Panel urges speedy removal of CT nuclear waste

Hartford Business Journal ^

[matt04]

Connecticut’s electric utilities and the state’s largest power generator cheered a federal panel’s report urging the U.S. Department of Energy to do what the state advocated for years — remove nuclear waste from Connecticut, rapidly.

The federal Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future issued its draftThe dry casks storing 412 metric tons of spent uranium at the former site of Connecticut Yankee in Haddam. report on July 29, addressing the problem of storing uranium once nuclear reactors finish with it. The report is a precursor to a final report in January, and the commission is accepting comments through October.

In the report, the commission ripped current and past presidential administrations unfulfilled obligations to remove nuclear fuel from power plants, thus destroying consumer confidence in nuclear power.

The commission called for the immediate construction of intermediate facilities to consolidate nuclear waste from around the country during development ofa permanent disposal site. The panel said priority should be given to decommissioned reactors, a switch from current policy and an important distinction for Connecticut.

“We are very pleased with that recommendation,” said Bob Capstick, director of government and regulatory affairs for Connecticut Yankee. “Our stuff is packed and ready to go.”

Connecticut has 1,350 metric tons of spent uranium stored in cooling pools and dry casks at the nuclear Millstone Power Station in Waterford, owned by Dominion. Another 412 metric tons is in dry casks in Haddam, site of the decommissioned Connecticut Yankee nuclear plant, owned by a collection of New England electric utilities, including Berlin-based Connecticut Light & Power and New Haven-based United Illuminating.

In a 1982 agreement, the U.S. Department of Energy agreed to develop a permanent repository for nuclear waste and collect it from power plants starting in 1998. The Energy Department never came to collect the uranium; and in 2009, President Barrack Obama shut down of development of Yucca Mountain in Nevada, which was supposed to be the permanent repository.

[matt04]

We had a solution, until Obama stopped work on the Yucca Mountain project, due to Sen. Reid if if recall.

[bgill]

Sure, CT makes the waste yet they want it dumped in someone else’s back yard. No, I don’t buy the argument to take it to the desert or the ocean or where ever. You make it, you keep it.

[silverleaf]

CT.... send it to Harry Reid’s office

[silverleaf]

CT.... send it to Harry Reid’s office

[thackney]

So for decades the feds charge the nuclear power industry to fund the permanent waste facility, then after they collect the money they get to change their mind?

[newzjunkey]

Harry Reid’s fault!

[ballplayer]

Dump it in Chris Dodds Back Yard. A gift to Have Part Of Connecticut with you always

[ballplayer]

Hey Connecticut a-holes,There was a Poll that came out the Other day showing the states where Obama was the Most Popular,guess what State STILL has a 60 percent approval of the Job Obama is Doing? Thats right Connecticut! Hey Connecticut Morons Open Wide,stick out your tongue,swallow Hard. It was OBAMA who shut down Yucca Mountain after Billions in Tax payer Money was spent crteating the Place to store the Stuff,a Favor to Harry Reid. So tell your Tax raising Gouvenor to just Dig a Hole

[MrNeutron1962]

Surprisingly enough, the Connecticut Yankee Spent Fuel was almost in his back yard. He owned a home in East Haddam, just down the river from Connecticut Yankee.