nuclear-news

Call for new rules on USA’s nuclear wastes

US lawmaker calls for new nuclear waste rules
*  Feinstein says waste should move to dry storage faster

* Study found that dry cask storage less risky than pools

* NRC has said waste could stay in pools for 100 years

By Ayesha Rascoe WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) – A top Senate Democrat on Monday urged the U.S. nuclear regulator to require plants to speed up the shift of radioactive waste to dry cask storage from pools.

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, head of a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees energy agencies, said dry cask storage systems for nuclear waste are safer than spent fuel pools.

“The lesson from Japan’s disaster is that we must be prepared to respond to unanticipated threats,” Feinstein said in a letter to NRC head Gregory Jaczko. “Therefore, any policy changes that further reduce risks of an unsafe situation catching the industry off-guard should be implemented.”

Spent fuel pools have exacerbated Japan’s efforts to avert a total meltdown at its Fukushima Daiichi complex, which was hit by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami last month.

US lawmaker calls for new nuclear waste rules | Energy & Oil | Reuters

April 12, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes