Radiological risk analysis of an operating high-level waste repository

Many dose assessments of generic facilities have been undertaken since the decision was made to pursue a deep geologic repository as the primary option for the disposal of high-level nuclear waste. As the siting and design efforts continue, it seems appropriate to review the various assessments and identify aspects of the repository operation which appear capable of contributing major portions of the potential doses. Representative samples of dose assessment results are exhibited for the important phases of repository development and operation: construction, operation, transport, decommissioning and retrieval. Operational aspects are further subdivided into routine and accidental considerations. These results are analysed to ascertain: (1) the orders of magnitude of the doses from each phase; (2) the relative importance of occupational versus population doses for each phase; and (3) the major facility operations and systems contributing to the doses. Converting all of the whole-body doses discussed to 50-year dose commitments in person-rem and ranking from high consequences to low, one obtains the following population and occupational lists: (a) Population: hoist-drop accident; transport; routine operation; and construction. (b) Occupational: hoist-drop accident; routine operation; transport; and construction. Except for the occupational result from the hoist-drop accident, all the postulated doses represented in the above list are orders of magnitude less than the person-rem received by the same groups from natural radiation in the same time period. (author)