OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE PACKAGING PHASE OF THE BN-350 SPENT FUEL DISPOSITION PROGRAM

The BN-350 Spent Fuel Disposition Program is a joint effort between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the United Nations and the governments of Kazakhstan and the United States. The objective of the project is to package fuel for stabilization, security and safeguards purposes and to transport the canisters to a more secure interim storage location within Kazakhstan. Packaging operations are currently under way at. the BN-350 reactor facility. The primary organizations involved in the packaging operations at the BN-350 reactor are MAEC (Mangastau Atomic Energy Company) (BN-350 facility operators), the US Department of Energy (DOE), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), NAC h-rternational (NAC) and the IAEA. Each organization has specific responsibilities and cooperation between the organizations is essential to ensuring successful completion of the project. The packaging operations can be divided into three distinct phases; 1) design, analysis and licensing; 2) procurement and installation; and 3) operations. The design and analysis phase was led by ANL with cooperation from MAEC, NAC, the IAEA and other organizations within Kazakhstan. MAEC and NAC led the installation phase with assistance from ANL. MAEC and NAC led the operations phase with assistance from all of the organizations listed. DOE has provided oversight and funding at all three stages. The project is significantly ahead of schedule. The design, analysis and licensing of equipment and operations for packaging sound fuel in the storage pool are complete. Installation of the equipment is also complete. More than half of the current inventory of fuel in the storage pool has been canisterized and placed under safeguards seal. Preparations are now under way to canisterize damaged and special fuel assemblies and short-cooled fuel assemblies.