4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 1 of 24 Session I.4.9h Part I Review of Fundamentals Module 4Sources of Radiation Session 9hFuel Cycle – Spent Fuel IAEA Post Graduate Educational Course Radiation Protection and Safe Use of Radiation Sources

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 2 of 24 Spent Fuel

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 3 of 24 What is the “Back End” of the Fuel Cycle  The back end has to do with post-reactor use of the (now) irradiated fuel  Irradiated fuel is extremely radioactive and generates heat  Clouded by politics, policy issues, national pride, NIMBY, BANANA, LULU etc.  Issue defused by excellent power plant records, longer fuel burnups, compact nature of waste  Economics clouded  No clear route driven by safety

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 4 of 24 Unirradiated fuel pellet

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 5 of 24 Unirradiated fuel Minimal Radiation Hazard

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 6 of 24 Irradiated Fuel SNF being moved during refueling High Radiation Hazard - No people nearby

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 7 of 24 Typical SNF Properties  Round numbers, per tonne (MTIHM)  950 kg LEU (about 2% assay)  40 kg fission products  10 kg Pu isotopes (about 65% fissile)  very radioactive, 1,000s R/hr  Generates heat - decays with time  after 1 year, about 5 KW/assembly (0.5 te)  after 5 years, about 1 KW/assembly  Only 3-5% is actually waste  94-96% is the original uranium  1% or so Pu can be used in MOX

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 8 of 24 How much SNF?  Currently over 40,000 tonnes (MTHM) in U.S  Accumulating at about 2,500 tonnes/yr  First repository limited to 70,000 MTHM by statute  Most US reactors expected to pursue license extension  In ten years, likely to exceed statutory limit for first repository  Likely to exceed 100,000 MTHM within twenty years  New plants/impacts?

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 9 of 24 Irradiated/SNF options  storage  wet or dry  at reactor or away  reprocessing  wet schemes - Purex  dry schemes  transmutation  disposal  repository/geologic  SNF  HLW

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 10 of 24 Spent Fuel

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 11 of 24 Wet Storage of SNF  Wet storage  “swimming pools,” sometimes borated  required for immediately discharged SNF  low temperature storage - 38 to 66 °C  shielding provided by water depth over SNF (20+ feet typical)  can be large, at site - “ISFSI” or away  water filters, pumps, IX  Requires active systems, some safety significant  Preferred overseas for long-term storage

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 12 of 24 Example: Wet Storage Of SNF End View Closeup La Hague, France Side View

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 13 of 24 Above Ground Dry Storage

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 14 of 24 Dry Storage of SNF  Dry storage  large metal/concrete containers: m dia by m High  requires minimum wet storage for cooling (5 yrs)  “high” temperature °C typical - in pressurized Helium  cm of steel or m of concrete for shielding  Concrete requires air passages for cooling  Modular  not fully passive - seals, passages require routine inspections  preferred in U.S. for long-term storage

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 15 of 24 Calvert Cliffs ISFSI

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 16 of 24 Horizontal Modules

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 17 of 24 Dry Storage - Internals 24 assemblies PWR 24 KW max. (typical)

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 18 of 24 SNF Dry Cask Transport

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 19 of 24 Other Dry Storage Items  Economics  $ K for concrete cask  $1, ,500 K for metal casks  Vaults comparable to concrete costs per assembly  costs appear lower than wet storage  All currently loaded dry SNF storage casks will need to be unloaded for placement in SNF disposal cask  Some currently loaded casks will have to be unloaded for transportation

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 20 of 24 Dry Storage Issues  Big issues  creep of cladding  burnup/credits  thermal  life extension/20+ years  transportation  away from reactor storage  Repository  Dry storage easier but many more issues

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 21 of 24 CountryPolicyFacilities BelgiumReprocessingUnderground repository laboratory established - Construction of repository to begin 2030 CanadaDirect DisposalUnderground repository laboratory established - Repository planned for use 2025 FinlandDirect DisposalSpent fuel storage in operation - Five sites located for deep repository, one to be selected in 2010 for use by 2020 FranceReprocessingTwo facilities for storage of short- lived wastes - Site selection studies underway for deep repository for commissioning 2020 Nuclear Power Reactor Spent Fuel Waste Management

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 22 of 24 CountryPolicyFacilities GermanyReprocessing Low-level waste sites in use since (under review) High-level repository to be operational after 2010 IndiaReprocessingInvestigating deep repository sites JapanReprocessingLow-level waste repository in operation - High-level waste storage facility under construction - Investigations for final repository site begun NetherlandsReprocessingCentral low-level waste repository in operation - High-level waste storage facility under construction. RussiaReprocessingSites for final disposal under investigation Nuclear Power Reactor Spent Fuel Waste Management

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 23 of 24 CountryPolicyFacilities South KoreaUndecidedLow-level and intermediate-level waste site under investigation SpainDirect DisposalLow & intermediate-level waste repository in operation - Final repository site selection program. Decision 2000, commissioning 2020 SwedenDirect DisposalCentral spent fuel storage facility in operation since Final repository for low to intermediate waste in operation - Underground research laboratory for high-level waste - Site selection for repository, to begin disposal in 2008 Nuclear Power Reactor Spent Fuel Waste Management

4/2003 Rev 2 I.4.9h – slide 24 of 24 CountryPolicyFacilities SwitzerlandReprocessingCentral interim storage for all wastes under construction - Underground research laboratory for high-level waste repository, with final deep repository to be finished by 2020 United KingdomReprocessingLow-level waste repository in operation since High-level waste currently vitrified and stored, new underground repository planned USADirect DisposalThree low-level waste sites in operation - Investigations on national final repository at Yucca Mountain, EIS published mid 1999, possible opening 2010 Nuclear Power Reactor Spent Fuel Waste Management