ZIONsolutions: a Unique License Stewardship Decommissioning Approach

Abstract

The Zion Nuclear Station is a two-unit Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) site that is located 40 miles north of Chicago in Zion, Illinois. Both Zion units were licensed for operation in 1973 and operated by Exelon until the decision to permanently shut down the station was made in January 1998. Since then the Zion Nuclear Station has been in SAFSTOR status.

On September 1, 2010, the Zion Nuclear Station's 10 CFR 50 license was transferred from Exelon to ZionSolutions for the purpose of expediting the decommissioning of the site.

This paper will discuss the License Stewardship approach that is currently being utilized by ZionSolutions to decommission the Zion Nuclear Station. A primary attribute of the License Stewardship approach involves a single company with decommissioning as their core competency taking control of a nuclear site and assuming all risks and liabilities for the decommissioning work performed.

As the first commercial application of the License Stewardship approach, this paper will include discussions of some of the primary project elements such as the project funding method, dismantlement process and schedule, management of spent fuel, end-state conditions and license termination.