NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200

Washington, DC 20555-001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov

Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov/OPA

No. 00-153 October 6, 2000

NRC STAFF ISSUES SAFETY EVALUATION REPORT ON

PROPOSED SPENT FUEL STORAGE FACILITY IN UTAH

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has issued its safety evaluation report (SER) on

Private Fuel Storage L.L.C’s (PFS) application to build a spent fuel storage facility on the Reservation

of the Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians near Tooele County, Utah. The review finds that the

facility and the casks that would store the spent fuel would be safe and meet regulatory requirements.

In its June 20, 1997, application, PFS proposed to store spent fuel generated from commercial

nuclear power plants in the United States for a twenty-year period above ground in large casks.

Issuance of the safety evaluation report marks another step in the safety and environmental review in

the on-going licensing process required by the NRC.

The safety evaluation report describes in detail the type of casks proposed for use at the facility,

geographical characteristics of the site, proposed facility operations, radiation protection features,

decommissioning plans, safety and accident analyses, emergency planning, financial qualifications of

the applicant, and other features of the facility.

The proposed facility, about 50 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, would use NRC-approved

Holtec International HI-STORM 100 storage casks. The HI-STORM cask consists of a canister in

which the spent fuel is stored, and a steel and concrete overpack. To shield the radioactive material,

the canister is welded closed and then placed in an overpack of two steel shells encasing a 27-inch wall

of concrete. The concrete provides additional shielding from radiation during storage. The cask

weighs 180 tons when full.

The SER concludes that the application demonstrates the proposed facility would satisfy

applicable Commission safety requirements during normal, unusual, and accident conditions. Among

the hazards analyzed by PFS were a cask drop, flood, fire, lightning, earthquake, and tornadoes. In

addition, hazards from nearby activities also were considered, including explosions and aircraft

crashes.

As part of the review process, the agency’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board held hearings

on PFS’ application in June, in Salt Lake City. Members of the public were afforded an opportunity to

make brief oral statements of their views at this time. That same month, the NRC staff issued a draft

environmental impact statement for comment, and held public meetings over the summer in Salt Lake
City and Grantsville, Utah. Public comments will be factored into a final environmental impact

statement, currently scheduled for release the early part of next year.

Before a decision is made whether to issue a license, the Licensing Board will hold additional

hearing sessions on remaining safety and environmental contentions, currently scheduled for next

summer. Also, three other federal agencies - - the Surface Transportation Board, the Bureau of Land

Management, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs -- must complete actions associated with the PFS

proposal.

Copies of the safety evaluation report are available on the agency’s web page, at

http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/NMSS/SFPO/SER/PFS/index.html

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