New Look at Nuke Waste Issue Urged

Jun 19 - Las Vegas Review - Journal

The departing chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Friday that leaders should re-examine policies for nuclear waste and radioactive material can remain stored safely at power plants for years in the meantime.

"The country needs to look at this entire process," said Nils Diaz, who is completing 10 years as commissioner at the federal agency that regulates nuclear power and nuclear waste, and the handling of nuclear materials. He has been principal executive officer since 2003.

Diaz said he continues to support geologic disposal for nuclear waste. But as far as what exactly would be stored at an underground repository, "there is a real need to provide some answers."

When Diaz joined the NRC in 1996, the focus was on burial of highly radioactive spent fuel rods from power plants, and the Department of Energy was preparing to put forward Yucca Mountain as a repository site.

More recently, the Bush administration and key members of Congress have promoted reprocessing technologies, which would alter the composition of the waste while extracting more energy from the spent fuel.

The chairman of the Senate energy committee, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., has suggested Yucca Mountain be recast at least in part as a destination for reprocessed fuel, which could be smaller in volume and less toxic.

Diaz said he did not expect progress on nuclear waste policy during an election year.

"I am hopeful that by next year there will be a much clearer picture," he said. "There are many people who realize a solution has to be put in place."

Diaz said there is consensus that waste from military nuclear weapons production should be first in line for disposal. Beyond that is less clear, he said.

In the meantime, Diaz said radioactive spent fuel can continue to be stored safely at nuclear power reactors.

"I am a firm believer that civilian nuclear waste at reactors is safe right now in spent fuel pools and dry casks and can be safely stored for a number of years," he said.

While the Energy Department continues to work on Yucca Mountain, the program has been delayed for eight years and some experts say it could be another decade at least before it can open.