Apparatus for supporting radioactive fuel assemblies and methods of manufacturing the same

A fuel rack for supporting spent nuclear fuel assemblies comprising:

• a base plate having a top surface;
• a fuel rack body extending upward from the base plate and comprising a plurality of cells, each of the cells having an open top end and being configured to receive a spent nuclear fuel assembly, and wherein fibs each of the cells, a portion of an upper surface of the base plate forms a floor of the cell;
• a plurality of adjustable height pedestals connected to a bottom surface of the base plate, each of the adjustable height pedestals comprising:
• a block having a hole defined by a threaded inner surface, the block fixedly coupled to the base plate;
• a peg having a threaded outer surface, the threaded outer surface of the peg threadily engaged to the threaded inner surface of the block;
• an engagement element in a top surface of the peg;
• and
• wherein upon a tool engaging the engagement element and rotating the peg, the extent the peg protrudes from a bottom surface of the block is adjusted;
• and
• wherein for each of the adjustable height pedestals, the adjustable height pedestal is coupled to the base plate so that the engagement element is aligned with and is accessible via a hole in the floor of one of the cells.