Current status and potential benefits of burnup credit for spent fuel transportation

Taking credit for the reduction in reactivity associated with fuel depletion can enable more cost-effective, higher-density storage, transportation, and disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), while maintaining adequate safety margin. The full paper wi review the current status of burnup credit for PWR and BWR fuel; review recent studies to evaluate the effectiveness of burnup credit for accommodating PWR SNF in high-capacity casks by comparing loading curves with actual SNF discharge data; provide an estimate of the benefits of burnup credit under current regulatory guidance (in terms of the reduction in the number of SNF shipments); provide an estimate of the potential additional benefits associated with expanded burnup credit, including credit for the principal fission products; and discuss research plans to develop and/or obtain the scientific and technical information needed to expand burnup credit for PWR SNF and enable burnup credit implementation for BWR SNF.