Question

A new nuclear waste disposal strategy announced by United States include- 

1. a “pilot interim store” will become operational in 2021 

2. a larger “full-scale interim store” will open be open by 2025 

3. an underground disposal facility to be established by 2048 to permanently dispose of the material. 

4. a new organisation will be established to manage the siting, development and operation of the future waste stores. 

Select the answer from the codes given below- 

(a) 1, 2 and 3 

(b) 2, 3 and 4 

(c) 1, 3 and 4 

(d) All of the above

Answer 1

Correct option: (d) All of the above

Explanation:

The schedule is meant to reduce the growth of the US government’s liabilities under the 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act, under which it was to begin taking spent reactor fuel from power companies in 1998. About 68,000 tonnes of used reactor fuel remains at 72 different power plant sites across the country, with the Department of Energy (DoE) reimbursing power companies the cost. The current production rate of spent fuel is 2,000 tonnes a year. The two interim facilities will accept used reactor fuel at a rate faster than this in order to reduce gradually the inventory at power companies.