Management of Spent Nuclear FuelBy: Matthew R. MacDougall

Nuclear Engineerof Oregon State University

Sponsored by American Nuclear SocietyAugust 1st, 2012

Overview

BackgroundPolicies to dateApplicationsRecommendations

Issue Definition

Decrease dependence of fossil fuels1 fuel pellet equals…Bad part: produces spent nuclear fuel

Types of Waste

Low levelTransuranic (medium) High level

Spent Nuclear Fuel

Product of the Fission ProcessContains 2 main types of isotopes

◦Actinides (Pu-240, U-238, Th-232)◦Fission Products (Tc-99, I-129, Cs-137)

SNF Storage Methods

Fuel Flow Chart

New Fuel

Final Repository

Temporary On Site Storage

Interim Storage Site

Reprocess

Reactor

Governmental Policies To Date

Nuclear Waste Policy Act (1982)Nuclear Waste Policy Act Amendment

(1987)◦Both need amending to legally pursue a new

storage methodRecommendations

◦Blue Ribbon Commission Appointed by DOE 8 recommendations on SNF management

Overseeing Groups

3 Main Agencies Dictated by NWPA◦Department of Energy (DOE)◦Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)◦Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Interests And Values At Stake

Nuclear Waste FundSafetyNot In My Backyard (NIMBY)Consent from state

Policy AlternativesOn-Site Storage

Dry cask storageMinimal transportationUsing reactor securitySmall space available

Policy AlternativesInterim Consolidated Storage

One of the recommendations by BRC‘Staging Area’Consolidate waste - saferTakes some pressure off DOETransportation still an issueNeeds self security and construction

Transporting Issues

Biggest convenience of on-site storage (lack of transportation)

No spills thus farTests

◦Fuel Cask TestingTerrorism

◦Blow up casks◦Stealing

Self-protecting

Policy AlternativesLong-Term Storage

Very confusing◦Lots of policies up in the air

Closing of YM

Waste Isolation Pilot Program

Carlsbad, New MexicoStorage of Transuranic WasteExample of successful storage

◦Very different than HLW thoughEnvironmental Evaluation Group (EEG)

◦Way of promoting consent

Recommendations

SNF◦Increasing issue◦Can’t keep on putting it off◦Repository necessary

Interim storage◦Safe, consolidated storage◦Transportation very safe

Long time to construct implement, need to start now!

Special Thanks to….Dr. Alan LevinNuclear Energy Institute Richiey Hayes and Carrol BerriganThe Washington Internship for Students of

Engineering ProgramAmerican Nuclear SocietyErika WissolikBill BehnCraig PiercyMauricio GutierrezMichael O’Connell