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

5.98
5.6.5 Comparison with Other Cost Data
Recent repository cost estimates, including the estimates in this statement, use as
their principal basis one of three independent repository conceptual design studies (Kaiser
1978, Stearns-Rogers 1979, OWI 1978). The Bechtel (1979) spent fuel disposal study uses the
conceptual designs reported for Kaiser (1978) and Stearns-Rogers (1979) with variations
based on differences in waste form. The repository cost included in DOE's preliminary spent
fuel acceptance charge estimate DOE/ET-0055 (DOE 1978) is based on a planning study by
Kaiser Engineers prior to the completion of their conceptual design estimates. The recent
Environmental Impact Statement on Spent Fuel Policy, DOE/EIS-0015 (DOE 1980a), uses this
same basis. The estimates in this Statement are based on OWI (1978) with design modifica-
tions as noted in Section 5.3.
The capital cost estimate for spent fuel repositories given in Bechtel (1979), DOE
(1978), and DOE (1980a) is $500 million with annual operating costs of about $50 million.
The main difference between these estimates and those in Table 5.6.1 is that a portion of
the mining cost is allocated to operating cost instead of being totally included in the
construction cost. The unit cost calculation for spent fuel disposal in a bedded salt
repository of $51/kg heavy metal in DOE/ET-0055 compares favorably with the $52/kg calculated
in Table 5.6.1 (both costs are in 1978 dollars).
In the DOE Statement of Position to the NRC Rulemaking Proceedings (1980b), cost esti-
mates are given for spent fuel disposal in salt, granite and basalt media. Total capital,
operating and decommissioning costs of $2.2 billion ($1.8 billion in 1978 dollars) for a
bedded salt repository are in general agreement with this Statement. However, total costs
for granite and basalt repositories reported in DOE (1980b) are about $2 billion less than
estimated here since the standardized mine layouts used in the DOE (1980b) estimate postu-
late substantially less rock removal per unit of waste emplaced than does this Statement.
5.6.6 Other Cost Considerations
Costs associated with the retrieval of spent fuel elements from the repository during
the 5-year retrievable period, subsequent interim storage at the repository site and
transportation to a new site are estimated to be no more than the figures presented in
Table 5.6.4.
TABLE 5.6.4. Spent Fuel Retrieval Costs
$/kgHM
Salt Granite Shale Basalt
Retrieval 14 18 15 18
Interim Storage 22 22 22 22
Shipment to New
Repository
(-1500 mi) 32 32 32 32
Total 68 72 69 72