inl calcine disposition jim beck calcine disposition clean/close intec

INL Calcine Disposition

Jim BeckCalcine DispositionClean/Close INTEC

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Idaho Completion ProjectBechtel BWXT Idaho

• Calcinated aqueous raffinate from the chemical dissolution and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF)

• Classified as high-level waste by DOE Order 435.1

• Contains RCRA characteristic metals and listed constituents

• Currently stored in six concrete vaults (Bin Sets or CSSFs*) containing between three to twelve stainless steels bins each

• Destined for disposal at the geologic repository,Yucca Mountain

• Dispose “as is” at Yucca Mountain in 15-foot by 2-foot diameter SNF standards canisters

High-Level Waste Calcine

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High-Level Waste Calcine (Continued)

RCRA hazardous, High Level Waste resulting from dissolution of multiple reactor fuel types for uranium recovery

Abrasive, granular oxides ranging from 0.2 to 0.6 mm, (~15% “fines”)

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Idaho Completion ProjectBechtel BWXT IdahoRegulatory Background

• Calcine is RCRA regulated; characteristically hazardous and listed

• Yucca Mountain will not accept RCRA hazardous waste

• Settlement Agreement requires acceleration of treatment alternative evaluations

– Record of Decision for calcine treatment by 2009

– Application for RCRA by 2012

– Calcine ready for shipment by about 2035

– Missed milestone = suspension of DOE SNF shipments into Idaho

• Project Management Plan (PMP) accelerates schedule to complete shipping by 2035

• ICP Request for Proposal (RFP) further accelerates these dates

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Idaho Completion ProjectBechtel BWXT IdahoRegulatory Background (Continued)

• Site Treatment Plan– Submit schedule of milestones for permitting, construction and

operation by September 30, 2005

• High-Level Waste & Facilities Disposition Final EIS– DOE Proposed Action includes:

• Making calcine suitable for disposal

• Safe storage of calcine

– Excluded alternatives• Storage in CSSF for an indefinite period

• Shipment to Hanford for treatment

– State of Idaho preferred alternative - direct vitrification

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Direct Disposal of Calcine

2000 2035

2070

High Level Waste CalcineShipped from Idaho

Direct Disposal - PMP

Vitrification

Clean-up Activity Completion Date

Direct Disposal - RFP

ACCELERATED DISPOSITION

• PMP End State = 2035• ROD for calcine treatment path forward by

12/31/09 (SA)

• RCRA Part B permit application by 12/1/12 (SA)

• RFP End State = 2022

• RCRA Part B permit application by 9/30/09

• GFSI – ROD for calcine treatment by 9/30/09

• GFSI - Removal of calcine from RCRA regulationBENEFITS

• No interim storage/vitrification facility• Waste volume reduction > 50% compared to

direct vitrification• Cost Savings: >$6B (treatment), $3-4B (disposal)

compared to direct vitrification• Safer than vitrification

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Permit Application

Project Timeline - RFP2005 2006 2007 20222008 20112009 201

02015

(calendar year)

Calcine Treatment ROD

Submit RCRA Part B permit application

RCRA permit approved

Incorporate prelim design in RCRA permit application

Conceptual Design

Preliminary Design

Final Design

Construction

Ops

Develop & Test Alt Treatment

Regulatory Activity

Critical Path

RFP Milestone

GFSI Milestone

Schedule EPA Pre-Petition Meeting (Fed Baseline)

Calcine removed from RCRA regulation

EPA Pre-Petition Meeting

Calcine removed from RCRA regulation

Optimistic Realistic

Settlement Agreement Milestone

RCRA Initiative – Alt Treatment

6 month lag to obtain EPA commitment

6 month lag to obtain EPA commitment

Send RCRA Petition to DOE/HQ (Fed Baseline)

EPA Pre-Petition Meeting (Fed Baseline)

DOE Decision: EPA approval expected?

Project Initiation

MNS

CD-0

CD-2,3ACD-3

CD-4

Critical Decision

2012

RCRA Petition – Direct Disposal

RCRA

Incorporate final design into permit application

CD-1

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Idaho Completion ProjectBechtel BWXT IdahoTreatment Options

TREATMENT CATEGORIES

Vitrification• Direct• Chemical

Separations

Alternate Treatment• Multiple Possibilities

- Grout- stabilizers- Ceramics- Hot Isostatic Press- Etc.

Direct Disposal• Calcine in a can

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Idaho Completion ProjectBechtel BWXT IdahoTreatment Options (Continued)

Vitrification

• Baseline previous to PMP

• RCRA LDR required best demonstrated available technology– Direct vitrification

- 12,000 high-level waste canisters

- $7B EM life cycle cost

- Chemical separations with vitrification

- 650 high-level waste canisters

- $10B EM life cycle cost

• RCRA delisting required – minimum 3 years (based on Hanford delisting of 200 area waste)

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Idaho Completion ProjectBechtel BWXT IdahoTreatment Options (Continued)

Alternate Treatment

• PMP back-up

• Performance requirements unknown

• Technology development – multiple possibilities; costs not well defined

• Unknown waste volume

• Still requires removal from RCRA regulation

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Treatment Options (Continued)

Direct Disposal

• PMP direction

• Safe to ship and dispose without further treatment

• $1.3 B EM life cycle cost

• ~ 4,400 high-level waste canisters

• EPA Rulemaking based on demonstration of no-migration of RCRA hazardous contaminants

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Key Issues

• Highest project risk - dual RCRA-NRC regulation

• Highest technical risk - retrieval and characterization

• Integrating with YMP licensing and shipping schedules

• Stakeholder concerns

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Idaho Completion ProjectBechtel BWXT IdahoRetrieval

• Uncertainties– Physical characteristics

• Angle of repose, flow properties, and propensity for “rat-holing”

• Caking, fusing, abnormal clumping

• Surface friction (adherence to bin walls and supports)

– Bin set access• Number of access points

• Additional access points

• Access size

• 2007 demonstration

• AEA Technologies testing- Mooresville, North Carolina

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AEAT Testing

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Idaho Completion ProjectBechtel BWXT IdahoCharacterization

• Inventory development/maintenance– D-cell calcine sampling and analysis

• CSSF II (1978 sampling event)

• Analysis completed during February 2004

– Historical Processing Model (HPM)• Project’s central repository for calcine inventory data

• Feed data from calcination campaigns

• Other modeling input– ORIGEN

– HSC (thermodynamic)

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Idaho Completion ProjectBechtel BWXT IdahoCharacterization (Continued)

• Waste Acceptance– Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA) modeling

• FEIS Version– Initial TSPA screening and sensitivity analysis of chemical and

radionuclide constituents completed in 2003

– Deterministic modeling of radionuclide constituents completed –concentrations well below levels of concern at point of compliance

– Stochastic modeling of RCRA metals completed – chemical concentrations well below levels of concern at point of compliance

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Idaho Completion ProjectBechtel BWXT IdahoCanister Development

• Cost Comparison Completed– Comparison of three canister designs

• 2’ x 10’, 2’ x 15’, and 5.5’ x 17.5’ “Super Canister”

Cost Element Concept A ($K) Concept B ($K) Concept C ($K)Canister Purchase, Filling, and Sealing at the INTEC $166,320.0 $151,959.0 $127,546.4Shipping Cask Preparation and Consignment Costs $61,997.0 $41,415.0 $25,872.0Canister Handling and Final Disposition at the MGR $3,566,400.0 $3,566,400.0 $2,817,500.0Cask Purchase $105,776.0 $52,888.0 $52,888.0

GRAND TOTAL ($K) $3,900,493.0 $3,812,662.0 $3,023,806.4SAVINGS RELATIVE TO

CONCEPT A ($K) $0.0 $87,831.0 $876,686.6

– Cost savings associated with “Super Canister”• Canisters/casks required

• Surface facility handling at Yucca Mountain

• Less (1/2 mile) tunnel space required

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Summary

• Highest project risk - dual RCRA-NRC regulation– Regulatory strategy/approach determined via DOE-HQ and U.S. EPA

interface and input

– Alternative treatment options to vitrification should direct disposal be determined “no go”

• Highest technical risk - retrieval and characterization– Retrieval studies and testing in progress

– Calcine inventory characterization evolving• Further modeling (HSC, etc.)

• 2007 demonstration

– Development of Alternate Treatment Process

• Risk compounded with accelerated schedule

• Regulatory strategy and technical approach may change with new ICP contractor

inl calcine disposition jim beck calcine disposition clean/close intec

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