Models developed for the Total System Life Cycle Cost Analysis

Since the passage of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published an annual study of the costs for the radioactive waste disposal program administered by the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM). This annual study, referred to as the Total System Life-Cycle Cost (TSLCC) analysis, establishes the long-term financial plan for the OCRWM program and reflects as closely as possible the most current plants and policies of the program. To perform this study, the OCRWM has developed an integrated set of computer models that provide the rigor, flexibility, and accountability required in establishing this financial plan. This paper summarizes the models used in the most recent TSLCC analysis and describes how the models have been applied in a variety of studies to provide an analytical basis supporting DOE decision making.