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[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 245 (Monday, December 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83068-83071]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27951]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Availability of Draft Versatile Test Reactor 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Office of Nuclear Energy, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearings.

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[[Page 83069]]

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability 
of the Draft Versatile Test Reactor Environmental Impact Statement (VTR 
EIS) (DOE/EIS-0542). DOE is also announcing a public comment period and 
public hearings to receive comments on the Draft VTR EIS. DOE prepared 
the Draft VTR EIS to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of 
alternatives for constructing and operating a versatile test reactor 
(VTR), and the associated facilities for post-irradiation examination 
of test and experimental fuels and materials. The Draft VTR EIS also 
evaluates the potential environmental impacts of options for VTR driver 
fuel (the fuel that powers the reactor) fabrication and the management 
of spent nuclear fuel from the VTR.

DATES: Comments will be accepted during the comment period that will 
extend for 45 days after the date that the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal 
Register (expected to be December 31, 2020). DOE plans to hold two 
public hearings on the Draft VTR EIS. In light of ongoing public health 
concerns, DOE will host internet-based, virtual public hearings in 
place of in-person hearings. The dates of the hearing will be provided 
in a future notice posted on the following website: https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-reactor-technologies/versatile-test-reactor. 
DOE will hold the hearings no earlier than 15 days from the posting of 
the notice.

ADDRESSES: DOE invites Federal and state agencies, state and local 
governments, Native American tribes, industry, other organizations, and 
members of the public to review and submit comments on the Draft VTR 
EIS. Written comments on the Draft VTR EIS should be sent to Mr. James 
Lovejoy, Document Manager, by mail at: U.S. Department of Energy, Idaho 
Operations Office, 1955 Fremont Avenue, MS 1235, Idaho Falls, Idaho 
83415; or by email to [email protected]. The Draft VTR EIS is 
available for viewing or download at https://www.energy.gov/nepa or 
https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-reactor-technologies/versatile-test-reactor.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the VTR 
Project or the Draft VTR EIS, visit https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-reactor-technologies/versatile-test-reactor; or contact Mr. James 
Lovejoy at the mailing address listed in ADDRESSESS; or via email at 
[email protected]; or call (208) 526-6805. For general 
information on DOE's NEPA process, contact Mr. Jason Sturm at the 
mailing address listed in ADDRESSES; or via email at 
[email protected]; or call (208) 526-6805.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Part of the DOE mission is to ensure America's security and 
prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear 
challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. 
Many commercial organizations and universities are pursuing advanced 
nuclear energy fuels, materials, and reactor designs that complement 
the efforts of DOE and its laboratories in advancing nuclear energy. 
These designs include thermal and fast-spectrum \1\ reactors targeting 
improved fuel resource utilization and waste management, and utilizing 
materials other than water for cooling. Their development requires an 
adequate infrastructure for experimentation, testing, design evolution, 
and component qualification. Existing irradiation test capabilities are 
aging, and some are over 50 years old. The existing capabilities are 
focused on testing of materials, fuels, and components in the thermal 
neutron spectrum and do not have the ability to support the testing 
needs for fast reactors. Only limited fast-neutron-spectrum-testing 
capabilities, with restricted availability, exist outside the United 
States. To meet its obligation to support advanced reactor technology 
development, DOE needs to develop the capability for large-scale 
testing, accelerated testing, and qualification of advanced nuclear 
fuels, materials, instrumentation and sensors. This testing capability 
is essential for the United States to modernize its nuclear energy 
infrastructure and for developing transformational nuclear energy 
technologies that re-establish the U.S. as a world leader in nuclear 
technology commercialization.
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    \1\ Fast neutrons are highly energetic neutrons (ranging from 
0.1 to 10 million electron volts [MeV] and travelling at speeds of 
thousands to tens of thousands kilometers per second) emitted during 
fission. The fast-neutron spectrum refers to the range of energies 
associated with fast neutrons. By contrast, thermal neutrons, such 
as those typically associated in a commercial light-water reactor, 
are neutrons that are less energetic than fast neutrons (more than a 
million times less energetic [about 0.25eV] and travelling at speeds 
of less than 5 kilometers per second), having been slowed by 
collisions with other materials such as water. The thermal neutron 
spectrum refers to the range of energies associated with thermal 
neutrons.
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    Recognizing that the United States does not have a dedicated fast-
neutron-spectrum testing capability, DOE performed a mission needs 
assessment to assess current testing capabilities (domestic and 
foreign) against the required testing capabilities to support the 
development of advanced nuclear technologies. This needs assessment was 
consistent with the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act (NEICA) 
(Pub. L. 115-248) passed in 2018, which directed DOE to assess the 
mission need for, and cost of, a versatile reactor-based fast-neutron 
source with a high neutron flux, irradiation flexibility, multiple 
experimental environment (e.g., coolant) capabilities, and volume for 
many concurrent users. The needs assessment identified a gap between 
required testing needs and existing capabilities. That is, there 
currently is an inability to effectively test advanced nuclear fuels 
and materials in a fast-neutron spectrum irradiation environment at 
high neutron fluxes. Specifically, the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy 
(NE), Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee (NEAC) report, Assessment of 
Missions and Requirements for a New U.S. Test Reactor, confirmed that 
there was a need in the U.S. for fast-neutron testing capabilities, but 
that there is no facility that is readily available domestically or 
internationally. The NEAC study confirmed the conclusions of an earlier 
study, the Advanced Demonstration and Test Reactor Options Study. That 
study established the strategic objective that DOE ``provide an 
irradiation test reactor to support development and qualification of 
fuels, materials, and other important components/items (e.g., control 
rods, instrumentation) of both thermal and fast neutron-based advanced 
reactor systems.''
    Following establishment of the mission need described above, the 
VTR Project was formally launched in February 2019 as a part of the 
effort called for by Congress to modernize the nuclear energy research 
and development user facility infrastructure in the United States.

Alternatives

    In addition to a No Action Alternative, the Draft VTR EIS evaluates 
potential environmental impacts of alternatives for constructing and 
operating a VTR. Under the action alternatives, the VTR would be a 
small (approximately 300 megawatt thermal) sodium-cooled, pool-type, 
metal-fueled reactor. DOE has completed a conceptual design of a fast-
neutron-spectrum reactor based on the Power Reactor Innovative Small 
Module (PRISM) design from GE-Hitachi. In addition to constructing and 
operating the VTR, the action alternatives include the activities 
necessary to perform post-irradiation examination of test

[[Page 83070]]

specimens and for the management of driver fuel from the VTR. After 
irradiation in the VTR, test specimens/experimental cartridges would be 
transferred to post-irradiation examination facilities where they would 
be disassembled so that the specimens can undergo detailed evaluation. 
To the extent practical, DOE would make use of existing facilities to 
perform post-irradiation examination. Spent driver fuel would be 
removed from the VTR each year over its 60-year operating life. The 
fuel would be treated (to remove sodium that is used as a bonding 
material in fabrication of the fuel) and packaged in containers that 
are ready for transport to an offsite storage facility or repository. 
Pending shipment offsite, the packaged spent fuel would be stored at a 
facility provided by the VTR project. These activities would be part of 
each action alternative. The alternatives evaluated include 
establishing the VTR and support activities at Idaho National 
Laboratory (INL) or Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Idaho National Laboratory Versatile Test Reactor Alternative

    Under the INL VTR Alternative, DOE would site the VTR adjacent to 
the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) at INL and use existing hot cell 
and other facilities at the MFC for post-irradiation examination. The 
MFC is the location of the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), the 
Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory (IMCL), the 
Experimental Fuels Facility (EFF), and other laboratory facilities. 
Spent driver fuel would be treated at the Fuel Conditioning Facility 
(FCF) and stored at a facility constructed as part of the VTR project.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Versatile Test Reactor Alternative

    Under the ORNL VTR Alternative, the VTR would be sited at ORNL at a 
location about three quarters of a mile northeast of the High Flux 
Isotope Reactor. In addition to constructing the VTR and a facility to 
store spent driver fuel, DOE would also construct a new hot cell 
facility at this location. The hot cell facility would include 
capability and capacity for the initial post-irradiation disassembly 
and examination of test specimens and for the treatment of spent VTR 
driver fuel. Several existing facilities at ORNL would be used to 
provide additional post-irradiation examination capabilities. Hot cells 
in the Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory and the Irradiated 
Materials Examination and Testing Facility would augment the 
capabilities in the new hot cell facility. In addition, the Low 
Activation Materials Design and Analysis Laboratory would be used for 
testing low-dose samples that do not require the use of hot cells.

Reactor Fuel Production

    The driver fuel for the VTR would be a metal alloy composed of 
uranium, plutonium, and zirconium. Activities to produce reactor fuel 
may include feedstock preparation and well as fuel fabrication. The 
Draft VTR EIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the 
feedstock preparation activities that would be used to remove 
contaminants from the plutonium (called polishing) and to convert 
plutonium oxides to metal that can be used in fuel fabrication. The 
fabrication steps include creating the alloy; casting the alloy to 
create fuel slugs; fabricating fuel pins, including establishing a 
sodium bond between the fuel slugs and the encasing tube; and 
assembling the tube bundles that would be placed in the reactor. DOE 
evaluates two options for each phase of reactor fuel production. The 
feedstock preparation could be performed at either INL or the Savanah 
River Site (SRS). Similarly, fuel fabrication activities could be 
performed at INL or SRS.
    Under the options to perform feedstock preparation and fuel 
fabrication at INL, new and existing gloveboxes and equipment would be 
used in the Fuel Manufacturing Facility and the building that 
previously housed the Zero Power Physics Reactor. Under the options to 
perform feedstock preparation and fuel fabrication at SRS, new 
gloveboxes and equipment would be installed in a building that 
previously housed one of the SRS production reactors.

Preferred Alternative

    DOE's Preferred Alternative is the INL VTR Alternative. DOE would 
build and operate the VTR at the INL Site adjacent to the existing MFC. 
Existing facilities within the MFC would be used for post-irradiation 
examination of test specimens. Post-irradiation examination would be 
performed in HFEF, IMCL, and other MFC facilities. Spent nuclear fuel 
(spent VTR driver fuel) would be treated to remove the sodium-bonded 
material at FCF (modifications to FCF may be required). The intent of 
this treatment is to condition and transform the spent nuclear fuel 
into a form that would meet the acceptance criteria for a future 
permanent repository. This treated fuel would be temporarily stored at 
a new VTR spent fuel pad at MFC.
    DOE has no preferred options at this time for where it would 
perform driver fuel production (i.e., feedstock preparation and driver 
fuel fabrication) for the VTR. DOE evaluated options for both processes 
at the INL Site and at SRS. DOE could choose to use either site or a 
combination of both sites to implement either option. DOE will state 
its preferred options for feedstock preparation and driver fuel 
fabrication in the Final VTR EIS, if preferred options are identified 
before issuance.

Webcast Public Hearings

    DOE will host two interactive webcast public hearings during the 
public comment period. During the webcast public hearings, DOE will 
give a brief presentation on the Draft VTR EIS, followed by a period 
during which DOE will accept oral comments on the Draft VTR EIS. The 
comments will be transcribed. There will also be a phone line available 
to allow people who do not have an internet connection the opportunity 
to participate. Note that those desiring to provide oral comments will 
need to call in on the phone line. Written comments on the Draft VTR 
EIS may also be submitted during the public comment period as indicated 
under ADDRESSES. All comments, whether oral or written, will be 
considered by DOE as the VTR EIS is finalized. DOE will post 
information regarding the public hearings on the VTR Draft EIS website 
at https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-reactor-technologies/versatile-test-reactor. The hearings will also be announced in newspapers near 
INL, ORNL, and SRS.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on December 
15, 2020, by Robert Boston, DOE Idaho Operations Office Manager, Office 
of Nuclear Energy, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary 
of Energy. That document with the original signature and date is 
maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance 
with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the 
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to 
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as 
an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative 
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon 
publication in the Federal Register.

[[Page 83071]]

    Signed in Washington, DC, on December 15, 2020.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2020-27951 Filed 12-18-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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