New Nuclear Power and Climate Change: Issues and Opportunities

New Nuclear Power and Climate Change:

Issues and Opportunities

New Nuclear Power and Climate Change:

Issues and Opportunities

Jay Maisler

Consultant and Certified Health Physicist

Enercon

Nuclear Power Nuclear Power PlantPlant

Radioactive Radioactive WasteWasteJay J. Maisler, CHPJay J. Maisler, CHP

Enercon Services, Inc.Enercon Services, Inc.

Radioactive Waste Radioactive Waste OverviewOverview

Low Level Radioactive WasteLow Level Radioactive WasteThe U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission defines low-level waste as including items that defines low-level waste as including items that have become contaminated with radioactive have become contaminated with radioactive material or have become radioactive through material or have become radioactive through exposure to neutron radiation. Low-level exposure to neutron radiation. Low-level waste is typically stored on-site by licensees, waste is typically stored on-site by licensees, either until it has decayed away and can be either until it has decayed away and can be disposed of as ordinary trash, or until amounts disposed of as ordinary trash, or until amounts are large enough for shipment to a low-level are large enough for shipment to a low-level waste disposal site in containers approved by waste disposal site in containers approved by the Department of Transportation.the Department of Transportation.

Radioactive Waste Radioactive Waste OverviewOverview

High Level Radioactive WasteHigh Level Radioactive WasteThe U.S. NRC describes high-level radioactive wastes The U.S. NRC describes high-level radioactive wastes as the highly radioactive materials produced as a as the highly radioactive materials produced as a byproduct of the reactions that occur inside nuclear byproduct of the reactions that occur inside nuclear reactors. High-level wastes take one of two forms: reactors. High-level wastes take one of two forms: Spent (used) reactor fuel when it is accepted for Spent (used) reactor fuel when it is accepted for

disposal disposal Waste materials remaining after spent fuel is Waste materials remaining after spent fuel is

reprocessed reprocessed Spent nuclear fuel is used fuel from a reactor that is no Spent nuclear fuel is used fuel from a reactor that is no longer efficient in creating electricity, because its longer efficient in creating electricity, because its fission process has slowed. However, it is still thermally fission process has slowed. However, it is still thermally hot, highly radioactive, and potentially harmful. Until a hot, highly radioactive, and potentially harmful. Until a permanent disposal repository for spent nuclear fuel is permanent disposal repository for spent nuclear fuel is built, licensees must safely store this fuel at their built, licensees must safely store this fuel at their reactors.reactors.

Low Level Radioactive Low Level Radioactive WasteWaste

Classes of WasteClasses of Waste Class AClass A Class BClass B Class CClass C

Three existing low level radioactive Three existing low level radioactive waste disposal facilitieswaste disposal facilities Barnwell, SCBarnwell, SC Hanford, WAHanford, WA Clive, UTClive, UT

Low Level Radioactive Low Level Radioactive WasteWaste

Waste is disposed in Low Level Waste is disposed in Low Level Disposal Facilities.Disposal Facilities.

Low Level Radioactive Low Level Radioactive WasteWaste

Low Level Radioactive Waste is Low Level Radioactive Waste is encapsulated either by solidification encapsulated either by solidification or placement in High Integrity or placement in High Integrity Containers.Containers.

High Level Radioactive High Level Radioactive WasteWaste

Fuel Rods Filled With Fuel Rods Filled With Pellets Are Grouped Into Pellets Are Grouped Into

Fuel AssembliesFuel Assemblies

Fuel Assemblies Cool Fuel Assemblies Cool Temporarily in Used Temporarily in Used

Fuel PoolsFuel Pools

Dry Fuel Storage at Plant Dry Fuel Storage at Plant SitesSites

Temporary Dry Fuel Temporary Dry Fuel StorageStorage

at Power Plant Siteat Power Plant Site

Dry Fuel Storage ProjectsDry Fuel Storage Projects

ENERCON Services has provided ENERCON Services has provided engineering services for 18 Dry Fuel engineering services for 18 Dry Fuel Storage Projects throughout the US. Storage Projects throughout the US.

Dry Fuel Storage ProjectsDry Fuel Storage Projects

Dry Fuel Storage Projects include Dry Fuel Storage Projects include design and engineering for:design and engineering for:

Storage PadStorage Pad Facility SecurityFacility Security ElectricalElectrical Federal LicensingFederal Licensing Local and State PermittingLocal and State Permitting Cask Heavy Load LiftingCask Heavy Load Lifting

Transportation Transportation Containers Are Strong Containers Are Strong

and Safeand Safe

Transportation Casks Transportation Casks Have Been TestedHave Been Tested

Container Loaded on a Container Loaded on a Truck…Truck…

… … And Crashed at 80 And Crashed at 80 MPH into a Concrete MPH into a Concrete

WallWall

Container Broadsided by Container Broadsided by Locomotive Traveling at Locomotive Traveling at

80 MPH80 MPH

Containers Survived Containers Survived Incineration TestsIncineration Tests

Containers Passed Containers Passed Every TestEvery Test

NRC Concludes NRC Concludes Shipping Even Safer Shipping Even Safer

Than Previously Than Previously ThoughtThought

At the Repository, Fuel At the Repository, Fuel Will Be Transferred to a Will Be Transferred to a

Special Disposal Special Disposal Container Container

Yucca Mountain Being Yucca Mountain Being Considered As Disposal Considered As Disposal

SiteSite

Yucca Mountain Being Yucca Mountain Being Considered As Disposal Considered As Disposal

SiteSite

Seven Miles of Seven Miles of Tunnels Built in Tunnels Built in Yucca MountainYucca Mountain

Yucca Mountain Has Yucca Mountain Has Been Thoroughly Been Thoroughly

InvestigatedInvestigated

President Recommends President Recommends Yucca MountainYucca Mountain