On March 31, 2017, Holtec International completed phase one of the HI-STORE CIS (Consolidated Interim Storage) program by submitting the initial licensing request package to the USNRC. We are pleased to announce the start of the second phase of the licensing program which is focused on expanding the scope of HI-STORE CIS facility to hold the multitude of canister types (beyond those being certified in the just-submitted request) that are currently in-use at the nation’s nuclear plant sites. Through a series of license amendment requests, Holtec plans to expand HI-STORE CIS’ authorized contents to include every canister supplied by the present and historical suppliers to US plants (viz., Areva, Pacific Nuclear, Vectra, NAC, Sierra Nuclear, BNFL Solutions & Westinghouse).
The NRC is currently reviewing Holtec’s HI-STORM UMAX submittal to store 24PT1-DSC, one type of Areva-supplied canister stored in NUHOMS modules at the San Onofre’ site in Southern California. The NRC’s ongoing review of this submittal, which is proceeding satisfactorily, is expected to help us make the next submittals even better aligned with the Agency’s expectations.
HI-STORE CIS is envisioned to unify the storage of all different storage canisters (both vertically and horizontally stored) in one standardized HI-STORM UMAX cavity system simplifying operations and aging management activities. The storage cavities at HI-STORE are also designed to deal with any hypothetical event or accident that may be postulated at the HI-STORE CIS facility. Lessons learned from the Skull Valley CIS licensing program (1997-2005) and the ongoing Ukraine’s CIS program (Holtec serving as the prime contractor in both) are being incorporated in every step of the HI-STORE licensing odyssey. In a parallel effort, certification for the off-site transport of the new canister types in the HI-STAR family of transport casks is also planned. This capability will be invoked only if the transport cask from the original canister supplier is not available.
We have demonstrated a clear and irrefutable safety analysis path to license third-party-supplied canisters for storage in HI-STORM UMAX using Areva’s 24PT1-DSC as the first mover in the ongoing regulatory review. In the upcoming submittal, expected to occur by the year-end, we will apply the same principles of conservative reverse engineering to cover other third-party-supplied canisters.
“Our goal is to provide to the industry and DOE a unified consolidated interim storage solution to store all of America’s used fuel canisters at the HI-STORE CIS. HI-STORM UMAX was engineered well over a decade ago with the goal of providing a universal canister storage facility that is suitable for the post-9/11 age. Now we are implementing our vision. We are committed to providing access to the licensed HI-STORE CIS to every nuclear plant owner who chooses to engage with us regardless of the identity of the original canister supplier,” says Holtec’s SVP and CNO, Pierre Oneid.