The proposal fails to consider the question of spent fuel handling alternatives prior to disposal, the need for spent fuel storage at an MRS is not established, and many cheaper storage options appear to be foreclosed by the establishment of the proposed MRS. The centerpiece of the proposal is the development and demonstration of a centralized dry rod consolidation facility, although the at-repository advantages of rod consolidation are not clear. The DOE decision to develop an inventive MRS program as an integral part of the repository program is inconsistent with the NWPA and appears to present serious and unnecessary risks to the successful implementation of the program. A review of demonstrated and affordable alternatives to MRS is presented here.

• OSTI ID: 5169933
• Report Number(s): CONF-860610-Summs.
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 52
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050900* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
BURNUP
CONFIGURATION
ECONOMICS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
MANAGEMENT
MONITORED RETRIEVABLE STORAGE
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PLANNING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
SPENT FUEL STORAGE
STORAGE
TRANSPORT
US NRC
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE