Overview of the DOE Program Supporting the Very Long Term Storage and Transportation of Used Nuclear Fuel

摘要

The Department of Energy/Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE/NE) is supporting research and development to advance the understanding of material degradation mechanisms that may effect the safety and security of used nuclear fuel that has been in storage for long periods of time and that will eventually need to be transported after storage. The need for this work stems from the suspension of work on the proposed Yucca Mountain Repository and the resultant consequence of continuing to store used fuel in-place for the foreseeable future. It is expected that storage terms will last well beyond the regulatory maximum of 60 years.