Intact decommissioning option for nuclear power plants

Intact decommissioning has been proposed as an alternative method for decommissioning nuclear power plants complying with NRC license termination requirements as set forth in 10 CFR 50 and Regulatory Guide 1.86. Under this method, after the fuel and radioactive liquid and wastes are removed, highly radioactive systems and components, such as the reactor vessel and internals and the primary coolant system, would be sealed inside a designated boundary (e.g., the containment building) and left indefinitely. Radioactive materials outside the intact decommissioning boundary would be removed. Minimization of preparatory work, no consolidation of radioactive components in a particular location, and no maintenance or surveillance of the decommissioned facility distinguish this from the entombment option. The associated occupational radiation exposure should be significantly lower, and the public exposure no greater - and quite likely less - than the currently favored decommissioning method, immediate dismantlement. This paper presents the results of a study, sponsored by the National Environmental Studies Project of the Atomic industrial Forum (AIF/NESP), examining the viability and radiological consequences of intact decommissioning