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Before the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) can construct and operate
a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, it must first obtain
a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The
license application is the formal document an applicant submits
to the NRC to present proposed activities. It also documents the
safety analyses. The NRC evaluates an applicant's proposed activities
and safety analyses by reviewing the license application.
The license application includes General Information and a Safety
Analysis Report (SAR). The General Information includes:
- A general description of the repository and its operations
- Schedules for construction, receipt, and emplacement of waste
- A description of the physical protection plan for safeguarding
the facility
- A description of the material control and accounting program
to be implemented to track radioactive materials movements at
the repository
- A description of site studies performed
The SAR, the principal technical document in the licensing process,
discusses why the repository is considered safe and how it complies
with the NRC’s regulations. The major topics of the SAR include
preclosure safety analysis, postclosure safety analysis, and programmatic
requirements.
The preclosure safety analysis during facility operations in the SAR
addresses:
- Information about the site's geology, hydrology, mineralogy,
and surface features
- Information about structures, systems, and components important
to safety
- Information about design features for preventing and minimizing
potential natural and human-induced safety hazards
- Analysis of safety hazards (based on likelihood of occurrence)
and their potential consequences
The postclosure, long-term performance assessment in the SAR addresses:
- Information on how natural and engineered barriers will work
together to contain and isolate waste
- Information about features, events, and processes that could
affect the repository’s ability to isolate waste
- Results of how the repository would likely perform in the future
based on a total system performance assessment
The programmatic portions of the SAR describe the following topics:
- Quality assurance
- Records and reports
- Organization and training
- Expert Elicitation
- Startup activities
- Maintenance and testing
- Emergency Planning
- Controls to restrict access and regulate land uses
- Technical Specifications
- Operational Radiation Protection Program
- Performance Confirmation Program
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