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Yucca Mountain Program Overview

Presented to:National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners

Michael T. RichardDeputy Assistant Secretary Office of Congressional & Intergovernmental Affairs

July 17, 2007New York City, NY

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Mission and Priorities

Mission: Our mission is to manage and dispose of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel in a manner that protects health, safety, and the environment; enhances national and energy security; and merits public confidence.

Priorities:– After over 20 years of scientific study,

Congress passed a joint resolution to designate the Yucca Mountain site for repository development and move ahead to submit a license application for repository construction authorization.

– Protecting public health, safety, and the environment remain our top priorities.

Current locations of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) destined for geologic disposal:

121 sites in 39 states

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SNF and High-Level Defense Waste

SNF is produced by Naval, DOE, and research Reactors

High-level defense waste (in liquid form) from nuclear weapons programs

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How is this SNF and HLW Presently Stored?

Dry Cask Storage

Glass Logs

Cooling Pools

Liquid Storage

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Sources and Quantities of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste

• Commercial spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power plants:

– Current: ~ 55,700 Metric Tons (MT) (2006)

– Projection through 2055: ~129,000 MT

• DOE spent nuclear fuel: 2,500 MT

– Naval reactor fuel: 65 MT

– Research fuel: ~16 MT

• DOE-owned high-level waste to be vitrified (encased in glass)

– Projected through 2046: ~22,000 canisters

• Surplus plutonium: 50 MT

Yucca Mountain capacity is 70,000 MT -- A statutory, not technical, limit

Authorization toAuthorization toReceive & PossessReceive & Possess

Authorization toAuthorization toReceive & PossessReceive & Possess

ConstructionConstructionAuthorizationAuthorizationConstructionConstructionAuthorizationAuthorization

LicenseLicenseApplicationApplication

2008 2008

LicenseLicenseApplicationApplication

2008 2008

CongressCongressApproved SiteApproved Site

20022002

CongressCongressApproved SiteApproved Site

20022002

PresidentPresidentRecommendedRecommended

Site 2002Site 2002

PresidentPresidentRecommendedRecommended

Site 2002Site 2002

SecretarySecretaryRecommendedRecommended

Site 2002Site 2002

SecretarySecretaryRecommendedRecommended

Site 2002Site 2002

ViabilityViabilityAssessmentAssessment

19981998

ViabilityViabilityAssessmentAssessment

19981998

YM only site toYM only site tobe characterizedbe characterized

19871987

YM only site toYM only site tobe characterizedbe characterized

19871987

Nuclear WasteNuclear WastePolicy ActPolicy Act

19821982

Nuclear WasteNuclear WastePolicy ActPolicy Act

19821982

Actions CompletedActions Completed Next StepNext Step Future MilestonesFuture Milestones

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Project Regulators, Oversight, and Interested Parties

RegulationRegulation Nuclear Regulatory Nuclear Regulatory

CommissionCommission Environmental Protection Environmental Protection

AgencyAgency Department of TransportationDepartment of Transportation

OversightOversight Federal Government Federal Government

– Government Accountability OfficeGovernment Accountability Office

State/Local GovernmentState/Local Government Other StakeholdersOther Stakeholders

– Host State and Affected CountiesHost State and Affected Counties

CongressCongressThe WhiteThe WhiteHouseHouse

PublicPublic MediaMedia Academic InstitutionsAcademic Institutions CitizensCitizens Civic GroupsCivic Groups Educational OrganizationsEducational Organizations

Other Interest GroupsOther Interest Groups Professional Societies and OrganizationsProfessional Societies and Organizations Environmental GroupsEnvironmental Groups Public Interest GroupsPublic Interest Groups States/Regional OrganizationsStates/Regional Organizations

Transportation Transportation IndustryIndustry

Cask Designers and Cask Designers and ManufacturersManufacturers

Carriers & Transportation Carriers & Transportation Service ContractorsService Contractors

Nation’s RatepayersNation’s Ratepayers National Association of Regulatory National Association of Regulatory

Utility CommissionersUtility Commissioners Nuclear Waste Strategy CoalitionNuclear Waste Strategy Coalition

Electric UtilitiesElectric Utilities Utility TransportationUtility Transportation GroupsGroups Utility Technical & Information GroupsUtility Technical & Information Groups

ReviewReview National Academy of National Academy of

SciencesSciences Nuclear Waste Technical Nuclear Waste Technical

Review BoardReview Board Advisory Committee on Advisory Committee on

Nuclear WasteNuclear Waste

Federal AgenciesFederal Agencies Federal Emergency Mgmt. AgencyFederal Emergency Mgmt. Agency Dept. of the InteriorDept. of the Interior Dept of LaborDept of Labor US Geological SurveyUS Geological Survey

InternationalInternational International GovernmentsInternational Governments International AgenciesInternational Agencies International OrganizationsInternational Organizations

American Indian NationsAmerican Indian Nations

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Why This Program Matters

National Security:Safely dispose of

waste in one location

Non-proliferation:Support national

policy

Energy Security:Support the availability

of the nuclear option

Protect the Environment:Facilitate site cleanup

• National Security:

– To support continuing operation of the Navy’s principal combat vessels, a repository will provide the safe and secure disposal of the Navy’s spent fuel.

• Homeland Security

– A repository promotes homeland security objectives by consolidating at one secure government location nuclear materials currently located at 121 temporary storage sites in 39 states, within a 75-mile radius of 161 million Americans and nearly every major waterway.

• Nuclear Non-proliferation:

– Our repository program is the technical foundation of our international position on nuclear non-proliferation.

– Our commitment to disposing of waste in a secure location encourages other nuclear nations to follow.

– Through disposal of U.S. fuel returned from other countries, we aid in nuclear non-proliferation.

• Energy Security:

– By building the repository and disposing of commercial spent nuclear fuel, we support the option of nuclear energy, which makes up 20% of the country’s electrical energy supply.

– Spent fuel acceptance will meet the government obligation to dispose of commercial spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power reactors, expected in 1998 under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.

• Protecting the Environment:

– Building the repository and accepting waste supports the Nation’s need to clean up radioactive waste from the Cold War.

– Timely opening will avoid additional site storage costs.

– A repository is needed to complete cleanup at sites such as Hanford, WA, Savannah River, SC and West Valley, NY.

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Location of Yucca Mountain, Nevada

• 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas in Nye County

• Located on western boundary of the Nevada Test Site, a DOE facility

Counties designated as Affected Units of Local Government

HUMBOLDTCOUNTY

PERSHINGCOUNTY

ELKOCOUNTY

WHITE PINECOUNTY

NYECOUNTY

LA

ND

ER

CO

UN

TY E

UR

EK

AC

OU

NT

Y

CHURCHILLCOUNTY

WA

SH

OE

CO

UN

TY

MINERALCOUNTY

STOREY

LYON

ESMERALDACOUNTY LINCOLN

COUNTY

CLARKCOUNTY

LASVEGAS

INYO COUNTYCALIFORNIA

NELLISAIR FORCE

RANGE

NVTESTSITE

YUCCAMOUNTAIN

CARSON CITY

DOUGLAS

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Program Strategic Objectives

License Application

Submit a high-quality License Application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission no later than June 30, 2008

Transportation

Develop and begin implementation of a comprehensive National Transportation Plan that accommodates state, local and tribal concerns and input to the greatest extent possible

Staffing

Design, staff and train the OCRWM organization so it has the skills and culture needed to design, license, and manage the construction and operation of the Yucca Mountain Project with safety, quality, and cost effectiveness

Liability

Address the Federal Government’s contractual obligations to move spent fuel from nuclear plant sites

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Repository Program Schedule

Activity Date

Submit Yucca Mt. License Application to NRC Jun. 2008

Begin Nevada rail construction Oct. 2009

NRC authorizes repository construction Sept. 2011

Complete initial rail access Jun. 2014

Complete construction for initial repository operations Mar. 2016

Begin receipt Mar. 2017

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FY 2007 Budget Request Summary(dollars in millions)

FY 2006 Approp

FY 2007 Request

FY 2007 CR

FY 2008 Request

Yucca Mountain 305.9$ 355.4$ -$ 378.4$

Transportation 19.9 67.7 0.0 15.0

Prog Mgmt & Integration/Prog Direction 119.7 121.4 0.0 101.1

Integrated Spent Fuel Recycling Facilities 49.5 0.0 0.0 0.0

TOTAL PROGRAM 495.0 544.5 445.5 494.5

Nuclear Waste Fund 99.0 156.4 99.0 202.5Integrated Spent Fuel Recycling Facilities 49.5 0.0 0.0 0.0

Defense Nuclear Waste Disposal 346.5 388.1 346.5 292.0

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Program Funding

Congress established the Nuclear Waste Fund to provide funding for repository development and operations

Utilities pay 1 mil per kilowatt-hour fee on electricity generated and sold from nuclear power plants

– Revenues average $750 million per year

– $14.8 billion in fees paid to date

Excess funds invested in Treasury securities

– $11.2 billion in interest earned to date

Market value of the Fund is $19.5 billion as of December 2006

Nuclear Waste Fund outlays are counted against the DOE appropriation, limiting the fund’s use for its intended purpose

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Growing Government Liability

Court ruled in 1997 that DOE is liable for damages incurred due to missed deadline to pickup waste in 1998

56 lawsuits pending against DOE for damages for delay in waste pickup

Government has settled with over 20% of the industry

Settlements will allow the DOE to proceed with critical communications with settled companies for waste acceptance planning

Department estimates the Federal Government’s liability could be approximately $7 billion (plus $500 million or more for each additional year of delay)

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Proposed Legislative Provisions

Permanent Land Withdrawal

Licensing, Capacity Limit

Licensing, NRC process

Licensing, Infrastructure

Funding Reform

Regulatory Requirements

Transportation Safety and Security

Water Rights

Waste Confidence

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Reasons to Move Forward

It’s been 25 years since the NWPA was enacted and 20 years since it was last amended. The NWPA requires the Federal Government to build a repository for the Nation’s nuclear waste.

Federal Government liability is growing and every year of delay ensures a larger financial burden will be passed on to future generations.

This legislation facilitates construction and operation of the repository and transportation infrastructure activities.

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Key Issues

Legislation-Submitted March 6, 2007

– Land Withdrawal

– Capacity Limit

– Waste Fund Receipts Reclassification

FY 2007 Appropriations

Revisions to Environmental Protection Agency Standard 40CFR197

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Global Nuclear Energy Partnership and Yucca Mountain

Yucca Mountain is still needed under any fuel cycle scenario

We are proceeding with our base case to deal with current and planned inventory of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste

If the technology is proven and developed, the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership could provide improvements to spent fuel disposal at a repository by:

– Significantly reducing the volume of waste

– Enhancing thermal management by reducing waste form heat load

– Reducing the amount of long-lived radionuclides requiring disposal

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Summary

Entering an important period for the nuclear industry and for the disposition of nuclear waste in the United States.

The Department is committed to the development of Yucca Mountain as a geologic repository.

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Background

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What is Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste ?

The bulk of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is produced by the operation of nuclear power-generating plants (104 presently operating in US).

After several years within the reactor vessel, the fuel rods are removed and thereafter referred to as “spent.”

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How will SNF and HLW be Transported? Per 2004 Record of Decision, DOE will transport SNF and HLW

mostly by rail, with additional limited truck and barge shipments

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Integration of Canisters into Yucca Mountain Planning

DOE decided to implement a Transportation, Aging and Disposal (TAD) canistered system approach in October 2005

TAD system will :

– Eliminate a number of technical issues

– Support the standardization of SNF storage, transport, aging and disposal packaging, allowing integration of SNF handling operations

– Utilize utility fuel handling experience in packaging SNF

– Simplify DOE operations and minimizes redundant handling of bare SNF assemblies at the repository

– Reduce low-level waste production and worker radiation exposure at DOE facilities

– Reduce complexity and cost of DOE facilities

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History of US Nuclear Waste Policy

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History of U.S. Nuclear Waste Policy

• 1956: National Academy of Sciences concludes that a deep geologic repository is the best permanent solution for disposal of high-level nuclear wastes (HLW)

• 1977: Reprocessing of commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is prohibited under President Carter

• 1982: Congress passes Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA)– Made DOE responsible for the permanent disposal of U.S.’s SNF and HLW

– Created Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management in DOE

– Set up program to begin investigation of sites as potential geologic repositories and established site recommendation/approval process

– Established Nuclear Waste Fund, and directed DOE to begin accepting commercial spent fuel for disposal in 1998 in exchange for utilities’ payment of fees into the fund

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History of U.S. Nuclear Waste Policy,(continued)

• 1987: Congress passes Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act – directs DOE to study only the Yucca Mountain site

• 1990: National Academy of Sciences issues report, “Rethinking High-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal” -- reaffirms importance of geologic disposal

• 1992: Congress passes Energy Policy Act – directs EPA to set radiation protection standard for Yucca Mountain based on National Academy of Sciences report

• 1998: DOE issues Viability Assessment of Yucca Mountain -- status report on the site characterization of Yucca Mountain

• 2002: President recommended and Congress passed a joint resolution approving the Yucca Mountain site for development as a repository

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Types of geologic formationsconsidered were salt, basalt,and tuff.

NWPA-Directed Site Selection Process Through 1987