Jeremy L. Dillon
RW Monitor
7/31/2015
Holtec International plans next month to submit a letter of intent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regarding its proposal to construct a spent nuclear fuel consolidated interim storage facility in southeastern New Mexico, Holtec Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Pierre Oneid said Wednesday during a Nuclear Energy Insider webinar entitled “Consolidated Interim Storage Facilities.” Oneid outlined an ambitious timeline for the project that would put the facility’s opening date at mid-2020 – just ahead of the Waste Control Specialist proposed interim storage facility planned start date at the end of 2020. The schedule includes submitting the application to the NRC by June 2016, issuing a safety evaluation report by November 2018, receiving NRC approval by February 2019, and beginning construction by mid-2019.
But first, Holtec must submit its letter of intent. “As of this morning, we have our first draft for the letter of intent to the NRC circulating throughout Holtec,” Oneid said. “So, we will submit that to the NRC basically requesting the NRC spent fuel management office to open a part 72 docket, which will serve as the letter of intent. This letter will make it to the NRC in August.”
The Eddy Lea Energy Alliance announced earlier this year that the group of local communities had entered into a memorandum of agreement with Holtec for construction of an interim storage facility. Under the terms of the agreement, the ELEA will provide land and local logistics support including existing environmental characterization data; meanwhile, Holtec will design the facility, perform all necessary safety evaluations, secure Nuclear Regulatory Commission approvals, and build and operate the facility. The group has the support of the communities near the planned facility and the state governor, Susana Martinez (R), but New Mexico’s U.S. senators both have voiced their opposition to the plan.
Oneid, though, indicated this week that communication channels between the company and Sens. Tom Udall (D) and Martin Heinrich (D) have been established. “We are actively in the communication process with both senators’ offices and we have plans that we are formulating, and we will shortly implement a plan not just for the senators but also the legislators from New Mexico communities that have a 15,000 and above population, outside a 25-mile radius of the site, [as well as] all communities in the local area,” Oneid said. “That’s part of our PR strategy and our communication and education system.”
Udall’s office, though, said this week the senator’s position has not changed. At the time of the ELEA announcement, Udall said the state’s priority should be in reopening the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, and not in accepting waste without an ultimate disposition pathway. “Senator Udall has communicated with Holtec and other interested stakeholders about interim storage, but his position has not changed,” Udall spokeswoman Jennifer Talhelm said by email this week. “With WIPP still closed nearly 18 months after an accidental plutonium release, Senator Udall remains focused on reopening WIPP safely.” Heinrich’s office did not return calls for comment this week.
Entergy Chooses Holtec For Vermont Yankee Expanded Dry-Cask Storage
Elsewhere this week, Entergy has chosen the Holtec International’s HI-STORM 100 dry storage system for the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, the company announced. Holtec had already provided dry-cask storage at the site for a first storage area, but a second concrete pad is needed for the additional fuel. Entergy has said in the past that it anticipates unloading all spent fuel to dry storage by the end of 2020. According to Holtec, the system “is designed to contain up to 68 Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) fuel assemblies and consists of a stainless steel multi-purpose canister (MPC) with a welded baseplate and lid, which is placed inside a coated carbon steel and concrete overpack that is placed on a concrete pad for storage.”
This marks the second large contract award for Holtec in the past year at shuttered reactor sites. Earlier this year, Southern California Edison chose the company to provide its below ground storage system at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Terms of the Yankee deal were not disclosed.
