Safety and security of commercial spent nuclear fuel storage : public report /

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Bibliographic Details
Corporate author / creator:National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on the Safety and Security of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage.
Imprint:Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press, ©2006.
Description:1 online resource (ix, 116 pages) : illustrations, map
Language:English
Subject:
Format: E-Resource Book
URL for this record:http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/11141989
Hidden Bibliographic Details
ISBN:9780309105118
0309105110
0309096456
9780309096454
0309096472
9780309096478
Digital file characteristics:data file
Notes:Includes bibliographical references (pages 79-82).
Restrictions unspecified
Electronic reproduction. [S.l.] : HathiTrust Digital Library, 2010.
Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212
digitized 2010 HathiTrust Digital Library committed to preserve
Print version record.
Summary:In response to a request from Congress, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Homeland Security sponsored a National Academies study to assess the safety and security risks of spent nuclear fuel stored in cooling pools and dry casks at commercial nuclear power plants. The information provided in this book examines the risks of terrorist attacks using these materials for a radiological dispersal device. Safety and Security of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel is an unclassified public summary of a more detailed classified book. The book finds that successful terrorist attacks on spent fuel pools, though difficult, are possible. A propagating fire in a pool could release large amounts of radioactive material, but rearranging spent fuel in the pool during storage and providing emergency water spray systems would reduce the likelihood of a propagating fire even under severe damage conditions. The book suggests that additional studies are needed to better understand these risks. Although dry casks have advantages over cooling pools, pools are necessary at all operating nuclear power plants to store at least the recently discharged fuel. The book explains it would be difficult for terrorists to steal enough spent fuel to construct a significant radiological dispersal device.
Other form:Print version: National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on the Safety and Security of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage. Safety and security of commercial spent nuclear fuel storage. Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press, ©2006 0309096456
Table of Contents:
  • Introduction and background
  • Terrorist attacks on spent fuel storage
  • Spent fuel pool storage
  • Dry cask storage and comparative risks
  • Implementation issues.