Year
2010
Abstract
Nuclear energy is an important part of the U.S. and global environmental and energy future. It has many benefits, but it does generate used nuclear fuel which contains high level nuclear waste that must be managed and disposed of in a safe, secure, proliferation resistant, and environmentally protective manner within an ethical and morally responsible timeframe. This country has been generating used nuclear fuel for over 50 years, and it is currently being generated at a rate of 2,000 tons per year with approximately 64,000 tons of fuel being temporarily stored at 121 operating and shutdown nuclear facilities in 39 states. Plans are underway to further increase used nuclear fuel generation with US nuclear energy expansion. However the Obama Administration has proposed to abandon development of the US Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) established deep geologic repository at Yucca Mountain because they believe the NWPA approach for the last 25 years has “not proven effective” and is unworkable,” even though it officially states there are no safety flaws in the site. In lieu of continuing the Yucca Mountain repository, the Administration has established a Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future (BRC) to recommend better options. This paper examines the history of the NWPA development and implementation over the past 30 years to gather lessons learned experiences that are useful for charting the future course of action for US used nuclear fuel management, including an examination of the critical technical/economic/social-political balances of siting used nuclear fuel management facilities, e.g. interim storage, repositories, or advanced used fuel processing facilities. In addition it will explore the recommendation options available to the BRC. The work by the BRC to develop recommendations, coupled with current DOE high level waste and used nuclear fuel program actions, are critical foundations for our societal ability to sustain our nuclear future here in the US and globally.