NRC REPORT FINDS LITTLE RISK FROM SPENT FUEL TRANSPORTATION

A Nuclear Regulatory Commission risk assessment report has found that the transportation of spent nuclear fuel would cause low radiological impact to the environment or public, even in the case of an accident. The report, commissioned by the NRC to analyze the effects advancements in transportation technology have had on shipment risks, concluded that “if there were an accident during a spent fuel shipment, there is only a one-in-a-billion chance that the accident would result in a release of radioactive material.” The NRC analyzed shipping containers and routes to understand the impact radiation would have on the public traveling near the containers, workers handling the shipment casks, and the public’s homes that line the shipping routes. “Based on these findings, this study reconfirms that radiological impacts from spent fuel transportation conducted in compliance with NRC regulations are low,” the report said. “In fact, they are generally less than previous, already low, estimates. Accordingly, this study also reconfirms the NRC’s previous conclusion that regulations for transportation of radioactive material are adequate to protect the public against unreasonable risk.”