CEP Regular Meeting: DOE/Pacific Northwest National Lab Site-Specific De-Inventory Report and SONGS Spent Fuel Dry Cask Storage Inspections

Mar 20, 2025
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
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Key Takeaways

Experts from the US Department of Energy and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratories discussed progress on initiatives managed by the Office of Storage and Transportation, mainly a new site-specific “de-inventory report” on SONGS spent nuclear fuel. After analyzing conceptual transportation options and routes for SONGS spent fuel canisters once an offsite facility is available, the team determined the best approach to be an all-rail route using a single rail carrier with the railcars loaded at the on-site rail spur and then traveling approximately 2,200 miles to a site presumed for planning purposes to be located at the geographic center of the US.

The federal spent fuel management program—currently housed within DOE—is going through a period of transition. It will be important to monitor for any shifting policy priorities, particularly with respect to DOE’s current work on collaborative siting for consolidated interim storage facilities for spent fuel stranded at shut down plants like SONGS.

SCE discussed a recent low-level violation issued by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for non-compliance with procedures that govern hot work (e.g., welding). Hot work was stopped, a cause evaluation was performed, and corrective actions implemented before hot work resumed.

An SCE engineer discussed the most recent inspection of spent fuel canisters in the Holtec storage system. The team observed good overall condition on all three canisters inspected. The number of canisters inspected industry-wide continues to grow. Some 60 canisters have been inspected at 25 sites, with no precursors to chloride induced stress corrosion cracking found.
CEP received an update from SCE on tritium in groundwater beneath Unit 2 at SONGS.
Groundwater beneath the site is not a source of drinking water. When discovered last summer, tritium levels were below levels allowable for drinking water. Concentrations in existing and new wells have reduced over time and are trending toward non-detectable.

The current phase of decommissioning is progressing well and is on track for completion by the end of 2028.

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SONGS CEP Regular Meeting

Date: March 20, 2025

Time: 2:30 – 4:30 pm (PT)

Location: via Microsoft Teams (link provided below)

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