Draft -- U.S. Department of Energy's Potential GTCC Pilot interim Storage Project

Overview

The Yankee Atomic Electric Company of Massachusetts is nearing final stages of decommissioning the Yankee Rowe reactor, a small reactor that was originally part of a the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOEs) demonstration project. lt is the first operating commercial reactor to undergo full end-of-life decommissioning. During decommissioning and dismantlement of commercial nuclear power plants, a small amount of waste is generated that exceed Class C concentration limits as specified by 10CFR Part 61 (i.e. NRC regulations).

The volume that will be generated is uncertain due to concentration averaging practices that could significantly reduce the current estimate of 2000 cubic meters of greater-than-Class-C (GTCC) materials. The historical GTCC program plan assumed that such materials could be stored at the utility sites until a plan is developed for final disposal. Yankee Atomic has already cut up and currently stores a small volume (about 56 cubic feet) of GTCC activated metals in fuel canisters in an on-site storage pool.

The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-240) made the federal government responsible for disposal of GTCC waste generated by commercial sources. A pilot interim storage project is being considered to evaluate factors affecting disposal of GTCC materials, such as requirements for licensing, transportation, and siting. The pilot project would include DOE taking possession of the 56 cubic feet of Yankee Rowe GTCC activated metals and shipping it to the Nevada Test Site (NTS) for interim storage until a plan for final disposal of GTCC materials can be established. The total pilot project will consist of four phases as summarized below.

Phase I - Conceptual Plan.

Development of a conceptual plan to allow DOE to take possession of and provide interim storage for the Yankee Rowe GTCC activated metals would effectively be a proof-of-concept effort. One of the first tasks will be to develop a stakeholder information plan. The end product of this phase will be a report providing technical solutions to issues regarding containerization, transportation, loading and unloading, siting, and interim storage of GTCC materials.

Phase II- Detailed Plan.

Phase II will include preparation of specifications and drawings for procuring equipment and services needed for unloading the GTCC materials and for constructing the Interim Storage Facility identified during Phase I. A detailed cost estimate for Phases III and IV and the required NEPA documentation, Safety Analysis Report, and plans required to perform the work will also be developed.

Phase III- Procurement and Construction.

Phase III will include procuring storage modules and equipment, constructing the Interim Storage Facility, and performing cold tests on planned material handling operations.

Phase IV - Shipment to Interim Storage.

Phase IV will consist of the actual shipment of the GTCC activated metals from Yankee Rowe and their interim storage at the NTS.