One Step at a Time The Staged Development of Geologic Repositories for High-Level Radioactive Waste (2003) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix F: Overview of U.S. Geologic Repository Programs
Appendix F: Overview of U.S. Geologic Repository Programs
Pages 182-198
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From page 182... ...
DOE is also the implementer of another geologic repository for radioactive waste: the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)
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From page 183... ...
. WIPP is the worId's first licensed deep subsurface geologic repository for radioactive waste, and it is the result of almost four decades of scientific and technical work (NRC, 1996~.
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From page 184... ...
Waste emplacement began 10 years later than the original schedule, when the Environmental Protection Agency was designated the regulator and additional compliance studies were initiated. In spite of these delays and costs overruns, WIPP is considered a successful geologic repository program because it is now in operation.
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From page 185... ...
waste and commercial spent nuclear fuel (NWPA, 1982~. Although geologic disposal has often been questioned by groups that favor long-term, monitored surface storage, the original choice was openly documented (NRC, 2001 b)
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From page 186... ...
The repository design continues to evolve with time. Major changes in design have included waste package characteristics (in particular the recent inclusion of a titanium drip shields and a change in container material to the C-22 alloy)
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From page 187... ...
radioactive waste requires deep geologic disposal, while most low-level radioactive waste may be disposed of at or near the ground surface. The United States has an additional waste stream not so highly radioactive as high-level waste but that contains significant amounts of tong-lived radioactive materials; transuranic waste from its defense program.
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From page 188... ...
That there is reasonable assurance that the types and amounts of radioactive materials described in the application can be received and possessed in a geologic repository operations area of the design proposed without unreasonable risk to the health and safely of the public; and (2) That there is reasonable expectation that the materials can be disposed of without unreasonable risk to the health and safety of the public.
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From page 189... ...
At the time of the first construction authorization and at each licensing step the USNRC wit! determine whether the license application is sufficient to demonstrate compliance with USNRC's regulatory requirements.
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From page 190... ...
This modular repository design consists of completing about 10 percent of the emplacement drifts during the initial construction phase (before initiation of waste emplacement) , with the remainder of the emplacement drifts being completed during the operation phases.8 The proposed repository at Yucca Mountain consists of surface and subsurface facilities to prepare the waste for emplacement, handle low-level waste produced on site and underground facilities to dispose of the waste (for details see DOEOCRWM, 2002a)
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From page 191... ...
DOE will report to the USNRC every 24 months any significant deviations from expected conditions and recommend action. License amendments will be needed for substantial design changes, such as changes in the repository design or in the waste emplacement rate.
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From page 192... ...
The precedent at the Waste /so/ation Pi/of P/anf (see Sidebar F.1J suggests periodic performance assessment updates during operation. Moreover, the USNRC regulations require: · a safety assessment for license application for construction, an updated safety assessment based on information obtained during construction to support license to receive and possess, and an updated safety assessment based on performance confirmation data for the app/icafion for a license amendment to close file repository.
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From page 193... ...
Accordingly, each lime DOE changes the baseline roadmap or the repository design it is strongly criticized by some stakeholders. DOE has not set appropriate expeciations with stakeholders about the need for systematic learning, that can lead to changes.
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From page 194... ...
The committee recognizes these as opportunities for the Congress to reverse the program. However, the spirit of Adaptive Staging is that all parties acknowledge throughout the program that reversibility is always a possibility to consider before moving to the following stage.
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From page 195... ...
For example, adoption of the titanium drip shield was a development that took place subclenly and without much external cliscussion. Other decisions in the program that do not correspond to the principles of Adaptive Staging have sometimes been taken out of the hands of DOE.
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From page 196... ...
According to DOE the initial incentives for implementing a modular repository design were to reduce initial investment and to waste emplacement. Development of a flexible thermal operating mode was triggered by concerns repeatedly expressed by the NWTRB (2002~.
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From page 197... ...
An example of the more difficult key technical issue concerns the corrosion rate of C-22 alloy. Adaptive Staging may alter resolution of a key technical issue and alter the repository design itself.
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From page 198... ...
2001 a. Improving Operations and Long-Term Safely of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.
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