Idaho agrees to INL spent fuel waiver

The agreement between the state and the DOE, announced on April 29, allows a targeted waiver to a 1995 settlement agreement that set milestones for the DOE to remove legacy waste from the state while allowing nuclear energy research and development at the lab. The settlement agreement also prohibits INL from receiving shipments of SNF from a commercial reactor.

The waiver will allow the DOE to ship a cask containing high-burnup spent fuel assemblies currently stored at North Anna to INL for research into the dry storage of SNF at U.S. nuclear power plants. According to INL, the shipment will likely happen in 2027.

The waiver will also support U.S. research reactors by permitting INL to receive small amounts of SNF from domestic university reactors.

The project: In November 2017, as part of the High Burnup Dry Storage Research Project being conducted by the DOE with the Electric Power Research Institute, a modified Orano TN-32B spent fuel cask was loaded with 32 high-burnup assemblies from the North Anna’s spent fuel pool. The cask, which was fitted with temperature probes to monitor internal temperatures, was placed on North Anna’s independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) and has remained in storage there since.

The project is intended to collect data on high-burnup SNF under actual dry storage conditions to better understand the behavior of such fuel. The DOE’s goal is to open the cask after 10 years of storage to examine and test the fuel and identify any changes in the properties of the fuel and its cladding during the dry storage period. According to the DOE, the data collected will help validate models, inform future dry-storage cask designs, support license renewals and new licenses for ISFSIs, and support transportation licensing for high-burnup SNF.

As part of the project, a number of “sibling rods” taken from the North Anna fuel assemblies were shipped to Oak Ridge National Laboratory for testing in 2016.

According to INL, the research into high-burnup SNF will help sustain the current U.S. nuclear reactor fleet, which produces nearly 20 percent of the nation’s electricity, and also will reinforce Idaho’s critical role in supporting the U.S. nuclear industry.

Transportation: Should the spent fuel cask be shipped to INL, the DOE would take title of the fuel once it leaves North Anna.

INL’s hot cell facilities make it the preferred site for handling the SNF. Located at the Materials and Fuels Complex, INL’s Hot Fuel Examination Facility has two large, shielded hot cells, allowing researchers to remotely handle and perform detailed nondestructive and destructive examination of highly irradiated fuel and material samples.

In addition, as the cask is likely to be shipped by rail, it would provide the DOE an opportunity to conduct a real-world test of its new Atlas railcar. Designed to safely and securely transport shipments of SNF weighing up to 480,000 pounds, the Atlas railcar received Association of American Railroads certification in 2014.

He said it: While news of the waiver allowing the SNF shipment is good news, it will only provide evidence for the robustness of commercial SNF in dry storage, said American Nuclear Society past president and nuclear consultant Steve Nesbit. “Ultimately, the nation needs a repository for spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste, and that goal is no nearer today.”

Additional quotes: Idaho Gov. Brad Little: “The collaborative effort between the state of Idaho, the U.S. Department of Energy, and Idaho National Laboratory showcases our commitment to advancing nuclear energy research while upholding the goals of the 1995 Settlement Agreement. We are proud to support innovation in nuclear energy that will support national security and energy independence into the future.”

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright: “Idaho National Laboratory is DOE’s lead lab for nuclear energy research and development, and it is critical that we continue to grow this research capacity and maintain American competitiveness. This agreement between the state of Idaho and DOE ensures the lab can continue its cutting-edge research to advance nuclear technology, helping to meet President Trump’s commitment to unleash American energy dominance.”

INL director John Wagner: “As the nation’s center for nuclear energy research and development, we look forward to utilizing our unique facilities and expertise to support this critical national need. We are thankful to the Department of Energy and the state of Idaho for entrusting us with the safe and secure execution of our vital mission.”