TEC WORKING GROUP WHITE PAPER: INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION OF COMMERCIAL SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL (SNF) JULY 2008

Transcription

1 TEC WORKING GROUP WHITE PAPER: INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION OF COMMERCIAL SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL (SNF) JULY 2008 Prepared for The Transportation External Coordination Working Group (TEC) Rail Topic Group, Intermodal Subgroup Authors: Alex W. Thrower, Office of Logistics Management, OCRWM/DOE; Stephen Schmid and Ralph E. Best, Bechtel-SAIC, LLC; Lee Finewood, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.; John Smegal, Legin Group Page 1 of 14

2 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction Intermodal Transportation Defined Intermodal Transportation of SNF Background Operational Considerations for Intermodal Transportation of SNF Lift Transfer Move Intermodal Transportation Coordination Issues Conclusions...11 Figures Figure 1 Overview of Intermodal Activities and Operations...6 Figure 2 Type of Equipment Suitable for Lifting and Transferring Skids...7 Figure 3 Type of Equipment Suitable for Heavy-Haul Intermodal Movement of Casks...8 Figure 4 Type of Equipment Suitable for On-Site Movement of Casks...8 Figure 5 Operations Alternate SNF Transportation Mode (Intermodal-Japan)...9 Figure 6 Estimated Needs for Intermodal Lifting, Transfer and Moving...10 Figure 7 Actions Necessary to Implement Intermodal Transportation Operations...11 Tables Table 1 Options for Moving Canistered SNF from Commercial Sites...12 For further information, questions, or comments regarding this paper, please contact Alex W. Thrower, OCRWM/OLM, at (202) , alexander.thrower@rw.doe.gov. Page 2 of 14

3 1.0 Introduction In 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy s (DOE) Transportation External Coordination Working Group (TEC) formed the Rail Topic Group s Intermodal Subgroup. The subgroup s purpose is to identify, discuss and address issues related to the use of and transfer between different modes to transport commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) to the proposed Yucca Mountain Repository. This paper was developed by the Office of Logistics Management (OLM) in DOE s Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM), and is intended for use by the subgroup members and other parties interested in SNF intermodal issues. This paper is intended to provide basic general information about intermodal transport (IMT), and to discuss some of the issues OLM will need to resolve as it prepares to ship SNF to a repository. It should be noted that SNF shipments from utilities will not take place for years, and much location-specific information either cannot be known at this time, or will likely change between now and commencement of shipping operations. This paper is for informational and illustrative purposes only and is unrelated to any assessments or analyses that may be conducted pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Intermodal Transportation Defined Intermodal transportation is the process of lifting and transferring loads from one transportation mode, such as railcars or oceangoing vessels, to one or more alternative transportation modes, such as regular or modified trucks, barges, rail cars, or other conveyances, to ship the load to its destination. Most manufactured goods in commerce are shipped via intermodal transport. 2 In the global transportation of consumer goods and industrial commodities of all types, many products are packaged by the manufacturer in standardized transportation containers (i.e. sea-land containers) and shipped on very large container ships. This enables shippers to consolidate their transfer and subsequent movements thereby reducing transfer times, handling costs, damages and losses. For example, U.S. West Coast ports and their associated railroad transfer yards achieve efficient lifting, transfer and movement of containers from ships such that IMT using cross-country rail is often faster and lower cost than water-only movements of goods to the East Coast or to Europe, particularly for those too large to pass through the Panama Canal. 1 For NEPA analysis of the Yucca Mountain Project, please see Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada Nevada Rail Transportation Corridor and Final Environmental Impact Statement for a Rail Alignment for the Construction and Operation of a Railroad in Nevada to a Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada (DOE/EIS-0250F-S2 and DOE/EIS-0369) (Final Nevada Rail Corridor SEIS and Final Rail Alignment EIS): and the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada (DOE/EIS-0250F-S1) (Final Repository SEIS): 2 For a comprehensive discussion of freight IMT, see U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Quick Response Freight Manual II, September 2007, Section 13 (found at Page 3 of 14

4 IMT is also commonly used where certain types of on-site transportation capabilities may be limited or unavailable, particularly when the item to be moved is over-dimension or overweight. Specialized lifting and transfer equipment such as high-capacity cranes or jacking systems, transporters such as trailers or barges, and heavy-duty prime-movers such as tractors or tug boats, may be required. Utilities often employ specialized equipment to move large, heavy equipment such as reactor vessels, transformers and steam turbines. Intermodal transportation is also used for transferring SNF casks to, from, and around reactor sites as required for fuel management purposes. 3.0 Intermodal Transportation of SNF: Background In April 2004, DOE decided to use the mostly rail option for shipping SNF to the proposed Yucca Mountain repository. In implementing this option, DOE noted it would need a combination of modes, including rail, truck and possibly barge, to make efficient use of the rail system. 3 Beginning in the mid-1980s, many utilities began to license and construct on-site dry cask storage facilities, or Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSIs). At these sites, utilities are transferring SNF from its initial storage in water-filled pools to heavily shielded dry storage overpacks. In 2005, the DOE announced plans for a canister-based system suitable for transportation, aging and disposal (TAD) at the Yucca Mountain repository. These dry cask storage configurations are changing how some facilities are expected to load SNF for transport. Such loading would involve the transfer of previously-loaded, multi-assembly canisters (including TADs) using existing and modified transfer casks (also termed overpacks) and associated machinery. TADs in overpacks are too large and heavy to be shipped by legal weight or overweight truck, so their widespread use increases the number of origins and volume of SNF that would need to be shipped by rail. Where direct rail service to a site is not available, IMT will be needed to transfer SNF casks to a rail line. The Department cannot use the Nuclear Waste Fund to pay for improvements or upgrades to public or private infrastructure. Therefore, sites lacking rail access or with inadequate rail infrastructure would be served by using intermodal transportation, including a combination of heavy-haul (highway) and barge to transfer casks to a rail line. In addition, at a number of sites that have rail service, lifting, transfer and movement on-site may be necessary to bypass SNF buildings too small to handle casks delivered on 85-foot rail cars, or to accommodate preparing of SNF canisters/tads for transportation. These on-site movements are the responsibility of the utility, as they manage similar on-site moves as part of their ongoing operations, and are not part of DOE s transportation planning scope. 3 Record of Decision on Mode of Transportation and Nevada Rail Corridor for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, 69 Fed. Reg , Apr. 8, Page 4 of 14

5 As of 2008, 25 of 72 commercial origin sites lack direct railroad service and would be expected to need off-site intermodal transportation in order to move casks to and from their railcars. 4 This number could grow over time if local rail service to sites falls into disuse. Of the 47 origin sites served by rail, 29 (62%) would be expected to use on-site intermodal lifting, transferring and moving to place casks for SNF canister loading. Over time, the number of intermodal operations needed could be expected to grow, as the number of sites using dry storage canisters (and IMT services) increases from 38 in 2007 to an estimated 66 by The location where intermodal lifting, transfer and movement operations would occur would be based on agreements reached between the utility, DOE, local railroads, local officials, and contracted specialized carriers and riggers. 4.0 Operational Considerations for Intermodal Transport of SNF Figure 1, Overview of Inter-Modal Activities and Operations, depicts IMT transfer activities and operations. Intermodal lifting and transfer operations would be conducted at a transfer location where empty casks would be delivered to origin sites; this process would essentially be reversed to return loaded casks to their railcars. The intermodal transfer location could be located outside utility property. Determining its location would depend on site-specific factors and consultations with the utility, railroad, local officials, and specialized lifting and transport contractors. Such consultation would begin at least one year in advance of initial shipments from a site, with a final decision on specific intermodal transfer locations being made as soon as the route is selected. To avoid repeating site preparation and equipment setup, intermodal lifting and transfer equipment (e.g. crane) would usually remain at the transfer location until all the casks slated for near-term delivery are loaded and shipped. Intermodal moving equipment, including heavy-haul trailers, barges, and tractors would cycle back and forth between the transfer location and the SNF storage facility at the utility site, moving casks one at a time. Time saved by utilizing multiple transporters could offset their increased cost, but this would need to be determined on a case-by-case basis. 4 Based on data provided in the Facility Interface Data Sheets submitted by commercial nuclear operators see Table 2. Possibly 70 percent of facilities will be using some type of IMT for on-site operations that are beyond the scope of DOE transportation planning. Page 5 of 14

6 4.1 Lift: At the selected location, portable lifting equipment would be delivered and set up. Portable lifting equipment sufficient to lift and transfer 200 tons could itself weigh tons, be up to 100 feet long and may come in multiple segments to be assembled and set up at the transfer location. Choice of a transfer location and any upgrades to access roads must take into account the delivery and return of lift equipment as well as heavy-haul moving vehicles. Transfer location setup could include construction of temporary access roads and crane platforms. Load platforms or reinforcement pads to prevent destabilizing subsidence during load transfers could consist of leveled gravel and cribbing, or thick wood or steel plates designed to support the combination of crane and skid loads of tons (700, ,000 lbs). Figure 2, Type of Equipment Suitable for Lifting and Transferring Cask Skids, is representative of the type and size of equipment needed to lift and transfer weight-concentrated loads to and from rail cars. Page 6 of 14

7 4.2 Transfer: Once the crane is set up and the cask skid lifting fixture is engaged to the crane hook and the cask skid, 5 the skid-to-railcar deck securements would be disengaged. The crane would hoist the skid high enough to clear any load obstructions (such as shear boxes used to prevent load shifting during transportation that are welded to the railcar deck). Then the crane would pivot to move the skid into position over the heavy-haul transport trailer or barge deck. After lowering and securing the load, the skid lifting fixture would be disengaged and the crane returned to its neutral location. Figure 3, Type of Equipment Suitable for Heavy-Haul Intermodal Movement of Casks, is representative of the type and size of machinery necessary to move casks into and out of commercial nuclear facilities lacking direct rail services. 5 The term skid as used here refers to a pallet, a flat steel structure used to lift and move the cask resting upon it. Page 7 of 14

8 Figure 4, Type of Equipment Suitable for On-Site Movement of Casks, is typical of equipment currently used to move dry canister-based SNF storage systems on-site at Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSIs). Page 8 of 14

9 4.3 Move: With the skid on the heavy-haul trailer or barge load deck and secured, the trailer or barge would be moved using a heavy-duty prime mover (a tractor for highway or a tugboat for barge). Prior to any movement from the intermodal transfer area, the trailer, tractor, barge and/or tugboat would be inspected and any defects corrected. Departure notifications would be made and escorts (as necessary) positioned. Figure 5, Alternate SNF Transportation Mode (intermodal Japan), is representative of a specially-designed roadworthy transporter used to move SNF casks between ships and Japanese nuclear plants. 5.0 Intermodal Transportation Coordination Issues From a logistics planning standpoint, there will be complexities regarding lifting, transferring and moving weight-concentrated loads of commercial SNF from 72 different commercial nuclear sites located in 34 states. Figure 6, Estimated Needs for Intermodal Lifting, Transfer and Moving Operations, (below) graphically depicts the relative numbers of intermodal operations for current commercial origin sites. With sufficient technical knowledge, OLM will establish the appropriate division of responsibilities between OLM, its contractors, specialized carriers and riggers, servicing railroads, and federal, state and local highway and waterway transport authorities. Page 9 of 14

10 Figure 6 Estimated Needs for Intermodal Lifting, Transfer and Moving Operations Highway H-H Barge + H-H Commercial Nuclear Plant Rail Interface (railhead) Off-Site Railhead (i.e. nearby commercial nuclear site) Yankee-Rowe Callaway Peach Bottom Big Rock Pt. Kewaunee Oconee Palisades Point Beach Ginna Seabrook Cooper Browns Ferry Indian Point Diablo Canyon Humboldt Bay Grand Gulf Hope Creek/Salem Surry Haddam Neck Calvert Cliffs Oyster Creek St. Lucie Turkey Point Pilgrim In Owner-Controlled Area Rail Service On-Site (Into owner-controlled area ) Rancho Seco Maine Yankee Farley Duane Arnold Susquehanna Monticello Ft. Calhoun North Anna Crystal River Trojan Columbia Beaver Valley Fermi Vt. Yankee Quad Cities Clinton LaCrosse Rail into SNF Building having sufficiently large bay and overhead crane capacity to handle cask In SNF Building Transfer Davis-Besse Millstone Palo Verde Sequoyah Waterford Watts Bar Wolf Creek Arkansas Nuc. Braidwood Byron Catawba McGuire Robinson Summer Vogtle Prairie Island TMI-1 Zion Site Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSI) Rail Service On-Site (Into protected area ) In Protected Area Dresden/Morris Comanche Peak E.I. Hatch LaSalle Limerick Nine Mile Pt. Perry River Bend San Onofre South Texas S. Harris D.C. Cook Brunswick J.A. Fitzpatrick Note: Arrows represent movement of materials (e.g., casks) between locations. Locations connected by double lines represent the intermodal interface. Individual facilities are accounted for within the overall plant name (i.e., Indian Point includes Indian Point 1, 2 & 3). In addition, the Department will need to develop a general concept of operations and description of equipment for off-site heavy-haul truck and barge movements and intermodal transfers of its SNF casks. DOE will also need to develop its approach for involving the commercial transportation industry that specializes in special carrier operations. Figure 7, Actions Necessary to Implement Intermodal Transportation Operations, (below) summarizes some of the remaining technical issues that will need to be addressed before final transportation plans can be approved and implemented. Because the repository will not begin operations before 2017, there is ample time to resolve these technical issues. Page 10 of 14

11 Figure 7 Actions Necessary to Implement Intermodal Transportation Operations Rail Carriers -Indentify intermodal transfer facility/location -Coordinate shipment and inspection scheduling -Inspect railcars, accept and assemble shipments Nuclear Plant (Origin) Organization -Plant safety and security organizations -Plant operations -Plant engineering OCRWM Office of Logistics Management Intermodal Rigging, Hauling & Logistics Co. -Provide equipment and personnel resources -Provide shipment planning and engineering including routes, permitting, and infrastructure protection -Coordinate nuclear plant and rail transfer interfaces Specialized Equipment and Services from Specialized Carriers and Riggers - Are current industry standards (e.g. ASME/ASTM) acceptable for design, fabrication, operation, and maintenance of heavy-haul lifting, transfer, and moving equipment? - Are OLM guidelines needed for design, fabrication, operation, and maintenance of heavy-haul lifting, transfer, and moving equipment? - Are DOE, OLM, or updated industry standards needed for barge design, maintenance, or operations? State, Tribal & Local Government -Preferred transport modes -Routes and shipment planning/scheduling -Infrastructure protection measures -Public information coordination -Public safety operations, briefings, and training -Physical security/escort coordination/notification 6.0 Conclusions DOE will make maximum use of the substantial experience and capability among U.S. specialized carriers and riggers to ensure that intermodal transport of SNF will be conducted safely, securely, efficiently, and at reasonable cost. The Specialized Carriers and Riggers Association 6 lists over 1,200 world-wide members in 43 countries who have the qualifications and capabilities to lift, transfer and move specialized over-dimension and overweight loads and consists (e.g. cask skids). Equipment, personnel and resource availability throughout the country is good, with resources being concentrated around major population and construction locations. Nonetheless, there are challenges that DOE/OLM will need to address including: institutional, equipment, operating practices, responsibilities and coordination. These challenges are fully manageable. 6 Website at Page 11 of 14

12 Table 1, Options for Moving Canistered SNF from Commercial Nuclear Sites, is based on updated facility and near-site data obtained in 2004 from the Facility Interface Data Sheets Information. [MOL ]. Note that Table 1 presents potential options based on preliminary information; no modal decisions have been made. Table 1 Options for Moving Canistered SNF from Commercial Nuclear Sites [Based on 2004 Facility Interface Data Sheet Information MOL ] Note: Potential Options Based on Preliminary Information; No Modal Decisions have been Made FACILITY NAME ON-SITE OFF-SITE Purple highlighting indicates shut-down facility Arkansas Nuclear 1 Arkansas Nuclear 2 Beaver Valley 1 Beaver Valley 2 Big Rock Point Braidwood 1 Braidwood 2 Browns Ferry 1 Browns Ferry 2 Browns Ferry 3 Brunswick 1 Brunswick 2 Byron 1 Byron 2 Callaway Calvert Cliffs 1 Calvert Cliffs 2 Catawba 1 Catawba 2 Clinton Columbia Comanche Peak 1 Comanche Peak 2 Cooper Crystal River 3 Davis Besse D.C. Cook 1 D.C. Cook 2 Diablo Canyon 1 Diablo Canyon 2 Dresden 1 Dresden 2 Dresden 3 Duane Arnold Farley 1 Farley 2 Fermi 2 J.A. Fitz Patrick Fort Calhoun Direct transfer from rail car to cask loading area (bare SNF-only) Transfer from rail car to sitespecific trailer in protected-area (canister option) Transfer from rail car to sitespecific trailer in controlledarea (canister option) Off-site Heavy- Haul highway intermodal (no further onsite transfer required) Off-site Heavy- Haul highway to barge (no further on-site transfer required) Page 12 of 14

13 Note: Potential Options Based on Preliminary Information; No Modal Decisions have been Made FACILITY NAME ON-SITE OFF-SITE Purple highlighting indicates shut-down facility Direct transfer from rail car to cask loading area (bare SNF-only) R.E. Ginna Grand Gulf Haddam Neck Shearon Harris E.I. Hatch 1 E.I. Hatch 2 Hope Creek Humboldt Bay Indian Point 1 Indian Point 2 Indian Point 3 Kewaunee LaCrosse LaSalle 1 LaSalle 2 Limerick 1 Limerick 2 Maine Yankee McGuire 1 McGuire 2 Millstone 1 Millstone 2 Millstone 3 Monticello Morris Nine Mile Point 1 Nine Mile Point 2 North Anna 1 North Anna 2 Oconee 1 Oconee 2 Oconee 3 Oyster Creek Palisades Palo Verde 1 Palo Verde 2 Palo Verde 3 Peach Bottom 2 Peach Bottom 3 Perry Pilgrim Point Beach 1 Point Beach 2 Prairie Island 1 Prairie Island 2 Quad Cities 1 Quad Cities 2 Rancho Seco River Bend H. B. Robinson Transfer from rail car to sitespecific trailer in protected-area (canister option) Transfer from rail car to sitespecific trailer in controlledarea (canister option) Off-site Heavy- Haul highway intermodal (no further onsite transfer required) Off-site Heavy- Haul highway to barge (no further on-site transfer required) Page 13 of 14

14 Note: Potential Options Based on Preliminary Information; No Modal Decisions have been Made FACILITY NAME ON-SITE OFF-SITE Purple highlighting indicates shut-down facility Salem 1 Salem 2 San Onofre 1 San Onofre 2 San Onofre 3 Seabrook Sequoyah 1 Sequoyah 2 South Texas 1 South Texas 2 St. Lucie 1 St. Lucie 2 Summer Surry 1 Surry 2 Susquehanna 1 Susquehanna 2 Three Mile Island 1 Trojan Turkey Point 3 Turkey Point 4 Vermont Yankee Vogtle 1 Vogtle 2 Waterford Watts Bar Wolf Creek Yankee Rowe Zion 1 Zion 2 72 Sites 119 Facilities Direct transfer from rail car to cask loading area (bare SNF-only) Transfer from rail car to sitespecific trailer in protected-area (canister option) Transfer from rail car to sitespecific trailer in controlledarea (canister option) Off-site Heavy- Haul highway intermodal (no further onsite transfer required) Off-site Heavy- Haul highway to barge (no further on-site transfer required) Page 14 of 14