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U.S. Department of Energy
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Relative preliminary radiation doses from the transport of nuclear waste to potential Gulf Interior repository sites

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5375547

Total radiation doses resulting from the transport of spent fuel from 54 nuclear reactors to 7 potential waste repository sites in the southern United States were determined and compared. Calculations included doses to the surrounding population, transport crews, and persons in other vehicles and at rest stops. Calculations were based on a maximum allowable dose rate of 2 mrem per hour for truck crews, and on results from integrated dose equations for other elements of the population. Values for each populations group were summed to give total doses; the total doses ranged from 45 to 75 person-rem per year, of which about 75 percent would be received by the two-person truck crews. These total dose values would amount to roughly 0.005 percent of background radiation, on an average person-rem per year basis. Two conclusions were drawn: (1) only small differences in transportation-related doses exist among the seven repository sites and (2) the transportation-related dose to the general population is so low that transportation (under routine, non-accident conditions) is not a principal criterion for repository site selection.

Research Organization:
Bechtel National, Inc., San Francisco, CA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
5375547
Report Number(s):
ONWI-263; ON: DE82009306
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English