U.S. Nuclear Waste Pile Grows as Power Demands Surge
The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) shut down in 2013, leaving behind 3.55 million pounds of spent nuclear fuel in temporary storage. This fuel, along with that from seventy-nine other U.S. nuclear plants, is in limbo due to the lack of a permanent storage solution. Meanwhile, global power demands, particularly from data centers, are set to surge by 165 percent by 2030, potentially increasing the need for nuclear energy and, consequently, spent fuel.
Nuclear fuel recycling, which involves separating and reusing uranium and plutonium, is practiced commercially in France and Japan. However, both countries still grapple with storage challenges. In the U.S., previous attempts at commercial reprocessing were abandoned between 1966 and 1977. President Trump's 2025 executive order promotes nuclear power and recycling as a potential solution, but it lacks specific parameters for a permanent storage policy.
Currently, the U.S. focuses on finding a permanent geological repository for nuclear waste. Yucca Mountain is a proposed site, but political and technical hurdles have delayed its progress. As support and demand for nuclear energy grow, so will the accumulation of spent fuel in the next quarter-century, underscoring the urgent need for a robust, long-term storage strategy.
With increasing power demands and growing support for nuclear energy, the U.S. must address its spent nuclear fuel challenge. Recycling, while promising, needs clear guidelines and a permanent storage solution to ensure the safe and efficient management of this radioactive waste.
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