Civilian Nuclear Spent Fuel Temporary Storage Options (CRS Report for Congress)
Premium Purchase PDF for $24.95 (45 pages)
add to cart or
subscribe for unlimited access
Pro Premium subscribers have free access to our full library of CRS reports.
Subscribe today, or
request a demo to learn more.
| Release Date |
March 27, 1998 |
| Report Number |
96-212 |
| Authors |
Mark Holt, Environment and Natural Resources Policy Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, the Department of Energy (DOE) is supposed to begin taking highly radioactive spent fuel from nuclear power plant sites by 1998. However, DOE does not expect to open the permanent waste repository authorized by the Act until 2010 at the earliest. Nuclear utilities and their supporters are urging Congress to authorize DOE to build an interim storage facility that could receive spent fuel by the 1998 deadline. Opponents of that plan, citing potential transportation hazards, contend that spent fuel should remain at reactor sites until a permanent disposal facility is ready.
