Application of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulation Equivalency to Construction of New Nuclear Facilities

The Spent Nuclear Fuels Project (SNFP) Office of the Department of Energy (DOE), Richland Operations Office, is charged with moving 2.100 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel elements left over from plutonium production into semi-permanent storage at DOE'S Hanford site in Washington state. In anticipation of eventual NRC regulation, the DOE decided to impose NRC requirements on new SNFP facility design and construction, specifically for the Cold Vacuum Drying Facility (CVDF) and the Canister Storage Building (CSB). The SNFP implemented this policy of ''NRC equivalency'' with the goal of achieving a level of nuclear safety equivalent to that of NRC-licensed fuel processing facilities. Appropriate features of the NRC licensing process were adopted. However, the SNFP maintained applicable DOE requirements in tandem with the NRC regulations. Project work is continuing, with the first fuel movement scheduled for November, 2000