CSA N292.1-16 (R2021)

This is the first edition of CSA N292.1, Wet storage of irradiated fuel and other radioactive materials.

This Standard is part of CSA N292 series of standards on radioactive waste management. It was developed in response to a need to specify common requirements for cooling, shielding, and storage of irradiated fuel and other radioactive materials in wet storage bays. This storage method provides radiation shielding and heat removal during decay storage of irradiated fuel, or storage for other purposes for other radioactive materials. Wet storage is a mature technology in the Canadian nuclear industry. This Standard embraces operating experience of radioactive waste generators and other users of radioactive materials, and incorporates current Canadian and international best practices and regulatory requirements.

This Standard works in concert with CSA N292.0, General principles for the management of radioactive waste and irradiated fuel, which specifies common requirements for the management of radioactive waste and irradiated fuel.

Users of this Standard are reminded that the site selection, design, manufacture, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities in Canada are subject to the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and its Regulations. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission might impose additional requirements to those specified in this Standard.

The CSA N-Series Standards provide an interlinked set of requirements for the management of nuclear facilities and activities. CSA N286 provides overall direction to management to develop and implement sound management practices and controls, while the other CSA nuclear Standards provide technical requirements and guidance that support the management system. This Standard works in harmony with CSA N286 and does not duplicate the generic requirements of CSA N286; however, it may provide more specific direction for those requirements.

Scope:

1.1

This Standard specifies requirements for the wet storage of irradiated fuel and other radioactive materials requiring shielding or decay heat dissipation.

1.2

This Standard addresses the

a) design;

b) construction and commissioning;

c) operation; and

d) management of the wet storage system:

Notes:

1) Design includes site selection.

2) Decommissioning is addressed in CSA N294.

1.3

This Standard is used in conjunction with CSA N292.0.

1.4

This Standard applies to both existing wet storage facilities and new wet storage facilities. Note: Some requirements of Clause 6 do not apply to existing wet storage facilities. For details on the application of Clause 6 of this Standard to existing wet storage facilities see Clause 6.1.2.

1.5

This Standard specifies requirements for organizations and facilities that generate, possess, manage, or transfer irradiated fuel and other radioactive materials, including nuclear power plants (NPPs), research facilities, medical facilities, manufacturing facilities, processing facilities, laboratories, and industrial facilities.

1.6

This Standard does not address the following:

a) disposal of irradiated fuel and other radioactive materials;

b) transfer of irradiated fuel or other radioactive materials to or from the wet storage bay;

Note: For additional information on the interim dry storage of irradiated fuel see CSA N292.2.

c) storage of radioactive liquids;

d) storage of contaminated purification media;

e) unintentional or inadvertent wetting of dry-stored irradiated fuel and other radioactive materials; and

f) wet source storage gamma irradiators.

Note: This Standard does not apply to wet source storage gamma irradiators, which are designed and licensed in accordance with ANSI/HPS N43.10 and IAEA Specific Safety Guide No. SSG-8.

1.7

In this Standard, “shall” is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard. Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.

1.8

In this Standard, “shall be considered” or “shall consider” means that the user evaluates the impact and documents any decisions.

Note: Examples can include no action, operating procedures, design features.