ML14027A492
| ML14027A492 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 01/29/2014 |
| From: | Satorius M NRC/EDO |
| To: | Grassley C US SEN (Senate) |
| Rihm, Roger 415-1717 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML13364A265 | List: |
| References | |
| G20130897, LTR-13-0971 | |
| Download: ML14027A492 (2) | |
Text
January 29, 2014 The Honorable Charles E. Grassley United States Senate Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Grassley:
On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your letter of December 5, 2013, forwarding correspondence from your constituent, Elliott Stoan. Mr. Stoan expressed support for the reprocessing of spent fuel rods from commercial nuclear power reactors. Reprocessing refers generally to the processes necessary to separate spent nuclear reactor fuel into material that may be recycled for use in new fuel and material that would be discarded as waste. There are no commercial reprocessing facilities currently operating in the United States.
Establishing national nuclear waste management policy, which could include reprocessing, is the responsibility of Congress. The lead for implementation of that policy is the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE). Currently, DOE is continuing with its long-term research and development program that includes reprocessing technologies, with a goal of achieving a safe, proliferation-resistant, closed fuel cycle using fast-spectrum reactors.
The NRCs role is to license and regulate reprocessing facilities. No application for a commercial reprocessing facility is expected anytime soon. However, the NRC is aware that various industry vendors have been recently developing reprocessing strategies as part of an integrated fuel management strategy that includes research, development, and demonstration of advanced fuel utilization and recycling technologies. Therefore, in preparation for a potential future application, the agency conducted an analysis of its existing regulations for reprocessing and identified gaps that need resolution to effectively and efficiently license and regulate such facilities. The agency is working toward resolving these gaps.
I hope this information is useful to Mr. Stoan. If you need additional information, please contact me or the Office of Congressional Affairs at (301) 415-1776.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Mark A. Satorius Executive Director for Operations
January 29, 2014 The Honorable Charles E. Grassley United States Senate Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Grassley:
On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your letter of December 5, 2013, forwarding correspondence from your constituent, Elliott Stoan. Mr. Stoan expressed support for the reprocessing of spent fuel rods from commercial nuclear power reactors. Reprocessing refers generally to the processes necessary to separate spent nuclear reactor fuel into material that may be recycled for use in new fuel and material that would be discarded as waste. There are no commercial reprocessing facilities currently operating in the United States.
Establishing national nuclear waste management policy, which could include reprocessing, is the responsibility of Congress. The lead for implementation of that policy is the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE). Currently, DOE is continuing with its long-term research and development program that includes reprocessing technologies, with a goal of achieving a safe, proliferation-resistant, closed fuel cycle using fast-spectrum reactors.
The NRCs role is to license and regulate reprocessing facilities. No application for a commercial reprocessing facility is expected anytime soon. However, the NRC is aware that various industry vendors have been recently developing reprocessing strategies as part of an integrated fuel management strategy that includes research, development, and demonstration of advanced fuel utilization and recycling technologies. Therefore, in preparation for a potential future application, the agency conducted an analysis of its existing regulations for reprocessing and identified gaps that need resolution to effectively and efficiently license and regulate such facilities. The agency is working toward resolving these gaps.
I hope this information is useful to Mr. Stoan. If you need additional information, please contact me or the Office of Congressional Affairs at (301) 415-1776.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Mark A. Satorius Executive Director for Operations DISTRIBUTION:G20130897/LTR-13-0971 EDO r/f RidsEdoMailCenter Resource RidsSecyMailCenter Resource RidsOgcMailCenter Resource RidsOcaMailCenter Resource RidsNmssMailCenter Resource ADAMS ACCESSION NO: ML13364A265 OFFICE OEDO/CPM OGC OCA NMSS EDO NAME RRihm SLewman JWeil MLombard MSatorius DATE 1/27/14 1/23/14 1/22/14 1/16/14 1/29/14 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY