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30 <br />Sowing ~~e Nuclear V1/as~e <br />Disposal Crisis <br />I~tle tlrSt ~t2^ 111 5u1y111~ tlll IlUclt',V \c,1~t2 d:_ithai ~.':~;~ h hl Identify the <br />~rttblem: ' <br />L~i'i !" t,Nt' %lltlltiR'ti ~/!t 4!"liltl >I't'!It .'l lt•' .1~<t'rr!L'i lt'~ Jr~ -. ,'re'....: !I:II a'!lr ~'UCCC'r yl7rit <br />~itt'~ 11 Ntlt'r iU)ItIItlUli~ tllQt iltl i't' llt':'C'r i't't'll fll illl ,11!:1;:/a':1 <br />5luppln~ ;pent fuel assemblies from nuclear ptl\\-er pi,lr,cs to r. ~eoluJical <br />repository fur permanent disposal \.vuld sulye thl~ probie:a. Tire De~anment of <br />Enemy is drilling a tunnel into the Lucca ~luuntain in \e'.•ada to Determine its <br />sultabllity Eur a repusiturv. The DOE's site analysis anti de\•eiupmenc efforts cur- <br />rently deiav the repository's opening until the year ?'.)ll). ~e•.•eral yarables out- <br />s;de the DOE's control, notably tl~e State of ~e~•ada's per•;:;a::t opposition to the <br />repusitor: anti the potential that the studies disco~•er an anurlaiy t,:.-tt renders <br />Lucca ~luuntain technically unsuitable. cloud the hurzon ara: threaten to slip file <br />repusiton•'s opening date e\-en hlrther into the nexi c_nn:-,: [n the melntime, <br />:pent toe! assemblies continue to be discharged from t;uci2ar r-u\.•er r:ancs. E~-en <br />It a federal repositun• opened tuda.•, it \\•ould tike se~.-eral years to transfer the <br />spent fuel assemblies from the nuclear pu~.•er plants :,nd bun• them. Therefore, a <br />repusitun• alone cannot sulye the nuclear ~\•aste disposal cr:_is. <br />The optimum solution to the problem extends defen_2-:n-decih rtsk man- <br />aement philu~uphy to coyer the stor;l~e of irradia~c•~ ruel ,is~ealbiies in scent <br />r.:el pools and In dry stun;e at nuclear pu\\•er plants. This sulutwn protects the <br />pubiic and the em•ironment if the repository opens tut'.ay, tornurro~~. in the year <br />~~JIU, ur e\•en in late afternoon of the year ?~?~. - • <br />The first ti2fense•in-depth laver minimizes the chances of an accuent. Spent <br />tL:el pUUl5 ,1Ce already deigned to minimi2e the chanaa ta: t „^e \\~ater Is lest. <br />Hu\\ e\•er. a \•ltal factor in assuring adequate cuulin,• inti rat'.;at:un shie!di^~ is <br />prompt detecttun of am- cunditwn reducing spent t.:e: rt`' '. ~••~:-.-'-•. <br />~.:IllerOU~ Int::tlents hll'e ~htri\'n Nl.lt exl5tl11" fuel Cl':tl i2.^..- '....-_ ..i:~: .. <br />u;.trumentatiun tines nut reliabl\• ,uanntee~prolnp: d2tec::un. Ti~erefure, the <br />>peat tile! pool level and temperature insttvmentac:un ac e'.•2ry nuc':ear pu\~er <br />pLlnt. u~cludin;~ those facilities permanently closed !^ut retauurn_ ir-..-tdiated foe! <br />assemblies in thr:r spent foe! pools, ~htluld br evaluated to t:uniir^^.~ that adequate <br />_ muniturin;~ capability exists under ail drsi'n cunditil\ns. <br />The second defense-in-depth la\•er minimves Nor c^ar.t:~~ Naar ,:r, accaieai <br />results 111 tllel d,lm.l,~e. Irradlatcd toe! a~~2:nbiies in _~rnt ':a'' ^t)l):~ ,ire ^rt':2~~' <br />z•.i from Itlel t{,ltll,l~~~ ,1~ lttll~ ,1~ the', .l re :uyert'd t\'ltt; t ;:~~'. ~'. ~!1 1. :!'.a `.\'.lt~•' L` <br />:'t'l:ln~ ~UCle,lr ptt\\'2.' pl,lnb ,let' dc'~1_ i \\!th b ^ ,. ! t ~! <br />let .iii :2^t t:l ~:t :11•` - <br />:r:a~ Ur 2lllt'rL'-.li'. ~\'~Ct::11~ :11,11 cn'\ ItiC mal.2uc ,a''•`. ., .. ,`ttlll: 'e:.. ...~: <br />,''tti ~.Iltt'ftll!l,ltc'!\ tilt' It\i.lt:ttil .tt silt' ~F''"1! tllt'l r't`t.`L` ,. ::1 :2'..`:11:.1C'.~ ~,'tl- <br />7: <br />