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USA’s Nuclear Establishment Ponders About Nuclear Wastes

Nuclear waste storage a top issue for NRC-chairman,   * How long should plants store waste in pools? * NRC studies issue after Fukushima pool damage  * Task force also studies power blackouts, flooding  By Roberta Rampton,  WASHINGTON, May 2 (Reuters) – The U.S. nuclear safety regulator is studying whether to require plants to more quickly move radioactive waste out of pools as part of a review on safety in the wake of Japan’s nuclear disaster, its chairman said on Monday.

…….. Dry casks use air to keep fuel cool, rather than pumped water, which needs steady power. A recent Massachusetts Institute of Technology study has pushed for a system of regional dry cask storage sites to hold nuclear waste.

Jaczko said it’s too soon to say what the NRC will do. A task force is studying what the U.S. regulator can learn from the Japan disaster and will issue recommendations in a couple of months.

The task force is slated to hold its first public briefing on its progress on May 12. It will also conduct a longer six-month review.

……… A “blue ribbon” panel also is currently studying long-term solutions for handling U.S. nuclear waste after the Obama administration shut down plans for a permanent dump site deep inside Nevada’s Yucca Mountain. That group is slated to deliver a draft report by July 29.

…….. http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFN0230128220110502

May 3, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes