Estimation of spent fuel management costs for Mexico

Juan Ramon Mota-Aguilar National Institute for Nuclear Research

Mexico

TM on Cost Estimation Methodologies for Spent Fuel Management November 2019

Nuclear reactors in Mexico

Laguna Verde NPP

• In the coast of the Gulf of Mexico

• 1,620 MW, in 2 units

• GE BWR-5 reactors

• In commercial operation since 1990 (U1) and 1995 (U2)

• Represents 4.7% of total annual power generation

Nuclear reactors in Mexico

National Institute for Nuclear Research (ININ)

• 1 MW TRIGA research reactor

Research at Universities

• 3 other subcritical type reactorsin different universities

Present organizational structureFederal

Government

Ministry of EnergyResponsible for nuclear

energy matters

ININWastes from non-energy

applications

CNSNSNuclear regulatory body

CFEConstruction and operation

of NPPs

Laguna Verde NPPWastes from energy

production

Ministry of Environment

and Natural ResourcesEnvironmental Protection

Ministry of Health

Human health protection

Present responsibilities

Ministry of Energy

• In charge by law of storage, transportion and disposal of nuclear fuels

• Can authorize the corresponding public entities the temporarystorage of nuclear fuels used during their operations

Present responsibilities

Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant/Federal Electricity Commission(the National power utility – owner of the nuclear power plant)

• Has been delegated the responsibility of managing, conditioning and temporarily storing the spent fuel generated during its operation, as required by the conditions of its operating licence.

National Institute for Nuclear Research

• Authorised by the Ministry of Energy to manage and store allradioactive wastes resulting from medical, industrial and researchapplications (including spent nuclear fuel from research reactors)

Current spent fuel strategies

Reactor spent fuel pools

• Spent fuel stored as of July 2018

Unit 1 fuel pool2104 spent fuel assemblies

94.5 % cells occupied

Unit 2 fuel pool1831 spent fuel assemblies

81.3 % cells occupied

Current spent fuel strategies

Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (at site)

• Finished contruction in 2016

• Capacity for• 130 casks

• 11,523 spent FAs (60 yearoperation of the plant – Laguna Verde estimation)

ISFSI89 spent FAs transferred (1 cask)

End of 2018

Current spent fuel strategies

• HI-STORM FW MPC-89 system(Holtec International Storage Module, Flood and Wind, Multipurpose Canister, 89 fuel assemblies)

• Canister (inner container) issuitable for on-site storage, transport, and permanentdisposal

• 13 HI-STORM FW containersystems on site (2016)

Current spent fuel strategies

RESEARCH REACTOR FUEL

• ININ TRIGA reactor fuel• Stored inside the reactor containment pool

• Will eventually be disposed of together with the NPP spent fuel

• Other research reactor fuel• 1 reactor decommissioned: fuel stored at ININ’s RW storage facilities

• 2 reactors still in operation at 2 universities

• Will eventually be disposed of together with the NPP spent fuel

Spent fuel inventory in Dec. 2018

1 Considering an average 180 kg of U in each BWR fuel assembly.2 Reactors still in operation.

Fuel elements

tU

Spent fuel in LVNPP reactor fuel pools 3,846 692.31

Spent fuel in LVNPP in ISFSI (dry storage) 89 16.0

ININ TRIGA reactor fuel 123 0.024

Other research reactor fuel2 - -

TOTAL 708.3

Plans for the future

• Ministry of Energy working on a National Policy for Spent Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Waste

• The Policy will include: • Long-term plans for the management of spent nuclear

fuel and radioactive wastes• Establishment of a Waste Management Organisation• Establishment of a fund to finance SF and RW

management activities

Plans for the future

Long-term fuel management in the National Policy:

• A Deep Geological Repository forthe disposal of spent fuel, HLW and Long-Lived LILW

• Research reactor spent fuel will be also disposed of in the Deep Geological Repository

Plans for the future (Nuclear power expansion)

• Until recently, the Program for theDevelopment of the National PowerSystem included:

Between 3 and 8 advanced type (Gen III+) reactors as from 2029(1,360 MW each)

• With the present administration, those plans have been put on hold due to low investment capacity in the country

Time frames for deep geological repository

• Operation by 2065

• LVNPP shutdown for 10 years

• SNF in temporary storage 10 – 75 yrs.

EVENT YEAR

Start of operations LVNPP temporary SNF storage 2019

Site selection and licensing 2045-2055

Construction of deep geological repository 2055-2065

Operation of deep geological repository 2065-2075

Dismantling of surface facilities (deep geological repository) 2075-2080

Institutional control 2080-2130

Time frames

2065205520452015

Oper

Sitng Lic

Fuel rem

Construc

Dismant

Institut

LV U-1

LV U-2

Geolog

Temp fuel

LLW

LV operation and decommissioning

RW and SF management facilities

Cost estimations

• Estimations for:

• Temporary storage at site,

• Final disposal

• Actual costs of the ISFSI at the Laguna Verde NPP are confidential.

• Shown are cost estimations developed in 2014 jointly with a European consulting consortium.

• Costs themselves and details of their development contain proprietary data.

• Only the general methodology and overall unitary costs are shown.

Collaboration with the European Commission

For the development of a Policy and Strategy for the Management of SNF and RW in Mexico

Consortium integrated by:

• ENRESA

• COVRA

• Belgoprocess

• Empresarios Agrupados

• IBERDROLA

• Westinghouse Spain

• 3 year project beginning in 2012

• Evaluation of the current situation

• Provided recommendations• National Policy

• Legal framework

• Institutional framework

• Infrastructure

• Financing mechanisms

Interim dry storage cost methodology

• Cost input data taken from EPRI Reports, with data from storagefacilities in two NPPs in the United States

• ENRESA cost data from ISFSIs in two NPPs in Spain

• Cost data was then scaled to the number of spent fuel assemblies to be produced in Mexico and numbers were adjusted to the Mexicancase (economics, labour, other regional factors)

• Costs shown are the estimations made in 2014. (NOT the actual costsfor the Laguna Verde NPP dry storage installation).

• All cost data is in 2014 USD.

Data for estimation

• Inventory considered is 11,879 fuel assemblies (2,138 tU) for 60-year operation of LVNPP Units 1 and 2

• Different scenarios and technologies were evaluated. Shown here isthe evaluation for the case that most resembles actual LVNPP solution:

• Dry Storage system using metal casks in concrete containers• Capacity of the canisters is 89 BWR FAs• 134 storage systems required (casks)

Data for estimation

• Operation of the ISFSI (during plant operation): 38 years

• Operation of the ISFSI (after plant shutdown): 45 years

• Uncertainty: a factor of 20% is recommended in individual cost items

Interim dry storage cost methodology

SF Dry Storage main cost items

Upfront costs

Storage systems (casks)

Operating costs

Decommissioning costs

Upfront costs

Planning

Licensing

Construction

Storage systems

Cost of canisters

Cost of concrete overpacks

Canister loading costs

Interim dry storage cost methodology

Operating costs

Costs before nuclear power plant shutdown

Costs after NPP shutdown

Operating costs include:

Licence fees

Security

Radiation monitoring

Operational monitoring

Personnel costs

Electric power

Installation and road maintenance

Insurance

Interim dry storage cost methodology

Decommissioning costs

Facility decommissioning costs (20% of facility costs)

Cask decommissioning costs (20% of cask cost)

Concrete overpack decomm. costs (20% of overpack cost)

Interim dry storage cost methodology

Total cost: USD$ 607 Million (in 2014 USD)

Unit cost: USD$ 284/kgU for 11,879 FAs (2,138 tU)

Uncertainty: 90% probability that cost will be between

USD$ 546 and USD$669 Million

Parameters whose uncertainty have the greatest influence on the total cost are:

• Operational cost after reactor shutdown• Cost of the metal canister

Interim dry storage cost summary

Final disposal cost methodology (DGR)

• Analysis of figures given by OECD countries with major programsconsidering a deep geological repository, based on studies elaboratedby Consortium members

• Selection of unitary costs (i.e. cost per tU of spent fuel) fromprograms in the range of the potential inventory of Mexico

• Extrapolation for the case of Mexico, of the indexed costs of disposalmade for Spain

Cost items included

Costs of research and development

Studies and research related to the proposed repository systems and their performance (estimated as 5% of the cost of each facility).

Construction and operation cost of an underground research laboratory and specialisedequipment

Costs of the program for site selection and characterization

Site screening process, selection and characterization (multiple sites)

Research of geological conditions of the selected sites (both surface and underground)

Cost items included

Costs of transportation

Transportation of spent fuel and HLW from their temporary storage sites

Terrestrial infrastructure for transportation and unloading of waste

Costs of design and construction of the repository

Detailed design of surface facilities (for SF conditioning), underground facilities and wasteencapsulation systems

Licensing of the facilities

Safety assessment

Construction and startup of the repository and encapsulation plant

Infrastructure and auxiliary equipment

Cost items included

Operation cost.

Conditioning and encapsulation of waste and its disposition in the underground galleries

Waste package acceptance and registration

Construction of additional disposal galleries

Sealing of galleries

Environmental and performance monitoring of the repository

Costs of decommissioning and closure of the repository

Decontamination, dismantling and removal of surface and subsurface facilities

Backfilling and sealing of main drifts, service areas and exploration and monitoring drillings

Institutional surveillance period of 50 years after repository closure

Final disposal cost methodology

SITE MANAGEMENT

Site and design

Surface facilities

Underground facilities

OPERATION

Transport

Surface facilities

Underground facilities

CLOSURE

Dismantling of facilities and sealing

Institutional monitoring

TOTAL MUSD (2014) 2,195

Final disposal cost summary

Total cost: USD$ 2,195 Million (in 2014 USD)

Unit cost: USD$ 1,027/kgU for 11,879 FAs (2,138 tU)

Uncertainty: 50% to 100% of the estimated values (based on the factthat worldwide implementation is at an early stage).

Thank you