The Nuclear Regulatory Commission does not have a schedule for when it will address a recent request from the state of Nevada aimed at reopening, and eventually ending, the agency’s licensing proceedings for the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, a spokesperson said this week.
Although Nevada’s Sep. 20 request is in front of NRC’s five-member executive committee, there is “no timeline” for when the commission could decide whether to approve it, a spokesperson for the agency told RadWaste Monitor via email Tuesday.
State Gov. Steve Sisolak’s filing last week asked NRC to lift an 11-year suspension of its licensing review for the proposed Nye County, Nev., site. According to the agency, it paused proceedings in September 2011 due to “budgetary limitations” imposed by the Barack Obama administration’s decision in 2010 to cut funding for the proposed repository.
If NRC approves his request, Sisolak said in the filing that he plans to file three separate motions asking the commission to close down the licensing review entirely, and, depending on how NRC rules on those, “a motion to disapprove the issuance of the construction authorization.”
Yucca Mountain is the only site designated by Congress as a federal repository for the nearly 90,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel currently stored at nuclear power plants nationwide. Even so, the facility was never built and Congress’ mandate has not moved a single shipment of waste.
The Department of Energy, which would oversee operations at the Yucca Mountain site if it ever became operational, told RadWaste Monitor Wednesday that it is “aware” of Sisolak’s filing and that it is “considering its response.” The agency did not return a follow-up request by deadline Friday.
