Experience with the loading and transport of fuel assembly transport casks, including CASTOR casks, and the radiation exposure of personnel.
In 1997 and 1998, six spent fuel assembly transports started from the nuclear power plant Gemeinschaftskernkraftwerk Neckar (GKN), using CASTOR-V19 casks. Professor Kuni of Marburg University challenged the statement made by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS)) based on accepted scientific knowledge, according to which so-called CASTOR transports present no risk, either to the population or to the escorting police units. This paper shows that the collective dose during the loading of the CASTOR casks amounted to 4.5 mSv (gamma and neutrons) per cask at the most, and that the maximum individual dose amounted to 0.26 mSv. In addition to these doses, the collective dose during handling and transport must be considered: this amounted to 0.35 mSv (gamma and neutrons). The dose to the police escort was <0.1 mSv (gamma and neutrons). In the light of these circumstances, this report is presented on contamination determined during the transport of CASTOR casks and of other spent fuel casks. The controls of spent fuel transports carried out since 1978, mainly with NTL 11 spent fuel casks, revealed that about one fifth of the transport casks which left the GKN with a surface contamination of <4 Bq cm(-2) (limit for surface contamination), presented degrees of contamination >4 Bq cm(-2) upon reaching the Valognes/Cogema terminal. However, transport casks coming from French plants also revealed degrees of contamination >4 Bq cm(-2), as well as 'hot spots'. No such contamination was found on NTL 11 casks transported from the GKN to Sellafield. Neither was any increased contamination found upon the arrival of CASTOR-V19 casks transported from GKN to Gorleben or Ahaus. The partially sensationalist media reports were inversely proportional to the actual radiological relevance of the matter. The German Commission on Radiation Protection (SSK) confirmed that the radiological effect of such contaminated spent fuel transports is negligible.
Bentele
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Gemeinschaftskernkraftwerk Neckar GmbH, Neckarwestheim, Germany.
Kinzelmann
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T
D005602:France; D005720:Gamma Rays; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008402:Mass Media; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009502:Neutrons; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011210:Power Plants; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
D011850:Radioactive Waste