Clean Energy Requires Nuclear Power; Nuclear Power Requires a Sustainable Back-end Solution

摘要

Optimism returned to this year’s Used Fuel Management Conference when on the first day, Holtec International got word that the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) had dismissed all contentions raised about their application to build a privately-run consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) in New Mexico (see Top Story on page 2). With that decision by the adjudicatory board of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the chances that spent fuel will be moved off reactor sites in the next few years increased greatly. And, since the same ASLB panel is reviewing the contentions raised in the license application for the proposed Interim Storage Partners’ (ISP) application to build a CISF in Andrews County, Texas, expectations are high that the Board will dismiss the contentions in that proceeding as well, thus paving the way for the US to have two options for consolidated interim storage licensed sometime in 2020.