U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board Report to the U.S. Congress and the Secretary of Energy, January 1, 2005 to February 28, 2006

摘要

The U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board submits this Report to The U.S. Congress and The Secretary of Energy in accordance with provisions of the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987, Public Law 100-203, which requires the Board to report its findings and recommendations to Congress and the Secretary of Energy at least two times each year. Congress created the Board to evaluate the technical and scientific validity of activities undertaken by the Secretary of Energy related to implementing the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. In this report, which covers the period of January 1, 2005, through February 28, 2006, the Board's major activities are summarized and the Board's technical evaluation of Department of Energy (DOE) work related to disposing of, packaging, and transporting spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste is presented. The technical evaluation contained in the report focuses on six important technical issues: (1) the capability of natural barriers at Yucca Mountain to isolate radionuclides; (2) the DOEs thermal-management strategy; (3) the range of potential near-field environments and their possible effects on the engineered barrier system; (4) postclosure risk associated with the repository; (5) design and operation of surface and subsurface components and facilities; and (6) DOE plans for the waste-management system.