Multi-purpose canister project

The U.S. Department of Energy`s (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) has investigated various container systems for handling, transporting, storing, and disposing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assemblies in its Civilian Radioactive Waste Management System (CRWMS). The primary goal of DOE`s investigations was to select a container technology that could integrate and standardize the handling of the vast majority of commercial SNF at a reasonable cost, while providing flexibility and ensuring the safety of the public and protecting the environment. Several alternative cask and canister concepts were evaluated for SNF assembly packaging to determine the most suitable concept. Of these alternative, the multi-purpose canister (MPC)-based subsystem, as depicted in Figure 1, was determined to be the most suitable. Based on the results of these evaluations, the decision was made to proceed with design and certification of the MPC subsystem. A decision whether to fabricate and deploy MPCs will be made after further studies and the preparation of an environmental impact statement. This presentation summarizes the status of the MPC Project and related activities that have occurred since the 1994 IHLWM.