Jeremy L. Dillon
RW Monitor
3/27/2015
Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) indicated this week that he would like to include clarifying language in Appropriations legislation that would enable the Department of Energy to use Waste Control Specialists as a consolidated interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. Alexander pressed Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz at hearing this week, asking what DOE would need to be able to use WCS, which plans to have a privately-funded storage facility ready by the end of 2020. “We would be interested in working on that in the next three to four weeks to see A, what might appropriately be included in the appropriations bill, if anything, and B, what might need to come in front of Sen. [Lisa] Murkowksi’s (R-Alaska) [Senate Energy and Natural Resources] committee,” Alexander said on WCS. “The whole objective, and it sounds to me like you believe the private facility could be a realistic option, then, given our desire to find a place to put used nuclear fuel, is we need to know what else we need to do to put you in a position to move that option along.”
Moniz could not identify specifically what clarifying language would be needed, but he did say the idea of WCS looks attractive to the Department. “This new dynamic out of Texas is extremely interesting,” Moniz said. “First of all we want to learn more about that. With regard to authorities, I don’t know quite yet what those authorities would be, but I can certainly imagine that especially for a private sector facility a clarification might come out of the legislative process that would be quite desirable. We are certainly happy to work as often as you would like to discuss the technical aspects of this.” Last month during its announcement, WCS said it had envisioned entering into a contract relationship with the Department to store the waste.
WCS To Submit Application in 2016
While WCS announced its intentions to move forward with the project this week, major steps still need to be taken before any construction could take place. DOE and WCS still need to hold formal discussion on the economics and DOE’s involvement in the project. WCS also would like an indication of approval from Congress to move ahead with the site. A consent-based pilot consolidated storage facility is the preferred strategy of the Department of Energy to satisfy the nation’s spent fuel disposal needs, but due to language in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, the Department cannot consider other sites beyond Yucca Mountain in Nevada without Congressional approval. In its Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Request, the Department requested a reform that would enable it to move forward with its waste management strategy, but it is uncertain whether that will be included in any final legislation.
NRC Could Reallocate Money for WCS Review
In a letter of intent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, WCS said it planned to submit a license application for a facility in 2016. While the NRC did not request any specific funding for the review for its FY2016 budget, NRC Commissioner Kristine Svinicki said this week money could be reallocated to support the review. “I should mention that we have a well-established regulatory framework for a spent fuel storage installation, so we do not need to come up with a new framework,” Svinicki said during a House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee hearing. “Our staff informs us that resource requirements for the first year would not be significant. I think, if funds were not appropriated to specifically support the review, our staff has informed the Commission it would likely be possible to re-allocate amongst funds.” According to NRC Commissioner Jeffrey Baran, the staff has informed the Commission that the review would cost an estimated $5 million to complete over a three year period, although that number is based off a detailed, satisfactory license application without any contentions.
