A preferred RAPD-based strategy for permanent disposal of commercial LWR, spent nuclear fuel

Abstract

Disposal of spent nuclear fuel is a controversial subject with both political and technical issues. The current U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) strategy of direct disposal of unprocessed light-water reactor (LWR) spent fuel poses significant long-term proliferation risks and may result in poor long-term containment of radionuclides. An alternative strategy based on the RAPD (Reactor/Accelerator Plutonium Destruction) system produces a final waste form that is highly resistant to proliferation and contained effectively by ceramic coatings for very long time periods, and shows great potential for generating net revenues from the sale of electricity. The RAPD system utilizes modular helium reactors (MHRs), which can be used also for effective destruction and degradation of weapons-grade plutonium, production of tritium for national defense purposes, and demonstration of an advanced reactor technology for low-cost production of electricity with high thermal efficiency. The growing shortage of storage space i spent-fuel pools at commercial LWR sites and the lack of a centralized facility for monitored retrievable storage (MRS) of spent fuel has already adversely affected one utility, and many reactors face possible premature shutdown unless an MRS facility becomes available in the near term. The RAPD-based strategy would utilize an MRS facility to alleviate this near-term, spent-fuel burden for many nuclear utilities.