ECONOMICS OF LONG-TERM STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL

In the early 1970s, the U.S. was developing what was then known as a retrievable surface storage facility in which solidified high level radioactive wastes from reprocessing of spent fuel were to be stored for extended periods of time (50 to 100 years, or more) prior to being subjected to \"ultimate\" disposal. However, this program was abandoned as a result of pressures to effect the \"ultimate\" disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high level waste (HLW) as soon as possible. It was then the general contention of the nuclear critics that one of the many reasons for not further pursuing the nuclear option was that the technology was not available to safely dispose of the waste --and the response to this was to expedite demonstration of a viable method of waste disposal. In the intervening years the direction the efforts have taken has been to develop geologic repositories for SNF and HLW disposal, with the recognition that some of this material may have to be stored for a while until the repositories are deployed and have the capacity to accept it.