Repository performance assessment of waste forms from the electrometallurgical treatment of sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel

The ceramic and metal waste forms produced by electrometallurgical treatment of sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel are undergoing evaluation as to how they will perform within the geologic repository which is proposed to be built at Yucca Mountain. An initial assessment, making use of preliminary degradation models for the waste forms, is described. The analyses are performed with a simplified version of the Total System Performance Assessment--Viability Assessment repository model. Results indicate that the ability of the ceramic and metal waste forms to retain radionuclides is similar to and sometimes better than defense high-level waste glass.