ML19208B301
| ML19208B301 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/20/1979 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Murphy F AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7909190514 | |
| Download: ML19208B301 (1) | |
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UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION a
wAsmNGTON, D. C. 20555
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,f August 20, 1979 u
Mr. F. E. Murphy 806 - 5th Avenue, S.E.
Jamestown, North Dakota
Dear Mr. Murphy:
This is in reply to your letter of July 30, 1979.
With regard to storage of spent fuel from nuclear power plants, storage pools have been provided at reactor sites. Modifications of these pools by redesigning fuel racks and making more efficient use of available pool ficor space can increase spent fuel storage capacity, on the average, by a factor of 2.5.
In time, independent spent fuel storage installations will be required, and these are under consideration by the Department of Energy.
As to ligh-water breeder reactors utilizing thorium and uranium-233, a core containing those materials was installed in the existing reactor vessel at the Shippingport Atomic Power Station at Shippingport, Pennsylvania.
Full-power operation was achieved in 1977 and is to continue until 1981.
The purpose is to obtain information on the characteristics and performance of the core. The question of whether a core of this kind can produce more fissionable material than it consumes should be answered when the contents of the spent core are analyzed in 1984.
In regard to storage of low-level radioactive wastes, there are facilities licensed by the NRC at Barnwell, South Carolina, at Hanford, Washington, and at Beatty, Nevada.
With respect to recycling spent fuels, the President announced in April 1977 an indefinite deferment of commercial reprocessing and recycling of the plutonium produced in the U. S. nuclear power programs.
Sincerely, o
20 %
Harold R. Denton, Director
[v' Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i, \\ %
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F. E. " BUD" MURPHY g
0 o 6 STM AVEN U C. S. C.
. JAM ESTOWN, N O RTH DAKOTA 58401 DI Al.a 2 5 2 o14 8 Mr. Harold R. Denton, Director NRC.,
July 30th 1979 The Nuclear Regulatory Comn. Office, 1717 - H Street, N.Y.,
Washington, D. C.
20555 Gentle =en:
Es Scme Suggested._1tamates.
Have been doing quite a bit of "R' SEARCHING NUCLEAR CiERGT,so have sone suggestions:
(1) To nake excellent use of "Ao ABM - liissile Site Radar Stzucture,use it to store all of the presently existing " Spent Nuclear Power Plant Fuel Rods". These Spent Fuel Bods are accmulating fast and
" Operating Ruclear Fueled Power Plant" is having a Storage Problen?. The Spent Fuel Rods could be flown to Grand Forks AF Base in " Lead-lined Con-tainers" in C-130's, then transported (the co=plete containers) on Heavy-duty Tractor-Drawn Se=i-trailers to the Nalmma,N.Dak. AB5 Site for Storage in Cooling Pools. Even-tually, build A U.S. Gov't. Operated,Contzulled,and with proper Security; A Spent Fuels Re-cycling & Enrichment Plant;for controlled distribution back to The Nuclear Fuel Hods Users! I'd suggest that The H.rcycling & M+ ant Plant be built within The ABNSite co= pound,which is already " Security Fenced",and Living Quarters are already built and would be available to The U.S. Gov'*.. %::ployees that would operate & Secure The Plant.
(2) Start i==ediately to let "Public Utilities & Cooperatives"constzuct nany " THORIUM SLOV LIGED-VATER BRREE HEACTORS-it makes more fuel than it uses! 2his would help to conserve URANIUM SUFFLIES which are dwindling and beconing more-ecarce?. We are wasting OUR TIMS AND VERI PRECIOUS METALS & CONSTEDCTION MA*WTATR, %41 A4"g any more COAL-EUEN-ING ELETHICAL GEND A"'TNG PLANTS - They are too dirty (polluting the air with Fly-ash, Carbon Diezide & Monoxide Gases,plus,it's now nearly $20.006-per ton delivered)and we're getting only about 37% efficiency in heat fron the COAL (Lig=1te fron N. Dakota and Montana's just a little bit better). Our Lignite Coals maks "miT INun.amd for COAIrGasificatio:
We NED THE NATURAL GAS, TE ANEIDEDUS AMMONIA (Fort 111zers)AND OTER BT-PRODUCTS NOV!
('O I would further suggest that ALL OTER NUf'tRAR SM FUELS (Nuclear Vaste By-products)
BOS VET AND DHI-be stored in LARGE THICK 42WALION PIEEI GLASS BOTTLES-and ship-by AIR -
HAIL or TEL'CIS to THE NE7ADA AT05 BOMB TESTING SITES,and store then in The Large Existing UnderW Test Holes (access to these Large Glase-lined Storage Areas by Portable Eleo-trio-Powered I'.evators)and build ANOTER LABGE U.S. GOV'T.0PERATE, AND CON"ontm SECURITT, SPENT NUCLEAR FUELS HE-CICLING & ENRICN PLL'iT within the over 1,300-square miles of already SECURED - EAYT-DUTT CICLONE FENCE AND TOPPED VI"E HAHbVIE,and Securi
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antired P.S.- The Nuclear Vastes are piling up - Ist's cet moving on A!TES AND E LUSE!
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