Status of thermal loading evaluations for a potential repository

The effect that thermal loading has on the natural and engineered systems needs to be understood and demonstrated with reasonable assurance in the Viability Assessment and the License Application process for a potential underground high level waste repository at Yucca Mountain. Thermal loading can be defined in a number of ways but it basically is the amount of decay heat from the spent nuclear fuel produced per unit area and is related to the emplacement density of fuel. This paper provides an overview of the status of the development of the technical basis for a thermal loading decision for a potential repository at Yucca Mountain and emphasizes recent analyses conducted.