Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

James T. (Tom) Voss, NRRPT, CHP
Fellow of the Health Physics Society
PO Box 1362
Los Alamos, NM 87544 jtvoss@newmexico.com
505-920-1470
WWW.VOSS-ASSOCIATES.COM

Where are the Opportunities in Nuclear Engineering
• Current Nuclear Power Reactors
• Current Research and Test Reactors
• New Nuclear Power Reactors
• Applications for License Renewals
• Applications Currently Under Review
• Small Transportable Nuclear Reactors
• Resurgence in Uranium Mining

Where are the Opportunities in Nuclear Engineering
• Uranium Fuel Fabrication
• Thorium as a Reactor Fuel
• Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing
• Need for Remote Real-time Monitoring of
Nuclear Facilities and Nuclear Materials
Transport Vehicles
• Training

Current Nuclear Power Reactors

Current Research and Test Reactors

New Nuclear Power Reactors

Applications for License Renewal
Calvert Cliffs, Units 1 and 2
Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2 and 3
Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1
Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2
Turkey Point Nuclear Plant, Units 3 and 4
North Anna, Units 1 and 2, and Surry, Units 1 and 2
Peach Bottom, Units 2 and 3
St. Lucie, Units 1 and 2
Fort Calhoun Station, Unit 1
McGuire, Units 1 and 2, and Catawba, Units 1 and 2
H.B. Robinson Nuclear Plant, Unit 2

Applications for License Renewal
R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1
V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit 1
Dresden, Units 2 and 3, and Quad Cities, Units 1 & 2
Farley, Units 1 and 2
Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2
D.C. Cook, Units 1 and 2
Millstone, Units 2 and 3
Point Beach, Units 1 and 2
Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2, and 3
Brunswick, Units 1 and 2
Nine Mile Point, Units 1 and 2

Applications for License Renewal
Monticello
Palisades
James A. FitzPatrick
Wolf Creek, Unit 1
Harris, Unit 1
Oyster Creek
Vogtle, Units 1 and 2
Three Mile Island, Unit 1
Beaver Valley, Units 1 and 2
Susquehanna, Units 1 and 2
59 APPLICATIONS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL HAVE
BEEN ACCEPTED

Applications Currently Under Review
Pilgrim 1, Unit 1
Vermont Yankee
Indian Point, Units 2 and 3
Prairie Island, Units 1 and 2
Kewaunee Power Station
Cooper Nuclear Station
Duane Arnold Energy Center

Applications Currently Under Review
Palo Verde, Units 1, 2, and 3
Crystal River, Unit 3
Hope Creek
Salem, Units 1 and 2
Diablo Canyon, Units 1 and 2
Columbia Generating Station
19 APPLICATIONS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL ARE
UNDER REVIEW

Security Requirements for
Nuclear Research and Test Reactors
• Security
• All research and test reactors are designed and operated so that material is not easily handled or dispersed, thus protecting against potential radiological exposure or theft of material. These reactors have a limited amount of radioactive material on site and therefore pose a low risk from radiation and the theft of nuclear material.
The NRC inspects the reactor’s security and emergency plans, as well as its operations and design to ensure protection of public health and safety.

• Security requirements are based on a graded approach with increasing requirements for material that is more attractive for theft or diversion and for facilities that have larger inventories of radiological material.
• Prior to September 11, 2001, all reactors had security plans or procedures and emergency plans as required by NRC regulations. Following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the NRC advised licensees to consider taking additional security measures. Later NRC imposed additional security measures on research and test reactors by Confirmatory Action Letter.

While the specifics of these measures are not publicly available for security reasons, in general, they include:
• enhancements in screening of personnel;
• systems for controlling access to the facility;
• observation of activities within the facilities;
• alarms or other devices to detect unauthorized presence;
• operability of communication systems;
• vehicle and package searches; and
• heightened coordination with appropriate local,
State, and Federal resources liaisons with the
FAA and law enforcement authorities to report unusual overflights or potential threats.

Small Transportable
Nuclear Power Reactors

Small Transportable
Nuclear Power Reactors
What is in the future for these power reactors ?
It seem unlikely the NRC will grant operating licenses for these types of nuclear power reactors.
It seems unlikely the final cost for these types of nuclear power reactors could equal that of the new commercial nuclear power reactors.

Resurgence in Uranium Mining

World Uranium Production
Canada
Kazakhstan
Australia
Namibia
Tons of Uranium
2007 2008
9476 9000
6637 8521
8611 8430
2879 4366
Russia
Niger
Uzbekistan
USA
3413 3521
3153 3032
2320
1654
2338
1430
World total 41,282 43,853

United States Uranium Production
Tons of Uranium
USA
World total
2007 2008
1654 1430
41,282 43,853
US Uranium Current Production is Primarily
From 4 Mines.
90% of US Uranium Mining is In-Situ.

Uranium Mines in Canada

Uranium Mines in Australia

Worker, Public, and Environmental
Protection for Uranium Mining
• Controlled Ventilation
• Radon and Airborne Uranium Monitoring
• Portable and Personal Continuous Air Monitors
• In-Situ Mining
• Open Pit Mining

Worker Protection for Uranium Mining
Controlled Ventilation
• Air volume turnover rates should be > 7 per hour
• Ventilation velocities should be < 0.1 m/sec
• But, underground temperatures might call for a higher ventilation rate to keep the miners cool

Worker Protection for Uranium Mining
Radon and Airborne Uranium Monitoring
• Routine area radon and uranium monitoring with sophisticated instruments
• Radon monitoring before opening a new area to workers
• Personal radon and uranium monitors for workers

Worker Protection for Uranium Mining
Radon and Airborne Uranium Monitoring
WWW.BLADEWERX.COM

Public and Environmental Protection for Uranium Mining
Airborne Uranium Continuous Air Monitors
WWW.BLADEWERX.COM

Public and Environmental Protection for Uranium Mining
In-Situ Mining
In-Situ mining leaches the uranium ore from the underground deposit and greatly reduces the volume of above ground waste.

Public and Environmental Protection for Uranium Mining
Open Pit Mining
• Reduces the risk to the workers by providing better ventilation and reduces other risks in underground mining
• Exposes more rock dust and uranium ore that could increase the spread of those into the environment
• Australia’s Olympic Dam mine is converting to an open pit operation

Public and Environmental Protection for Uranium Mining
Closing and covering an open pit mine at the end of its useful life could provide the best permanent solution for protecting the public and the environment.
InSitu mining could also minimize the mine’s affect on the public and the environment.

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities
• Better Ventilation
• Radiation Monitoring
• Airborne Radioactivity Monitoring
• Criticality Monitoring

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities
Uranium Hexafluoride Production
Honeywell International, Inc. Metropolis, IL

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities
Gas Centrifuge Uranium Enrichment
Areva Enrichment Services Idaho Falls, ID
(under review)
Louisiana Energy Services Eunice, NM
(in construction)
U.S. Enrichment Corporation Piketon, OH
(in construction)

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities
Gaseous Diffusion Uranium Enrichment
U.S. Enrichment Corporation Paducah, KY
U.S. Enrichment Corporation Piketon, OH
(cold standby)

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities
Laser Separation Uranium Enrichment
GE-Hitachi Wilmington, NC
(under review)

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities
Uranium Fuel Fabrication
AREVA NP, Inc. Lynchburg, VA
AREVA NP, Inc. Richland, WA
B&W Nuclear Operations Group Lynchburg, VA
Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, LLC Wilmington, NC
Nuclear Fuel Services Erwin, TN
(license renewal application submitted)
Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC Columbia, SC

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities
Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication
Shaw AREVA MOX Services , LLC Aiken, SC
(in construction/under licensing review)

Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing
• Better Ventilation
• Radiation Monitoring
• Airborne Radioactivity Monitoring
• Criticality Monitoring

Benefits of Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing
• Separation of LLW and High Level Wastes
• Reduction of High Level Wastes by Recycling
• Production of Useable Isotopes for RTGs,
Gamma Irradiators, Gauges, Etc.
• Reduction of LLW

Thorium as a Nuclear Fuel
World Supplies in Tons
Australia
India
United States
Norway
Canada
South Africa
Brazil
Malaysia
Other Countries
World Total
340,000
300,000
300,000
180,000
100,000
39,000
18,000
4,500
100,000
1,400,000

Benefits of Thorium as a Nuclear Fuel
• Greater Abundance than Uranium
• Production of Thorium Fuel Does Not Require
Isotopic Separation
• Use of Thorium Fuel Produces Much Less
Long-Lived Transuranics Than Uranium Fuel

Need For Remote Real-Time Radiological
Monitoring of Nuclear Facilities and Nuclear
Transport Vehicles
• Notification of an Unplanned Release
• Identification and Quantification of Unplanned
Releases
• Tracking of Unplanned Releases to the
Environment
• Prediction of the Path of Unplanned Releases

Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities
Three Mile Island - 1979
Contributing Factors
• Facility Design
• Equipment Malfunction
• Operator Training

Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities
Chernobyl - 1986
Contributing Factors
• Facility Design
• Equipment Malfunction
• Operator Training

Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities
Japan, Tokaimura - 1999
Contributing Factors
• Facility Design
• Operator Training

Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities
Practices to Prevent and/or
Mitigate the Consequences
• Better Facility Designs
• Better Equipment Designs
• Better Operator Training
• Better Radiological Monitoring Inside and
Outside the Facilities

References
American Nuclear Society www.ans.org
Health Physics Society www.hps.org
Institute of Nuclear Power Operations www.inpo.info
Nuclear Energy Institute
Nuclear Engineering International www.nei.org
US Department Of Energy www.neimagazine.com
www.doe.gov
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission www.nrc.org

References
Areva
Babcock and Wilcox
Canberra
General Electric
Nuke Worker
US Navy
Westinghouse www.areva.com
www.babcock.com
www.canberra.com
www.gepower.com/nuclear/ www.nukeworker.com
www.navy.com
www.westinghousenuclear.com