It’s time to make a plan for nuclear waste
The US nuclear industry is experiencing a resurgence due to growing demand for electricity from tech companies, but it still lacks a long-term solution for nuclear waste, producing 2,000 metric tons of high-level waste annually. The US should push for progress on building geological storage facilities to manage its nuclear waste.
The US nuclear industry is seeing renewed interest due to growing demand for electricity from tech companies. However, the industry still lacks a long-term solution for nuclear waste. The US produces 2,000 metric tons of high-level waste each year, which is largely stored onsite at reactors in pools and casks. The leading strategy for long-term storage is to house waste in deep geological repositories. Finland is the furthest along in this process, with its facility set to start operations this year. In contrast, the US has stalled on its Yucca Mountain site in Nevada due to political opposition. As the nuclear industry grows globally, with countries like China and Bangladesh building new reactors, the US should direct some of its newfound funding and attention to progress on waste management.
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