The problem of used nuclear fuel: lessons for interim solutions from a comparative cost analysis

An acceptable long-term solution for used (spent) fuel from nuclear power r eactors has evaded all countries engaged in the civilian nuclear fuel cycle . Furthermore, many countries are trying to develop interim storage solutio ns that address the shortage of storage in the spent fuel cooling pools at reactors. The United States has a particularly acute problem due to its adh erence to an open fuel cycle and its large number of reactors. Two main opt ions are available to address the spent fuel problem: dry storage on-site a t reactors and centralized storage at a facility away from reactors. Key to deciding which option makes better policy sense is the comparative economi cs of the two options. This paper provides one of the few comprehensive com parisons of costs for the two alternatives and discusses implications for o ther schemes and possible alternative solutions to the spent fuel problem f or the United States. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.