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Spent nuclear fuel storage: What are the relationships between size and cost of the alternatives?

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  • Rothwell, Geoffrey

Abstract

Irradiated or Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF, where it could be “used nuclear fuel” if reprocessing facilities are available) is periodically removed from nuclear power reactors and allowed to decay in suitable storage facilities. This paper attempts to calculate the relationships between sizes and costs of wet/dry and onsite/offsite SNF storage. The methodology is (1) to propose cost models based on publicly available data and (2) to estimate cost equations to compare the various storage costs. When the fuel pool nears capacity, the cheapest alternative is to transfer SNF to onsite dry storage. Once a nuclear power plant has been decommissioned, and only the onsite dry storage facility remains, there appears to be little economic reason (from the nuclear power plant owner/operator’s viewpoint) to move the SNF to consolidated facilities because of extra monetary and non-monetary costs. Unless there are explicit national policies and funded programs to manage SNF, there are likely to be legacy sites with stranded SNF. On the other hand, there is a consensus that consolidated facilities (1) would be more safe and secure than dispersed onsite storage locations, (2) would facilitate final disposal, and (3) might reduce the risks perceived by local communities of storing SNF.

Suggested Citation

  • Rothwell, Geoffrey, 2021. "Spent nuclear fuel storage: What are the relationships between size and cost of the alternatives?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:150:y:2021:i:c:s0301421520308375
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.112126
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Munro, Kirstin & Tolley, George, 2018. "Property values and tax rates near spent nuclear fuel storage," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 433-442.
    2. Macfarlane, Allison, 2001. "The problem of used nuclear fuel: lessons for interim solutions from a comparative cost analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(15), pages 1379-1389, December.
    3. Jensen, J. Bradford & Rothwell, Geoffrey S., 1998. "Transaction costs, regulation, and subcontracting at nuclear power plants," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 369-381, August.
    4. Pulsipher, Allan G., 1993. "A de facto repository for the USA : The risk of interim storage of high level nuclear waste," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(7), pages 798-812, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rothwell, Geoffrey, 2022. "Projected electricity costs in international nuclear power markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).

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