Receipt and Storage Issues at the TMI-2 Irradiated Fuel Storage Installation

In less than a year, up to 12 canisters of TMI-2 reactor fuel debris were loaded into each of 28 Dry Storage Containers (DSCs), and placed into interim storage at an Irradiated Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISFSI) at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Draining and drying the canisters, loading and welding the DSCs, shipping the DSCs 25 miles, and storing in the ISFSI initially required up to 3 weeks per DSC. Significant time efficiencies were achieved during the early stages, reducing the time to less than one week per DSC. These efficiencies were achieved mostly in canister draining and drying and DSC lid welding, and despite several occurrences that had to be resolved before continuing work. The ISFSI has been operated without issue since, with the exception that license basis monitoring has indicated an unusual pattern of season- and position-dependent hydrogen generation. This paper discusses some of the innovations and storage experiences for the first ISFSI designed for the storage of severely defected fuel.