LICENSING A HIGH LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE REPOSITORY–THE PATH FORWARD

摘要

With the formal designation in July 2002 of Yucca Mountain as the site for disposal,the nuclear waste disposal program moved into the licensing phase of the development process.DOE will enter into the licensing process defined by the NRC at 10 CFR Part 2,Subpart J,with the initial certification that documentary material has been made available to the NRC’s Licensing Support Network(LSN).The license application that DOE submits to the NRC will contain those general arrangement drawings and high-level system descriptions necessary to show that the design and the accompanying safety analysis will meet regulatory requirements.If DOE receives a construction authorization from the NRC,DOE would begin developing the facilities needed for initial operations.Simultaneously,DOE would complete enhancements to its technical and regulatory bases in anticipation of updating the application for a license to receive and possess waste.By continuing the development of its repository design and demonstrating the validity of its models of long-term waste isolation,DOE will be ready to begin safely constructing a repository upon receipt of the NRC’s construction authorization and begin safe operations a few years later following NRC’s issuance of a license.