The Douglas Point dry spent fuel storage facility

This paper reviews AECL's experience with dry concrete canisters over the last 12 years and describes the storage of 388 MgU of spent fuel. The Canadian experience includes the storage of 23 MgU of both natural and enriched fuel at the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment, the storage of 67 MgU of spent fuel from the decommissioned Gentilly-1 reactor, and the storage of 298 MgU of spent fuel from the decommissioned Douglas Point reactor. The storage facility at Douglas Point, which represents the largest dry spent fuel storage canister facility built to date, is highlighted to describe its state-of-the-art licensing, safety, health physics and project management aspects. The paper includes a general description of the storage site, the canister, the storage basket, the fuel handling equipment and the fuel handling operations. The project schedule is reviewed and compared with the actual dates achieved. The equipment, labour and total project costs are discussed. Two ongoing projects are described: the decommissioned Nuclear Power Demonstration (NPD) Plant, where 75 MgU of spent fuel will be stored; and Point Lepreau, where storage of spent fuel from on-going operation, at a pace of approximately 100 MgU per year will take place, starting in 1990. The status of canister storage of LWR reactor spent fuel is outlined. Future trends in the technology of dry spent fuel storage in concrete canisters are discussed