ML21021A361
| ML21021A361 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/21/2021 |
| From: | Christopher Regan Division of Fuel Management |
| To: | |
| Regan C | |
| References | |
| Download: ML21021A361 (12) | |
Text
The Role of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel Christopher Regan, Deputy Director Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Tribal Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee Meeting January 21, 2021
Key Messages and Topics
- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent regulator of civilian nuclear activities
- The NRC and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) co-regulate the safe and secure transportation of radioactive material, including spent nuclear fuel, in the U.S.
- NRCs role regarding the transport of spent nuclear fuel is focused on ensuring our licensees safely prepare, secure, and receive shipments
- The NRC is assessing its readiness for possible large-scale private shipments of spent nuclear fuel 2
Radioactive Material Transportation
- Transportation of radioactive materials is conducted in accordance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards established in 1961
- Adopted by almost all international transport organizations and Member States as the basis for their national regulations, including the U.S.
- Applicable to national and international transport of radioactive material by all modes of transport
- NRC and DOT regularly harmonize domestic regulations with IAEA standards West Valley spent fuel shipment Type B waste package 3
Radioactive Material Transportation Responsibilities
- NRC and DOT co-regulate transportation of radioactive material, including commercial spent fuel
- NRC/DOT Memorandum of Understanding: responsibilities for safety of radioactive materials transportation
- DOT (49 CFR)
- Develops and enforces standards for transporting hazardous materials, including hazard Class 7 (radioactive) material
- Oversees vehicle safety, routing, shipping papers, communications (i.e., markings, labels, placards) emergency response and shipper training
- Regulates carriers, modes of transport (rail, road, air, water)
- NRC (10 CFR)
- Approves the design, fabrication, use, and maintenance for transportation packages
- Issues Certificates of Compliance for approved package designs
- Adds additional security measures to established DOT security requirements 4
NRCs Role in Ensuring the Safe Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuel
- Under NRC regulations, any entity licensed to possess commercial spent fuel is granted a general license to transport licensed material in an NRC-approved package
- NRC establishes regulations for:
- Package design standards for transportation of spent fuel (10 CFR Part 71)
- Physical security requirements for transportation of spent fuel (10 CFR Part 73)
- Dry cask storage system design requirements for spent fuel (10 CFR Part 72)
- NRC also
- evaluates, approves, and authorizes for use transportation package designs; issues certificates
- requires licensees to notify and coordinate with States, Tribes, and local law enforcement prior to shipments
- inspects and oversees certificate holders, package fabricators, and licensee shippers
- meets with Federal, State, and Tribal government to discuss transportation Hypothetical accident condition tests 5
NRCs Transportation Regulatory Readiness Review
- Goal: Evaluate the NRCs readiness, as a regulator, to support a national campaign for commercial transportation of spent nuclear fuel
- Project Outline available on NRCs public website, in the Agency wide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) No. ML20356A271.
6
NRCs Transportation Readiness Review (cont.)
Project Phases
- The Regulatory Readiness Review project consists of three phases:
- Phase 1: Assess existing regulations, guidance, and internal and external communication procedures
- Phase 2: Compile a report of the assessment results w/recommendations
- Phase 3: Prepare an implementation roadmap consistent with the staff conclusions and recommendations
- Public documentation of the project results is scheduled to be available no later than May 2021.
7
NRCs Communication Plans
- Existing communication channels
- Tribal Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee
- National Transportation Stakeholders Forum
- State Regional Groups
- DHS Transportation Security Working Group
- NRC public website, Facebook, and Twitter
- Possible additional outreach methods 8
Conclusions
- NRC and DOT have a well-established and strong regulatory framework for the safe and secure transportation of spent nuclear fuel
- NRC will continue to assess the regulatory framework and related activities to ensure the continued safe and secure transportation of spent nuclear fuel
- NRC is working toward additional communication and outreach opportunities on spent nuclear fuel transportation 9
THANK YOU!
10
Information References Available in ADAMS on the NRC website
- NRC Transportation Studies and Reports:
- NUREG-0170: Final Environmental Statement on the Transportation of Radioactive Material by Air and Other Modes (1977) [ML12192A283 for Vol.
1 and ML022590370 for Vol. 2]
- NUREG/CR-4829: Shipping Container Response to Severe Highway and Railway Accident Conditions (1987) [ML070810403 and ML070810404]
- NUREG/CR-6672: Reexamination of Spent Fuel Shipment Risk Estimates (2000) [ML003698324]
- NUREG/CR-6886: Spent Fuel Transportation Package Response to the Baltimore Tunnel Fire Scenario (2009) [ML090570742]
- NUREG-2125: Spent Fuel Transportation Risk Assessment -Final Report (2014) [ML14031A323]
- NUREG/CR-7209: A Compendium of Spent Fuel Transportation Package Response Analyses to Severe Fire Accident Scenarios -
Final Report (2017) [ML17066A101]
11
Information References (cont.)
Available in ADAMS on the NRC website
- NRC Transportation Studies and Reports:
- NUREG/BR-0292, Rev. 2: Safety of Spent Fuel Transportation (2017)
[ML16237A133]
- NUREG-0561, Rev 2: Physical Protection of Shipments of Irradiated Reactor Fuel (2013) [ML13120A230]
12