Interim Storage & Waste Disposal

Spent Fuel Logistics Dominate NRC Briefing Senators Introduce Resolution Against Canadian Repository Kurion Shakes Up Corporate Leadership EnergySolutions Changes Zion Corporate Leadership Senate Confirms NRC Nominations USEC to Complete Restructuring and Switch Name to Centrus on Sept. 30 Michigan State Lawmakers Introduce Bill Against Fracking Waste TEPCO Making Strides on Contaminated Water at Fukushima Congress […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 9/19/2014 The lack of movement on the Department of Energy’s spent fuel management program is creating a backlog of spent nuclear fuel stored at reactor sites, making the logistics to consolidated storage more difficult with each passing year, according to members of a panel appearing before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 9/19/2014 A group of U.S. senators introduced a resolution this week against a proposed Canadian radioactive waste repository in Ontario. Among the senators sponsoring the resolution is Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), who along with a host of Michigan state lawmakers, have been vocal about their opposition to […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 9/19/2014 Congress wrapped up work this week on a stop-gap measure intended to fund the government at the start of Fiscal Year 2015 that did not include an ‘anomaly’ sought by the Department of Energy to implement upgrades at the Fort St. Vrain fuel storage facility in Colorado. DOE had […]

The Department of Energy issued a pre-solicitation notice for a draft Request for Proposal to provide management, operation and oversight of spent fuel storage facilities related to the Idaho Cleanup Project, according to a posting on FedBizOpps yesterday. The draft RFP includes three Nuclear Regulatory Commission-licensed DOE facilities: the Fort Saint Vrain (FSV) Independent Spent […]

Jeremy L. Dillon and Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 9/12/2014 The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission voiced its support this week for Ontario Power Generation’s proposed radioactive waste inventory verification plan for its proposed deep geologic repository for low and intermediate radioactive waste during a public hearing on OPG’s license request. Earlier this year, a former employee […]

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission said yesterday that it supports Ontario Power Generation’s proposed radioactive waste inventory verification plan for its proposed deep geologic repository for low and intermediate radioactive waste during a public hearing on OPG’s license request. Earlier this year, a former employee of OPG publicly criticized the waste inventory plan for failing […]

The latest round of public hearings in Ontario Power Generation’s quest to license a low and intermediate radioactive waste deep geologic repository in Kincardine, Ont. get underway this week. The previous set of public hearings occurred in the fall of last year, but information released by a former-OPG employee alleging miscalculations on the DGR’s waste […]

The Eighth Annual RadWaste Summit in Summerlin, Nev., kicks off this evening with an opening dinner followed tomorrow morning by an opening plenary on the path forward for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. That session includes remarks from New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ryan Flynn, Frank Marcinowski of the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 8/29/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission unanimously approved this week the final rule for the “Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel,” formerly known as the Waste Confidence rulemaking, and General Environmental Impact Statement in a vote that paved the way for the resumption of nuclear plant licensing and re-licensing decisions. The […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 8/29/2014 Nevada’s Interim Finance Committee approved this week a $1.4 million funding request from the state’s Attorney General Office and Agency for Nuclear Projects for their efforts to combat Yucca Mountain. With the Nuclear Regulatory Commission moving forward with the completion of the Yucca Safety Evaluation Reports, the state expects […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 8/29/2014 Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) this week announced plans to introduce a resolution before the House next month that would express U.S.  opposition to the construction of Ontario Power Generation’s proposed deep geological repository for low and intermediary waste. “As Michiganders, we know that our Great Lakes are an invaluable […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission yesterday unanimously approved the final rule for the “Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel,” formerly known as the Waste Confidence rulemaking, in a vote that paved the way for the resumption of nuclear plant licensing and re-licensing decisions. The commissioners’ votes changed only minor language details in the final rule as presented by […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will vote on the final rulemaking for the Waste Confidence update today amid calls for a delay to deny Commissioner William Magwood’s vote on the issue. The NRC Staff released the draft final rulemaking at the end of July, which would make this affirmation vote a quick turn-around from the Commission, […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 8/22/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission tentatively plans to vote on the final rulemaking for the Waste Confidence update on Aug. 26, according to the Commission’s online meeting schedule. The NRC Staff released the draft final rulemaking at the end of July, which would make this affirmation vote a quick turn-around […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 8/22/2014 Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley sent a letter this week to President Barrack Obama, Mississippi’s Congressional Delegation, and members of the Department of Energy highlighting the PSC’s opposition to hosting a high-level nuclear waste disposal facility in the site. Earlier this year, the PSC passed a unanimous resolution […]

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley sent a letter yesterday to President Barrack Obama, Mississippi’s Congressional Delegation, and members of the Department of Energy highlighting the PSC’s opposition to hosting a high-level nuclear waste disposal facility in the state. Earlier this year, the PSC passed a unanimous resolution stating its opposition to hosting the nation’s […]

NRC Commissioner Kristine Svinicki indicated yesterday that the Commission expects to have a final rule for its Waste Confidence update published by early fall, she wrote in a response letter to House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.). Upton, along with other House Energy leaders, sent the NRC a letter back in July inquiring […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission tentatively plans to vote on the final rulemaking for the Waste Confidence update on Aug. 26, according to the Commission’s online meeting schedule. The NRC Staff released the draft final rulemaking at the end of July, which would make this affirmation vote a quick turn-around from the Commission. It appears the […]

The Bipartisan Policy Center announced yesterday the date of its latest meeting to identify barriers and obstacles hindering the progress of the nation’s high-level radioactive waste disposal program. The Sept. 5 meeting will take place in Atlanta at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and it will feature two panels of experts, business leaders, academics, and […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 8/1/2014 While stakeholders continue to wade through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s recently released draft final Waste Confidence rule (now known as the Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel rule), it appears not much has changed since the proposed rule was released last September. Much of the rule remains intact with […]

Martin Schneider RW Monitor 7/25/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff submitted the draft final Waste Confidence rule—now proposed to be known as the “Continued Storage” rule—to the NRC Commissioners this week, a move that likely keeps the NRC on track for approving the final rule by its promised October deadline. The NRC’s proposed waste confidence […]

Martin Schneider RW Monitor 7/25/2014 Senate appropriators provided strong backing for centralized interim storage of spent fuel in the FY 2015 Energy and Water Appropriations bill released by the full Appropriations Committee this week, though there is not expected to be further action on the legislation in the Senate. The full Senate Appropriations Committee had […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/25/2014 Nye County, Nev., home of Yucca Mountain, intends to fight back against the state of Nevada’s planned request for additional funding for activities related to squashing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s licensing review of the proposed repository for the nation’s high-level nuclear waste. Two weeks ago, Nevada’s Board of Examiners, […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/25/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will consider six points raised by a petition sent on behalf of the Nuclear Energy Institute concerning the issuance of certificates of compliance for spent fuel storage casks, according to a posting in the Federal Register last week. NEI filed the petition in 2012 in […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will consider six points raised by a petition sent on behalf of the Nuclear Energy Institute concerning the issuance of certificates of compliance for spent fuel storage casks, according to a posting in the Federal Register last week. NEI filed the petition in 2012 in hopes that the NRC would take […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/18/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s planned schedule for completing its Waste Confidence rulemaking received another vote of confidence this week as NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane indicated the NRC is on track to issue a final version this fall during her speech at the Health Physics Society Annual Meeting. The NRC […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission remains on track to issue a final version of its Waste Confidence rulemaking this fall, NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane said yesterday in a speech at the Health Physics Society Annual Meeting. The NRC had previously announced that a final ruling for Waste Confidence would come no later than Oct. 3, and […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/11/2014 Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) was unsuccessful in attempting to eliminate funding for Yucca Mountain in the House version of the Fiscal Year 2015 Energy and Water Appropriations bill during debate on the House floor this week before the full House voted to approve the bill. Titus offered an amendment […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/11/2014 The state of Nevada is gearing up to fight the results from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Yucca Mountain licensing review. Nevada’s Board of Examiners, which includes Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval and Secretary of State Ross Miller, approved this week a $1.4 million funding request from the attorney general’s office […]