U.S. Demand Grows for Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Demand is increasing for storage facilities to hold spent nuclear fuel, due to the lack of policies regarding long-term storage, as well as U.S. political and environmental issues.

Because of these issues, on-site, dry-cask storage facilities at nuclear power plants will continue to grow, which is good news for companies that specialize in this type of project.

Worldwide, nuclear power generation produces about 20,000 cubic meters of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, and about 10,000 cubic meters of high-level radioactive waste.

Used nuclear fuel rods are considered high-level waste; examples of intermediate-level waste include resins, chemical sludge and metal fuel cladding, and contaminated materials from nuclear plants. Low-level waste is generated from hospitals, industry and nuclear plants, comprising rags, tools, clothing and filters that contain small levels short-lived radioactivity.

A typical 1,000-megawatt (MW) nuclear light-water reactor will generate about 200 to 350 cubic meters of low- and intermediate-level waste per year, and 20 cubic meters of used fuel per year. Spent fuel is cooled initially for several years at on-site fuel pools; after it is cooled sufficiently, it is moved to dry cask storage.

About 70% of spent nuclear fuel is in wet storage (fuel pools), with the balance in dry-storage facilities. A recent report by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee indicates the number of spent fuel dry casks will exceed 10,000 by 2050 in the U.S. alone.

Currently, Industrial Info is tracking eight dry-cask capital projects in North America, which are valued at more than $233 million.

Dry-cask storage companies, such as Holtec International (Jupiter, Florida), AREVA TN (Charlotte, North Carolina), a division of AREVA North America (Charlotte), and NAC International (Norcross, Georgia) are continuously improving their nuclear spent fuel storage technology through research and development, in order to address the needs and safety of the nuclear industry.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.