Technical Study of Spent Fuel Pool Accident Risk at Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants (NUREG-1738)

On this page:

• Publication Information
• Abstract

Download complete document

• NUREG-1738 (PDF - 20.09 MB)

Publication Information

Manuscript Completed: January 2001
Date Published: February 2001

Prepared by:
T.E. Collins, G. Hubbard

Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001

Availability Notice

Abstract

This study contains the results of the NRC staffs evaluation of the potential accident risk in a spent fuel pool at decommissioning plants in the United States. This study was prepared to provide a technical basis for decommissioning rulemaking for permanently shutdown nuclear power plants. This study describes a modeling approach of a typical decommissioning plant with design assumptions and industry commitments; the thermal-hydraulic analyses performed to evaluate the behavior of spent fuel stored in the spent fuel pool at decommissioning plants; the risk assessment of spent fuel pool accidents; the consequence calculations; and the sensitivity study and implications for decommissioning regulatory requirements. Preliminary drafts of this study were issued for public comments and technical reviews in June 1999 and February 2000. Comments from interested stakeholders, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, and other technical reviewers have been taken into account in preparing this study. A broad quality review was also carried out at the Idaho National Engineering and Environment Laboratory, and a panel of human reliability analysis experts evaluated the report's assumptions, methods, and modeling. Public comments on draft versions of this study are discussed in Appendix 6 of this NUREG.