[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 135 (Friday, July 14, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36267-36269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-17360]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Prototype Spent Nuclear Fuel Dry Transfer System 
Project

AGENCY: Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, DOE.

ACTION: Notice to interested sources.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy is currently engaged in a 
cooperative agreement with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) 
to design a spent nuclear fuel dry transfer system. The design for this 
system is being developed by Transnuclear, Inc. under a subcontract 
from EPRI. The system will enable the transfer of individual spent 
nuclear fuel assemblies from a conventional top loading transfer cask 
to a multi-purpose canister (MPC) in a shielded overpack, or 
accommodate spent nuclear fuel transfers between two conventional 
casks. DOE is inviting letters of interest from potential sources to 
fabricate, demonstrate and/or license this system.

DATES: Letters of interest must be received no later than August 30, 
1995.

ADDRESSES: Letters of interest should be sent to the U.S. Department of 
Energy, Attn: Michelle Miskinis, HR-561.21, 1615 M Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20036.


[[Page 36268]]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Miskinis, (202) 634-4413.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A dry transfer system has several 
significant applications and could benefit the Federal waste management 
system and utilities in a number of ways. It has the potential to:
    (1) Allow recovery operations at shutdown reactor sites with 
independent spent nuclear fuel storage installations.
    (2) Provide a means for utilities that can presently handle only a 
truck cask to utilize a rail cask.
    (3) Permit the deployment of the larger capacity 125 ton MPC at 
reactor sites that would otherwise be limited to the 75 ton MPC.
    (4) Allow transfers of spent nuclear fuel from existing utility on-
site storage casks/canisters into MPCs without returning to the reactor 
storage pool.
    (5) Support existing or future Department of Energy and Office of 
Civilian Radioactive Waste Management spent nuclear fuel management 
activities.
    The Draft Project Design Report for the dry transfer system is 
expected to be completed by August 1, 1995. It will contain cost 
estimates for an operational system. The Topical Safety Analysis Report 
will be submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in early 1996. 
Upon approval, the topical report is expected to be referenced in 
subsequent site specific licensing applications for use of the dry 
transfer system in at-reactor applications and independent spent fuel 
storage installations.
    The DOE desires that a Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved dry 
transfer system be available by 1998 to support potential program 
needs. Therefore, we are requesting electric utility companies and 
other private and public entities to provide us with information 
regarding their interest in participating with the DOE in a cooperative 
project for prototype fabrication and demonstration of a dry transfer 
system that is based on the DOE/EPRI design. Because site specific use 
of the system will require approval by the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, the licensing phase of the project may be pursued 
independent of prototype fabrication and demonstration activities.
    This project is contingent upon the availability of appropriated 
funds.
    A summary description of the dry transfer system is provided below.
Description of DOE/EPRI Dry Transfer System

    The DOE/EPRI designed dry transfer system consists of a facility to 
perform cask preparatory activities and provide shielding during spent 
nuclear fuel transfer operations. Appropriate operations and support 
systems are included. Key operational systems, e.g., the spent fuel 
handling and transfer subsystems, are being designed by SGN (Societe 
Generale pour les Techniques Nouvelles) under a subcontract with 
Transnuclear, Inc. and incorporate technology and experiences from 
French dry spent fuel transfer operations at La Hague. Spent fuel 
handling experiences at Federal and commercial facilities in the United 
States also have been factored into the design.
    The base dimensions of the facility will be approximately 40 x 60 
feet with a height of approximately 45-50 feet. It consists of a 
Preparation Area, a Lower Access Area and a Transfer Confinement Area. 
The Preparation Area is a sheet metal building where casks are prepared 
for unloading, loading or shipment. The Lower Access Area and Transfer 
Confinement Area are the first and second floor, respectively, of a 
concrete cell which has walls approximately 3 feet thick. The sheet 
metal building abuts the concrete cell which allows casks to be moved 
into the Lower Access Area from the Cask Preparation Area. A large 
shield door separates the Preparation Area from the Lower Access Area. 
The Lower Access Area and the Transfer Confinement Area are separated 
by a floor containing two portals in which the casks are aligned. The 
fuel handling machine is located in the Transfer Confinement Area and 
moves fuel assemblies from one cask to the other. On the roof of the 
Transfer Confinement Area is a crane dedicated to handling cask shield 
plugs and lids. The crane can be operated manually for off-normal 
recovery. The heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems 
are balanced to ensure airflow from the Preparation Area 
(uncontaminated) to the Lower Access Area, to the Transfer Confinement 
Area (potentially contaminated). The control room and HVAC systems are 
separate from the facility and are envisioned to be portable, i.e., 
housed in a trailer or van. The transfer operations are performed 
remotely, however, maintenance on the facility equipment is manual.
    The fuel handling machine includes a single fail safe crane and a 
transfer tube that contains the spent nuclear fuel assembly during the 
transfer operations. At the bottom of the transfer tube is a ``crud 
catcher'' which closes when the spent fuel assembly is in the transfer 
tube. The device catches crud during transfer and prevents the 
spreading of contamination in the Transfer Confinement Area. When the 
spent fuel transfer tube is aligned with the receiving cask, the device 
opens and any accumulated crud falls into the receiving cask, e.g., the 
MPC. There will be two monitoring systems in the facility to ensure 
proper grappling of the fuel: (1) A video monitor and (2) a series of 
switches, to assure that the operator knows the position of the fuel at 
all times. The fuel handling machine can be operated manually from the 
facility catwalks for off-normal recovery.
    A unique feature of the dry transfer system is that all major 
components are transportable, except the concrete cell. The spent fuel 
handling equipment, for example, as well as the floors and roof are 
designed to be lowered-in and raised-out through the top of the cell. 
This feature is economically attractive because it enables the same dry 
transfer system equipment to be used at different locations.

Letters of Interest

    Sources may indicate an interest in one or all phases of the 
project, i.e., prototype fabrication, demonstration and site specific 
licensing.
    Sources interested in being considered for participation in this 
effort should forward a letter of interest referencing this Federal 
Register notice to the address shown above. Letters of interest must 
include the following information pertaining to the offeror's ability 
to perform: (1) Previous experience in the fabrication, construction or 
licensing of equipment and facilities in accordance with ASME NQA-1 or 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements, and experience in the 
management of spent nuclear fuel, (2) relevant professional 
qualifications and specific experience of any key personnel who may be 
assigned to the project, (3) availability and description of special 
facilities that may be required in the fabrication or demonstration of 
the system, and (4) any additional pertinent information concerning the 
offeror's qualifications to perform the work. Letters of interest 
should not be submitted by companies which do not possess the 
capabilities required for the appropriate project phase or phases. 
Letters of interest should not exceed 10 pages.
    Additional information may be requested by the Department of Energy 
following receipt of any letter of interest. This notice should not be 
construed as a commitment by the Department of Energy to enter into any 
agreement, nor is it a Request for Proposal.


[[Page 36269]]

    Issued in Washington, DC on July 7, 1995.
Lake Barrett,
Deputy Director, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management.
[FR Doc. 95-17360 Filed 7-13-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P