Nuclear Reactors Sited Deep Underground in Steel Containment Vessels

摘要

Siting of nuclear power plant components deep underground in sealed steel pressure vessels, with waste storage and decommissioned components remaining in place, could be a cost-effective means of allaying public concerns over nuclear power. It greatly reduces the chances and consequences of accidents and sabotage, and also should limit problems of waste storage, decommissioning, and proliferation.This is no doubt a controversial approach and there are many pros and cons. Having dozens of sites where radioactive wastes are buried is not appealing. However, these sites are deep, small and sealed; and they will likely be on future nuclear plant sites, with attendant security. Elimination of overland transport, and of the politics of siting wastes in a single state, appear to be great advantages. However, much work obviously needs to be done to assess the feasibility of this concept. The purpose of this paper has been to reopen the discussion and provide a few arguments as to why it should be pursued.