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

4.108
$109/kg HM, which is comparable to the $103/kg HM predisposal cost totals for spent fuel
waste management. In addition, spent fuel handling and storage costs before reprocessing
are also included for reasons noted previously, bringing the total reprocessing fuel cycle
waste management cost to $168/kg HM. The range is estimated using the lowest and highest
cost treatment options.
Tables 4.9.5 and 4.9.6 show additional detail for the costs of interim storage options
and transportation operations.
4.9.4 Detailed Subsystem Costs for Geologic Disposal
Since many treatment options affect the treated waste volumes, the entire cost impact
of these options cannot be evaluated on the basis of the predisposal costs alone. For this
reason final disposal costs are included in the subsystem costs presented here, although
they are not developed in this Statement until Section 5.6.
Table 4.9.7 illustrates total subsystem waste management costs for waste management
operations for both the once-through and reprocessing fuel cycles. These costs include the
effect of volume reduction on subsequent transportation, interim storage and disposal
operations. For the once-through cycle, dissolving the spent fuel costs significantly more
than other treatment options. For the reprocessing cycle, treatment options do not have a
significant impact on total system costs except for the fuel residue and combustible waste
options. The high cost of removing and storing krypton relative to the waste management
costs of removing other gases can also be noted.
The cost ranges reflect the impact of volume changes on costs assuming the example
interim storage and final disposal methods. The upper cost estimate assumes the least
volume reduction and the lowest cost estimate the greatest volume reduction. Cost ranges
would be somewhat greater than shown here for other interim storage and final disposal
options.
The example total cost estimate of $215/kg HM for the reprocessing fuel cycle includes
$59/kg HM for spent fuel transportation and storage prior to reprocessing. The final
disposal costs included in the subsystems cost estimates may be estimated by subtracting
the predisposal costs in Tables 4.9.3 and 4.9.6 from the subsystem cost in Table 4.9.7 for
the once-through and reprocessing fuel cycles.