NRC must sort out spent fuel control, accountability

NRC must sort out spent fuel control, accountability

Washington (Platts)--12Apr2005


The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission should establish specific requirements
for control and accounting of spent fuel at nuclear reactors, the Government
Accountability Office recommended in a report released Friday. It also
suggested NRC establish inspection procedures to verify compliance and assess
licensees' tracking programs. 

The report, requested by four legislators, was prompted by the discovery of
missing spent fuel at Dominion's Millstone in 2000 and at Entergy Nuclear's
Vermont Yankee and Pacific Gas and Electric Co's Humboldt Bay plants in 2004.
The fuel later was accounted for at Vermont Yankee, but never found at
Millstone. Officials still are searching for the fuel at Humboldt Bay. The GAO
report said NRC generally agreed with its conclusions and that it will revise
its guidance and inspection procedures for material control and accounting
programs.

This story was originally published in Platts Electricity Alert
http://www.electricityalert.platts.com

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