Models Developed for the Total System Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

Prepared by:

Roy F. Weston Inc.

Prepared for:

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM)

Application:

Financial analysis:	---
Environmental impact analysis:	---
Waste management/P2:
Environmental cost listing/database:	---
Cost estimation:
Alternative product/process comparison:	---

Description of the models used in the 1989 Total System Life-Cycle Cost (TSLCC) analysis, which is an annual study of costs for the radioactive waste disposal program administered by the OCRWM. The TSLCC analysis establishes the long-term financial plan for the OCRWM. This integrated set of models was developed by OCRWM to provide an analytical basis for establishing this financial plan. The TSLCC models have also been used to prepare cost estimates contained in several other DOE documents, and have applications in cases involving variations in many types of waste management system parameters. Any applications would have to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Development/publication date and updates:

1990. Published in 'Transactions of the American Nuclear Society', Volume 60, 1989. The report, "Analysis of Total System Life Cycle Cost for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program" is an annual publication.

Public availability:

This would need to be established from the DOE.

Purpose and current use:

The total system life-cycle cost analysis for the DOE Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program is an ongoing activity that determines whether the revenue-producing mechanism established by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982-a fee levied on the producers of nuclear power-is sufficient to cover the cost of the program. The use of these models formed the basis for the annual report to Congress. These models are not currently being used by the DOE.

Cost information:

Cost of the models cannot be determined at this point. The TSLCC report is available free of charge through OSTI.

Contents and system requirements:

Software packages. The models used for total-system cost analysis consist of a series of computer programs operating in both mainframe and microcomputer environments, which are integrated through a file management system.

Summary of methodology

Separate computer programs have been designed for the major cost components of the waste management system; each program is structured to accommodate the best available data and the most recent design information relevant to performing the cost analysis. The following sections describe how the models integrate and function sequentially.

• Spent nuclear fuel logistics (WASTES) model and the defense waste logistics (DHLWLOG) model analysis: together determine the waste transfer rates between system components and the characteristics of the waste relative to the cost algorithms (e.g., waste age, burnup). The WASTES model also calculates from-reactor spent-fuel transportation costs.
  
• Waste Package Logistics (WPLOG) model: processes the output from the WASTES model to determine the number of waste packages to be placed in the repository.
  
• URCOST for the subsurface costs and REPCOST for the surface facility costs: two large spreadsheet models that use the information from WPLOG to estimate the repository construction, operating, and decommissioning costs.
  
• MRSCOST: a spreadsheet that uses the WPLOG output is as input for estimating the monitored retrievable storage facility costs.
  
• ARSCOST: a cost routine that uses the output of the WASTES model for storage requirements to estimate at-reactor storage costs.
  
• DECOST: name for a series of spreadsheets that estimate development and evaluation costs.
  
• WITCOM: model takes in output from all of the above programs and performs several cost functions to yield the total-system cost.
  

Life-cycle stages covered

Raw material acquisition	---
Manufacturing stage	---
Use/reuse/maintenance	---
Recycle/waste management

The following life-cycle information is considered.

• transportation/packaging
  
• waste management (development and evaluation costs, repository costs, costs for a monitored retrievable facility, costs of at reactor storage)
  

Type of costs considered

Conventional
Potentially hidden
Contingent	---
External	---

The method are used to estimate conventional costs of inputs and outputs and considers some aspects of hidden costs.

Method of cost estimation

Cost data is from various DOE sources and reports.

Generation of financial indicators

Net present value (NPV)	---
Payback period	---
Internal rate of return (IRR)	---
Benefits cost ratio	---
Other	---

Attributes

The modular programming system facilitates updating specific units when appropriate. Some of the major types of parameters that have been analyzed using these models include alternative engineering designs for facilities, alternative facility locations, alternative waste forms, alternative waste acceptance schedules, and others.

Limitations

The systems are not applied for total product life-cycle cost analysis, as all the life-cycle stages are not covered. External and contingent costs are not included in the analysis (although they potentially could be).

Basis for evaluation:

The information provided here is based on a profile of the tool presented in Weitz at al. (1994). Subsequent reviews were done by incorporating information obtained through telephone communications with Roy Weston Inc. in May, 1995

Contact information:

Roy F. Weston, Inc.

955 L'ensant Plaza, SW, 8th floor

Washington, DC 20024

202-646-6654

For copies of the report "Analysis of the Total System Life Cycle Cost for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program," DOE/RW/0236, May1989:

Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)

615-576-8401

Copies of the 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1990 reports are also available through OSTI.

Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM)

800-225-6972

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