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Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

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Response<br />

148<br />

-WASTE MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS<br />

Cooling towers were mentioned as major environmental release points because DOE con-<br />

siders the environmental impact <strong>of</strong> nonradiological as well as radiological releases, and<br />

nonradiological releases do occur at cooling towers. DOE agrees that adequate technology<br />

exists to prevent radionuclide releases via cooling towers.<br />

Draft p. 2.1.22<br />

Issue<br />

One commenter noted that DOE should justify the assumption that spent fuel will be<br />

packaged prior to storage. This procedure should be based on a cost-effectiveness analysis.<br />

(208-NRC)<br />

Response<br />

The example case in the final Statement (see Section 3.2, 4.3 and 4.4) is now based on<br />

packaging spent fuel after storage and shows packaging prior to storage as an option includ7<br />

ing a generic cost for shipping packaged spent fuel. Selection <strong>of</strong> a procedure based on cost<br />

optimization is not yet feasible.<br />

Draft p. 2.1.24<br />

Issue<br />

No reason is given for packaging spent fuel assemblies while the option <strong>of</strong> reprocessing<br />

is still kept open. If reprocessing is the chosen option, sealed-steel canisters would be<br />

an economic and procedural burden at the head-end <strong>of</strong> the fuel reprocessing procedure,<br />

besides creating yet another waste stream. (181)<br />

Response<br />

DOE agrees and has revised the method assumed for storing spent fuel assemblies while<br />

the option <strong>of</strong> reprocessing remains open. Water basin storage <strong>of</strong> spent fuel is assumed for<br />

this interim storage. Storage <strong>of</strong> packaged spent fuel is considered a possibility only if a<br />

very long time <strong>of</strong> interim storage can be foreseen when it might be considered desirable to<br />

provide an extra measure <strong>of</strong> safety by storing the spent fuel in a packaged form.<br />

Draft p. 2.1.26<br />

Issue<br />

If the first reprocessing plant starts in the year 2010 some <strong>of</strong> the spent fuel may be<br />

as old as 50 years. What is the known experience <strong>of</strong> reprocessing 50-year old spent fuel?

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