nuclear-news

Nuclear ‘renaissance’ threatened by the wastes ‘elephant in the room’

[U.S. government is ] naming an expert panel to find solutions for the waste. The nuclear industry argues it is ready to move ahead regardless of the panel’s deliberations….

ANALYSIS – Toxic waste weighs on revival of nuclear industry Reuters, Mar 17, 2010 By Ayesha Rascoe WASHINGTON Reviving the U.S. nuclear industry could get hung up on the political minefield of how to handle the security, legal and environmental risks posed by a growing mountain of radioactive waste.

The Obama administration, which sees nuclear power as a key part of its policy to meet America’s energy needs with more fuels that do not add to global warming, has said it plans to scrap a long-delayed permanent dump site for nuclear waste.

The move probably won’t stop new nuclear plants from being built, but could limit the pace of growth in the sector, which has been stagnant since the 1970s.

That leaves the 2,000 tonnes of used fuel already produced each year by U.S. nuclear plants stored at various power plant sites, waiting for a permanent home……….At least one company, Exelon Corp, has said it will not pursue new U.S. nuclear plants at this time, citing the lack of a national plan for waste in its decision.

Used nuclear fuel was originally intended to be stored at plant sites for a few decades in steel-lined concrete pools or basins before being moved to a permanent repository.

Many of these pools have now filled up. Producers have expanded their storage capacity using above-ground airtight canisters made out of steel or steel-reinforced concrete…………

The administration has said it wants to see more new plants, pledging $54 billion in loan guarantees for builders, and naming an expert panel to find solutions for the waste.

The nuclear industry argues it is ready to move ahead regardless of the panel’s deliberations…………the lack of a stable and lasting strategy for nuclear waste has helped fuel opposition to nuclear plants, said Dimitri Nikas, an analyst with credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s.

ANALYSIS – Toxic waste weighs on revival of nuclear industry | Business News | Reuters

March 21, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear renaissance, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radioactive, reactors