nuclear-news

Plan to inspect San Onofre’s aging nuclear waste expected to spark debate at Coastal Commission meeting

Although the analysis suggests doomsday scenarios may be more fantastical than factual, an engineering firm did suggest several improvements  By TERI SFORZA | tsforza@scng.com | Orange County Register July 13, 2020  As debate continues to blister over San Onofre’s “nuclear waste dump by the sea,” an independent analysis concludes that the giant canisters housing that waste — and the program Southern California Edison has created to monitor and potentially repair them — will keep everything safe at least through 2035.Edison’s inspection and maintenance plan for its Holtec dry storage system — the “concrete monolith” now holding 69 of the 73 radioactive waste canisters it will hold by summer’s end, when all radioactive waste is finally removed from its spent fuel pools — is unveiled years earlier than the California Coastal Commission originally envisioned.

It will be the subject of fiery debate at the Coastal Commission’s online meeting beginning 9 a.m. Thursday, July 16. Commission staff recommends approval of Edison’s plan, but critics are expected to vigorously oppose it……….

How will it work?

There are several layers to the inspection and maintenance program.

Edison will keep tabs on the “concrete bunker” itself. Every day, workers will monitor temperatures and inspect air passageways and vent screens to make sure they remain free of blockage. Every month, air vent screens will be inspected for damage. Every year, there will be visual inspections of external surfaces for degradation. And every five years, there will be inspections of the structure for concrete settlement.

How will it work?

There are several layers to the inspection and maintenance program.

Edison will keep tabs on the “concrete bunker” itself. Every day, workers will monitor temperatures and inspect air passageways and vent screens to make sure they remain free of blockage. Every month, air vent screens will be inspected for damage. Every year, there will be visual inspections of external surfaces for degradation. And every five years, there will be inspections of the structure for concrete settlement……….

Bigger problem

The national paralysis over long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel is the elephant in the room.

The federal government agreed to start collecting commercial nuclear waste for permanent disposal more than 20 years ago — but it hasn’t collected an ounce. That’s why it’s stuck at San Onofre, and dozens of commercial nuclear plants nationwide.

There are hopes that temporary storage facilities in Texas and New Mexico might be licensed by the NRC while the federal government tries to find a permanent solution, but waste is likely to remain at San Onofre for many years. That’s why a maintenance and inspection program is required.

While the Coastal Commission approved two dry storage systems at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, “it also has expressed concern regarding storing spent nuclear fuel at SONGS because of the facility’s location adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and Interstate-5, proximity to major population centers, and site topography and potential effects from coastal hazards,” the staff report says.

“Because of the lack of a long-term repository for spent nuclear fuel, SONGS — like other nuclear power plants in the United States — has had to resort to interim storage of spent nuclear fuel on site.”

Officials urge those who want spent fuel moved from San Onofre to focus on prodding the federal government toward a solution. Edison also is working on a strategic plan to explore the possibility of moving the waste off the bluff over the Pacific, and expects to finish by the end of the year. https://www.ocregister.com/2020/07/13/plan-to-inspect-san-onofres-aging-nuclear-waste-expected-to-spark-debate-at-coastal-commission-meeting/