| Question |
Answer |
Transportation
and Roads |
|
| Will Entergy roads need to be modified to
handle on-site transportation of the casks? |
The roadway out of the IP2 Fuel Storage Building
is being modified, however Entergy does not envision
other significant roadway modifications.
|
How will the empty casks be transported
to IPEC for use at the ISFSI?
|
Only the cask shell will be shipped to IPEC and concrete
will be added to fill it onsite. The shell will be transported
by truck over local roads. The cask shell weighs considerably
less than a fully loaded cask.
|
| Is transport of loaded casks safe? |
Over 3000 shipments of used nuclear fuel (> 10,000
assemblies) have been safely transported over 1.7 million
miles, during the past 35 years with no injuries, no
fatalities and no environmental damage due to the radioactivity
of the cargo. The combination of robust shipping containers,
exacting procedures, tight security, government cooperation,
and strict regulatory standards has produced this outstanding
safety record.
(www.nei.org/documents/SafeShipBrochure1.pdf
) |
| What are some of the procedures that protect
fuel from terrorist attacks and accidents during shipping? |
Used nuclear fuel is transported only along highway
or train routes that have been pre-approved and pre-inspected
by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Approved truck
routes use highway bypasses around populated areas and
avoid tunnels. Trains use alternate routes wherever
possible to avoid tunnels. Trains shipping used nuclear
fuel from commercial power plants in the future will
likely use dedicated trains, that is, trains carrying
only used nuclear fuel. The U.S. Federal Railway Administration
and the individual railroad companies check the rails
of a train route before shipment. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission checks all routes for law enforcement and
emergency response capability as well as secure facilities
for emergency stops. Additionally, drivers are specially
trained and certified and must be accompanied by at
least one escort. The NRC has a special set of rules
in place to address the physical protection of spent
nuclear fuel in transit. These rules are designed to
minimize the possibility of sabotage, and require the
following:
- Notification of the NRC and relevant governors
prior to transport
- Current safeguard procedures for the shipper to
follow in emergencies
- At least one escort to maintain visual surveillance
of the shipment
- Escort training on threat recognition and management
- Advance arrangements with law enforcement agencies
along the route
- Advance route approval by the NRC
- Status reporting every 2 hours by the escort(s)
- The capability to immobilize the cab or cargo-carrying
portion of the vehicle (for highway shipments)
- Armed escorts for any shipment through heavily
populated areas
- Protection of specific information about any shipment
- Continuous monitoring and tracking by satellite.
www.nei.org/doc.asp?catnum=3&catid=900 |
| Could a terrorist blow up or crash an airplane into
a fuel container during shipping? |
Striking a truck or train with an airplane would
be almost impossible, given the small size of the target
and the fact that it would most likely be moving. Even
if this were to occur, studies indicate the container
would not be appreciably damaged and there would be
no release of radiation.
www.nei.org/index.asp?catnum=3&catid=725 |
| Has there ever been an accident involving spent fuel? |
Eight accidents involving used fuel containers have
occurred, four on highways and four during rail transport.
None of these accidents caused any injuries, fatalities
or environmental damage due to the radioactive nature
of the cargo. In some cases the containers have suffered
minor damage, but always functioned to prevent the release
of radioactive material. Note that used fuel is a solid,
not a liquid or a gas, and therefore cannot drain out
of a container.
www.ocrwm.doe.gov/wat/pdf/snf_trans.pdf
|
