Year
1998
Abstract
Congress directed the Department of Energy (DOE) to produce a Viability Assessment (VA) to provide information to allow an assessment of the viability of developing a repository at Yucca Mountain. The VA constitutes a logical convergence point to provide information to the Administration and Congress to support future decisions on Program activities. The VA uses a design focused on elements that are critical to determining the feasibility and performance of the repository. The VA also includes a total system performance assessment (TSPA) to evaluate the expected behavior of the potential repository. The TSPA evaluates the possible range of performance, considering uncertainty in key factors such as ground-water flow, thermal effects on the host rock, and corrosion of the waste package. A TSPA peer review is being conducted to strengthen the basis for licensing arguments in the future. The VA presents cost and schedule information for the repository system, the completion of site characterization, construction, operation, and closure of a repository at Yucca Mountain The final component of the VA is the license application plan, which describes DOE’s integrated approach for completing the necessary site studies, design activities and performance assessment work to support submittal of the License application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2002. Together, these VA products will provide policy makers with a better understanding of the repository design and its performance in the volcanic rocks at Yucca Mountain, a better appreciation of the remaining work needed to prepare a license application, and a more precise estimate of the cost of a repository.