Does plant decommissioning need a final nuclear waste disposal site to be complete?

摘要

Not really, according to existing rules. Of course, it would be best as far as the public is concerned, as the lack of final disposition is stuck in their craw. Decommissioning is the process by which nuclear power plants are retired from service and the operating licenses granted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are terminated. The process involves decontaminating the facility to reduce residual radioactivity, dismantling the structures, removing contaminated materials to appropriate disposal facilities, storing spent nuclear fuel until it can be removed from the site for disposal or consolidated storage, and releasing the property for other uses. The owner remains accountable to the NRC until decommissioning has been completed and the agency has terminated its license.