Technology for commercial radioactive waste management

An analysis of the complete waste management system was developed to assess the total impact of managing radioactive wastes generated over the entire lifetime of a nuclear power system. The analysis considers the treatment and disposal of all post-fission TRU, gaseous and airborne and decommissioning wastes. Each radioactive waste stream is tracked each year from its origin through treatment, storage, transport, and accumulation in a geologic repository. The reference system is based on 400 GWe of nuclear power installed in the year 2000 and produces approximately 10,000 GWe-years of electric energy. An alternative low-growth projection based on 255 GWe in the year 2000 is also considered, but for fewer cases. This system produces approximately 6400 GWe year of electric energy. Capacity additions beyond the year 2000 are not considered a part of this system. After 40 years of operation each nuclear power plant is shut down and decommissioned. Thus, the last nuclear power plant is shut down in the year 2040. The last fuel reprocessing plant is shut down in the year 2044 and dismantled in the year 2075. Thus, the system operation encompasses a 101-year period from 1975 through 2075. In addition, the decay of radioactivity in the final repositories is followed over a million year period