Four states volunteer to host nuclear complexes including waste
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Four states — Tennessee, Utah, Idaho, and Nebraska — say they're interested in hosting the entire range of nuclear energy-related development, including high-level waste.
Why it matters: The Energy Department hopes that by building what amount to nuclear mega-cities for such activities as uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication, states will have to address the thornier problem of waste as well.
Driving the news: Two of the states that recently submitted publicly available applications to DOE, Idaho and Tennessee, already host department national laboratories that do extensive nuclear-related work.
- Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) said in a letter accompanying his state's application that a new complex would further Tennessee in "leading in advancing President Trump's America First energy dominance agenda."
- In Idaho's application, Gov. Brad Little (R) said his state "has proudly fostered a robust nuclear ecosystem driven by close collaboration with national agencies, academic institutions, and private industry stakeholders."
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) cited his state's "public power utilities, robust regulatory environment, experienced workforce, and pro-business climate" in its application.
- And Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) noted his state's vast stretches of vacant, state-held land along with an educated workforce and universities "performing cutting-edge nuclear research."
Zoom out: A DOE Office of Nuclear Energy spokesperson said it has received responses from "dozens of states" to its request for information on "nuclear lifecycle innovation campuses," but declined to identify the states.
- State lawmakers in South Carolina and Washington have introduced resolutions supporting the idea.
Zoom in: Nuclear News reported last week that a DOE official said front-end fuel cycle activities can be seen as "appetizers" for states, but that the "main course needs to be ultimate [waste] disposition."
- Marla Morales, acting deputy assistant secretary of DOE's Office of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste Disposition, said the department is using the term "disposition" and not "disposal," because it isn't seeking a home for a deep geologic repository. That idea has encountered unyielding resistance from Nevada.
- Instead, Morales said, states can explore other waste-management approaches, including temporary storage and recycling or reprocessing.
- Texas and New Mexico officials have objected to private interim nuclear storage in their states. But several startups are pursuing recycling despite some nuclear experts' concerns about high costs and whether terrorists could acquire the to-be-recycled material.
What we're watching: Ted Garrish, DOE's assistant secretary for nuclear energy, told a Senate committee last month that the department will "very quickly" start evaluating proposals to see which are viable.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from the Energy Department.
