Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
1998 International RERTR Meeting

TRANSPORTATION OF FAILED OR DAMAGED
FOREIGN RESEARCH REACTOR SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL

Mr. Charles E. Messick
Program Manager
Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Program
Spent Fuel Management Division
United States Department of Energy
Savannah River Site

Ms. Tracy P. Mustin
Program Manager
Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Program
Office of Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization
United States Department of Energy

Dr. Charles D. Massey
Manager, Nuclear Materials Management Department
Sandia National Laboratories

ABSTRACT

Since resuming the Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (FRR SNF) Acceptance Program in 1996, the Program has had to deal with difficult issues associated with the transportation of failed or damaged spent fuel. In several instances, problems with failed or damaged fuel have prevented the acceptance of the fuel at considerable cost to both the Department of Energy (DOE) and research reactor operators. In response to the problems faced by the Acceptance Program, DOE has undertaken significant steps to better define the spent fuel acceptance criteria. DOE has worked closely with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to address failed or damaged research reactor spent fuel and to identify cask certificate issues which must be resolved by cask owners and foreign regulatory authorities.

The specific issues associated with the transport of Materials Testing Reactor (MTR)-type FRR SNF will be discussed. The information presented will include U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulatory issues, cask certificate issues, technical constraints, and lessons learned. Specific information will also be provided on the latest efforts to revise DOE's Appendix B, Transport Package (Cask) Acceptance Criteria. The information presented in this paper will be important to foreign research reactor operators, shippers, and cask vendors, so that appropriate amendments to the Certificate of Compliance for spent fuel casks can be submitted in a timely manner to facilitate the safe and scheduled transport of FRR SNF.

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