Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites
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September 30, 2017
Photo courtesy of Big Rock Point
Figure 2-84. Condition of Potential Barge Area at Big Rock Point (2013)
2.5.4 Gaps in Information As discussed in Section 2.5.3, shipments of large reactor components have been made from the Big Rock Point site using heavy haul trucks to carry the components to rail sidings for loading onto railcars. The weight limits associated with the Great Lakes Central Railway and the Lake State Railway track that would be used would need to be evaluated, as well as the current condition of rail sidings or spurs that would be used. It may also be possible to use barges to transport casks containing used nuclear fuel directly from the Big Rock Point site to a port that is served by a railroad. There is not a barge slip, dock, or landing area on the site’s Lake Michigan shoreline. Also, it is unknown whether the depth of water approaching the shore at the site and the bottom conditions near the shore would permit safe operations for barges, and whether extensive grading and spreading of gravel would be required. Barge operations could use either heavy lift equipment to move casks from heavy haul transporters onto barges or the heavy haul transporters might be rolled directly onto barges. Lake Michigan is subject to freezing in the Big Rock Point area (TOPO 1994a), and barge operations would not be conducted on Lake Michigan during winter months.
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