Spent fuel removal is industry's top waste legislation priority

Washington (Platts)--23Feb2006

The removal of spent fuel from reactor sites tops the nuclear industry's list
of what it wants to see in nuclear waste legislation, said Steve Kraft of the
Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). NEI unveiled its top priorities at a media
briefing today. The industry also wants Congress to remove the current 70,000
metric ton cap on the amount of spent fuel that can be entombed in a
repository at Yucca Mountain, Nev., said Kraft, NEI's director of used fuel
management. It also wants Congress to allow the technical capability of the
site, as well as the disposal capacity needed to support a growing nuclear
power industry, determine the disposal capacity there, he said. In addition,
he said, Congress should eliminate the periodic waste confidence rule now
required of NRC. Confidence in DOE's ability to dispose of utility spent fuel
was demonstrated in 2002 when Congress approved the administration's
recommendation that Yucca Mountain be used for a high-level waste repository,
Kraft said. It was demonstrated again last year when comprehensive energy
legislation was enacted that contains financial incentives for new reactors,
he said. "Where NRC needs to concern itself is with [the] licensing and safety
of plants," Kraft said. "Waste confidence would be a distraction." Meanwhile,
there was no indication today of when DOE would send its legislative proposal
to Congress.

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