Preview: Preparing for Interim Spent Fuel Storage

The Department of Energy in December 2015 formally initiated the siting process for its consent-based program for nuclear waste storage, and two companies – Waste Control Specialists and Holtec International – are preparing to in coming months submit license applications with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build and operate consolidated interim spent fuel storage facilities in, respectively, West Texas and southeastern New Mexico.

Representatives from both companies, along with speakers from other firms, will join NRC and DOE officials Monday for a discussion of the projects and associated issues including transport of the spent fuel from commercial nuclear plants spread across the United States.

The panel, “Interim Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel in the U.S. – What are the Options,” is scheduled from 1:30 to 3:10 p.m. in Exhibit Hall 4. The speakers will be Andrew Griffith, DOE Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fuel Cycle Technologies; Scott Moore, Acting Director, NRC Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards; Lisa Williams, Licensing Supervisor, Energy Northwest; John Donnell, Vice President, Project Engineering Services, AECOM; Stefan Anton, Vice President of Engineering, Holtec International; and Scott Kirk, Vice President, Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Waste Control Specialists LLC.