POLICY ISSUE

NOTATION VOTE

March 3, 2006 SECY-06-0053

FOR: The Commissioners

FROM: Luis A. Reyes

Executive Director for Operations

SUBJECT: PACKAGE PERFORMANCE STUDY STATUS UPDATE

PURPOSE:

1. To provide an update of the Package Performance Study (PPS), as directed in the

Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM), dated June 9, 2005, concerning SECY-05-0051,

“Details and Projected Cost of a Demonstration Test of a Full-Scale Spent Nuclear Fuel Rail

Transportation Cask Under the Package Performance Study.”

2. To obtain Commission approval of the schedule to perform the PPS. 

BACKGROUND:

In SECY-05-0051, dated March 28, 2005, the staff provided the details and projected cost

of a demonstration test of a full-scale spent nuclear fuel rail transportation cask under the PPS. 

In the related SRM, dated June 9, 2005, the Commission approved the staff’s proposed test plan

and projected cost for the demonstration test. In addition, the Commission directed the staff

to add a fire test scenario for a rail cask involving a fully engulfing, optically dense, hydrocarbon

fire for a duration of one-half hour post-collision as a part of the proposed demonstration test. 

CONTACT: Abdul H. Sheikh, RES/DFERR/ERA/MSEB

301-415-6004
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The Commission also directed the staff to take the following actions:

• Negotiate and complete a signed cooperative agreement with the German Federal Institute

for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) (due June 23, 2006).

• Provide a status update on the staff’s review and analysis of the full- and quarter-scale

transportation cask drop test data obtained from BAM (due February 24, 2006).

• Review developments in the U.S. high-level waste program and prepare a Commission paper

to recommend an appropriate time to begin executing the PPS (due February 24, 2006).

• Brief the Commissioners’ Technical Assistants on the details of a proposed fire test

and projected costs (due February 24, 2006).

• Ask the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW) to review the revised

demonstration test protocol (due March 26, 2006).

This paper provides information and an update for the tasks listed above, and requests

Commission’s approval of the schedule to perform the demonstration test. 

DISCUSSION:

Review and Analysis of the Full- and Quarter-Scale Cask Drop Test Data

The staff will obtain the full- and quarter-scale cask drop test data from BAM after the Implementing

Agreement between the NRC and BAM is signed. The staff will review and analyze drop test data

for two casks to determine the extent to which the data support the objectives of the PPS,

and will then recommend enhancements to the PPS project that may become apparent through

this review and analysis. This task will involve detailed independent structural simulation

and finite element analysis of the drop scenario for the full- and quarter-scale casks. 

This task is expected to be completed 18 months after the Implementing Agreement between the

NRC and BAM is signed. If the Agreement is signed in June 2006, as expected, the staff can

complete the review and analysis of BAM test data by December 2007. This task can proceed

independently from the U. S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) procurement of the

transportation casks.

Appropriate Time to Perform the Demonstration Test

Option 1

Consistent with prior Commission direction, in this option, the transportation cask to be used for

the proposed demonstration test will be one that DOE is likely to use to transport nuclear fuel to

the potential high-level waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. In addition, the

transportation cask design will have a valid NRC Certificate of Compliance to transport

commercial spent nuclear fuel, in accordance with Title 10, Part 71, of the Code of Federal

Regulations (10 CFR Part 71).

In a discussion with DOE personnel, the NRC staff learned that the schedule for procuring

the transportation casks has been delayed so that DOE can evaluate the transportation, aging,
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* Generally, NRC schedules Part 71 cases for a one year review, with a timeliness performance goal to complete all cases

within two years

and disposal canisters (TADs) for transportation of spent nuclear fuel from commercial nuclear

plants. Therefore, for this option, the demonstration test should be delayed until either DOE

places an order to procure the transportation casks to support proposed Yucca Mountain

repository operations or the NRC issues a certificate of compliance for the transportation cask

design (whichever is later).

In SECY-05-0051, the staff provided a schedule for performing the demonstration test

on a transportation cask. According to that schedule, all of the activities for the test can be

completed in 192 weeks after the Commission gives its approval to proceed. If a fire test

is included as a part of the demonstration test, the total overall schedule for the demonstration

test will increase from 192 weeks to 200 weeks. According to the preliminary information

obtained from DOE, the staff learned that DOE is likely to make a decision about the use of

TADs for transportation of spent nuclear fuel and issue a performance specification for the

transportation cask design in 2006. 

An optimistic schedule to perform the demonstration test, for Option 1, includes the following

milestones [after DOE issues performance specification for the transportation cask, (To)]

NRC receives application for certification of the transportation cask: To + 52 weeks 

NRC issues certificate of compliance for the transportation cask: To + 104 weeks*

DOE awards contract for procurement of transportation casks: To + 104 weeks

NRC staff starts preliminary planning and procurement activities: To + 104 weeks

NRC staff recommends an appropriate time for the PPS demonstration test: To + 116 weeks

Commission approves the demonstration test timing and protocols: To + 124 weeks

NRC staff issues request for proposals for procurement of casks: To + 124 weeks

NRC awards a contract for supply of the transportation cask: To + 160 weeks

performs the demonstration test: To + 274 weeks

 issues demonstration test final report: To + 324 weeks

If DOE issues the transportation cask specifications in mid-year 2006, the staff would start PPS

preliminary planning, selection of test facilities, and procurement activities by mid-year 2008.

Option 2

In this option, the initiation of PPS activities would not be tied to DOE’s procurement of the cask

or NRC’s issuance of a cask certificate of compliance. The NRC staff will submit a revised cost

estimate and test protocols for approval to the Commission by September 2007. After the

Commission’s approval, the NRC staff will start the detailed planning and procurement activities

for the demonstration test. Selection of this option would likely expedite the start of the

demonstration test.
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The contracts for the supply of a transportation cask, locomotive, and test facility can be

awarded as early as August 2008, and the final report for the demonstration test can be issued

200 weeks after Commission’s approval to proceed with the test. However, in this option, the

transportation cask to be used for the demonstration test may not necessarily be one that will

be used by DOE to transport nuclear fuel to the potential high-level waste repository at Yucca

Mountain, Nevada. In addition, the procurement cost for the transportation cask in this case is

likely to be higher since the cask supplier may not be the same as the one selected by DOE to

supply a large number of casks, and such cask procurement may represent the first of a kind

and the only fabrication contract for such cask. 

 

Briefing for Commissioners’ Technical Assistants on the Details of a Proposed Fire Test

and Projected Costs

The overall dimensions and internal details of the transportation cask will influence the design

of the fire test facility and instrumentation required to monitor the behavior of the cask during

a fire test. Therefore, the details and projected costs of a proposed fire test, for Option 1, cannot

be determined until DOE selects a transportation cask. To ensure that the Commission is

provided with a realistic cost estimate and fire test scenario, the briefing to the Commissioners’

Technical Assistants should be delayed until after DOE places an order to procure the

transportation casks or the NRC issues a certificate of compliance for the transportation casks

(whichever is later). However, if the Commission approves Option 2, the staff will include the

best cost estimate and fire test scenario as a part of the Commission paper for the Option 2

revised cost estimate and test protocols. 

ACNW Review of the Revised Demonstration Test Protocol

The transportation cask demonstration test protocols for Option 1, including the fire test, cannot

be finalized until after DOE selects a transportation cask for use in transporting spent nuclear

fuel to the proposed Yucca Mountain Repository. Therefore, for Option 1, the ACNW review of

the test protocols should also be delayed until after DOE places an order to procure the

transportation casks or the NRC issues a certificate of compliance for the transportation casks

(whichever is later). Under either Option 1 or Option 2, the staff will schedule the ACNW review

prior to the Commission’s decision on demonstration test timing and protocols.

Projected Cost of the Demonstration Test

The total cost to perform the demonstration test depends on the cost of acquiring a transportation

cask with a supporting railcar, locomotive, freight railcars, and test instrumentation, as well as

the cost of pretest and post-test structural analyses and the cost of conducting the actual

demonstration test. The staff will not be able to obtain a firm price for these items until after

the bidding process is complete. Approval to enter into contracts for these proposed

procurements will be requested in accordance with the Commission’s approved procedures.

COMMITMENT:

The staff will keep the Commission informed of the status of the PPS and the BAM cask drop

test data analysis by annual briefings to the Commissioners’ Technical Assistants, beginning in
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February 2007.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The staff recommends that:

(1) The Commission approve the PPS demonstration test schedule as described in Option 1

above. The staff will provide to the Commission a revised cost estimate and test protocols

for performing the demonstration test 12 weeks after DOE places an order to procure the

transportation casks or the NRC issues a certificate of compliance for the transportation

casks (whichever is later).

(2) The briefing for the Commissioners’ Technical Assistants on the details of the fire test

and projected costs, and the ACNW’s review of the test protocols be delayed until 12 weeks

after DOE places an order to procure the transportation casks or the NRC issues a

certificate of compliance for the transportation casks (whichever is later).

RESOURCES:

A total of $582K and 1.5 FTE in 2006, and 1.5 FTE in 2007, has been

budgeted for limited PPS activities in the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) and the

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS). The FY 2007 and FY 2008 funding

for the PPS activities will be reevaluated during the NRC’s FY2008 Planning, Budgeting, and

Performance Management (PBPM) process.

COORDINATION:

The Office of the General Counsel has reviewed this paper and has no legal objections. 

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer has also reviewed this paper for resource implications

and has no objections.

/RA/

Luis A. Reyes

Executive Director

 for Operations