The state and future of nuclear waste
About this episode
Shayle Kann discusses the challenges and strategies for managing nuclear waste with Dr. Jen Shafer.
The nuclear power sector is gaining a lot of momentum. But even as SMRs continue to flourish, the Department of Energy’s reactor pilot program moves forward, and decommissioned plants come back online, the question of what to do with nuclear waste has largely stayed out of the spotlight. The U.S. currently houses 90,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel; as more plants come online, that number could rise dramatically. In this episode, Shayle speaks to Dr. Jen Shafer, a former ARPA-E director and current professor at the Colorado School of Mines, to learn more about waste itself, and how to dispose of — or recycle it — as the industry evolves. The two cover topics like: The physical and chemical composition of spent nuclear fuel Short-term versus long-term hazards of waste The stalled disposal site at Yucca Mountain in Nevada Wet versus dry storage methods for nuclear waste The strategies for managing the waste from advanced reactors The “take back” model for managing microreactor waste Resources Catalyst: The path to market for new nuclear reactors Catalyst: The US nuclear groundswell Open Circuit: Inside Meta’s massive nuclear push Open Circuit: Fear and loathing at the Department of…
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- Building a domestic nuclear fuel supply chain
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