LLW Shipping Casks: Taking Steps to Ensure Long-Term Availability

Waste Control Specialists LLC (WCS) has contracted with Robatel Technologies to design and build three (3) Type-B Low Level Waste Shipping Casks. The casks are being manufactured in France and are scheduled to be delivered to the U.S. in December 2013. The introduction of these casks into the current U.S. cask fleet will provide generators additional options for the shipment of high activity - high dose rate resins and filter media. The current U.S. cask fleet is managed solely by EnergySolutions. In 2012 the industry faced a voluntary shutdown of all the Type-B casks when EnergySolutions self-reported a hypothetical crash scenario that could result in a fire that may cause the secondary lid seal to fail. This event impacted the entire industry and caused delays and disruptions in shipping schedules for nearly all of 2012. Waste Control Specialists and its customers rely heavily upon the use of Type-B casks to facilitate shipments to our commercial Class A, B & C disposal facility located in Andrews, TX. The 2012 voluntary shutdown is an example of the problems that can result from having a single supplier of shielded casks. WCS must be in a position to service the industry and provide options and flexibility. These casks will certainly not be the answer for eliminating the shortage of Type-B cask systems, but it will supplement the current fleet and relieve the 100% dependence that exists today with the EnergySolutions fleet. The WCS/Robatel design will offer the industry a larger cavity to handle at least four (4) different liner sizes. This includes legacy waste liners that may have been in storage since the closure of Barnwell, SC to out-of-compact generators at the end of 2008. In addition, this “new” cask system offers 5-inch lead-equivalent shielding to ship liners with a contact dose up to an estimated 500 rem/hour