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US Dangles Radioactive Carrot for Nuclear Waste Burying Sites
6 Feb
Summary
- US seeks volunteer states for nuclear waste repositories.
- New nuclear reactors power AI and transport demands.
- Finland nears opening world's first permanent waste repository.
The U.S. Department of Energy is actively seeking volunteer states to host permanent geological repositories for nuclear waste. This initiative is coupled with proposals for new nuclear reactors, waste reprocessing facilities, uranium enrichment, and data centers, aiming to offset the undesirable nature of a waste facility with significant investments and job creation. This marks a policy shift, prioritizing local community decisions on waste disposal. President Trump aims to significantly expand U.S. nuclear power capacity by 2050 to meet surging electricity demands from artificial intelligence and electrified transport.
Historically, finding a permanent home for nuclear waste has faced strong local opposition, exemplified by the halted Yucca Mountain project in Nevada. Despite previous failures, the U.S. and other nations like Britain, Canada, China, and Sweden are championing small modular reactors (SMRs) for faster and cheaper deployment. However, these new designs do not inherently solve the waste problem. Public acceptance of nuclear energy hinges on assurances of safe waste disposal, with Finland nearing the opening of the world's first permanent repository in Olkiluoto, followed by Sweden and Canada.
