Coalition Statement on Spent Fuel Management
Time has shown that the current fleet of nuclear plants is essential for this nation’s economic growth and development by providing reliable, affordable energy and a new fleet of nuclear plants will be instrumental to continuing this development as well as meeting the rising electricity demand and clean air goals before us. A comprehensive used fuel management policy has a tremendous positive impact on ensuring that the stewardship of used nuclear fuel is aligned with an era in which new nuclear power plants are being built in the United States and globally.
The key elements of a U.S. used fuel management policy include flexible interim storage approaches, the licensing and construction of an underground repository at Yucca Mountain, and facilities for recycling used nuclear fuel to take advantage of the maximum energy from the fuel in a manner that includes effective safeguards against nuclear proliferation.
The Clean and Safe Energy Coalition urges Congress to support and enact policies that recognize these used fuel management approaches. A flexible, safe program to manage used nuclear fuel that includes advanced technologies is an important element for building public confidence in nuclear energy and licensing new nuclear power plants to meet our growing electricity needs.