Safety and Licensing of Spent Fuel Storage Facilities

All operating nuclear power reactors in the United States (U.S.) are storing spent fuel on-site in spent fuel pools licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Spent fuel pools at U.S. reactors were not designed to store the full amount of spent fuel generated during the lifetime of plant operation. Consequently, most utilities expanded their storage capacity by the use of high-density storage racks. Even with the high density racks, most utilities will need additional storage capacity. When it became apparent that nuclear power plants were going to need additional spent fuel storage space, the NRC amended its regulations in 1980 to provide nuclear power plants with alternate spent fuel storage in an independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI). NRC provides for a 20-year specific license with the option to renew the license for additional 20-year terms. In 1990, the NRC implemented the General License option to ease the burden on nuclear power plants that have a license to either operate or possess fuel. The general license for each storage cask terminates 20 years after the storage cask is first used by the licensee. The first storage cask using a general license was loaded in 1994. This paper discusses NRC experiences and its knowledge gained in licensing over the past 30 years and renewing the licenses for three ISFSIs and how this knowledge has driven the NRC to revise its guidance and thought processes for dry storage. (author)