Integrity of spent fuel and pool components during wet storage

The only method currently licensed for storing domestic commercial light water reactor (LWR) fuel is wet storage (i.e., in water-filled pools). Activities are under way to license dry storage; however, utilities will continue to store most spent LWR fuel in pools. Therefore, it is important for wet storage technology to function well and to possess high credibility by having a meaningful surveillance program and technically credible data base on wet storage experience. Before enactment of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, the US Department of Energy (DOE) had the major role in maintaining the data base on pool storage of discharged nuclear reactor fuel. The act shifted responsibility for all aspects of fuel storage to the utilities. In response, utilities have participated increasingly - largely through the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) - in formulating a storage surveillance program. This project was established and is being continued by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories for EPRI. The project objective is to evaluate and document the integrity of spent LWR fuel and structural materials during wet storage. A lead fuel assembly concept for validating safe wet storage for bounding storage conditions was incorporated into the project. Activities under this project built uponmore » previous studies sponsored by DOE on wet storage of spent fuel.« less