United States nuclear policy after Fukushima crises

United States nuclear policy after Fukushima nuclear crises

Brief details about  United States nuclear policy

While the U.S. has more private sector participation in the production civil nuclear power than any other nation, the government is heavily involved through safety and environmental regulations, R&D funding, and setting national energy goals .

The commitment to nuclear power as part of the U.S.’s long term energy policy strategy continuous with Obama administration, but there has been a reduction in some nuclear programs as result of greater emphasis on alternative source.

This disposal and storage high level waste remain a major un resolved issue. The government remains more involved in commercial nuclear power than any other industry in U.S. There are lengthy detailed requirements for construction and operation of all reactors and conversion, enrichment, full fabrication. Mining and milling operations. The review process preceding the construction of new reactors can take 3-5 years. The U.S. government, though its own research  laboratories and projects at university and industrial facilities is main source of funding for advanced reactor and fuel cycle research. It also to provide incentives for building new plants through loan guarantees and tax credits, although owners have to raise their own capital. U.S. domestic energy policy is also closely linked to foreign, trade and defense policy on such matters as mitigating climate change and nuclear non-proliferation (of weapons).

As on January 2010 the nuclear regulatory commission (NRC) was reviewing 13 applications for combined construction and operating licenses( COLs)  to build 22 new reactors as well as for application for design certification for reactors.

State and local governments  also have a major impact on frame work and economics of nuclear power industries . De regulation  of electricity prices in some states in 1990 led greater concentration.

In February 2002, DOE announced nuclear power 2010 program a government industry, cost shared partnership to spur new construction of advanced current generation ( generation 111)  plants. The program provided matching funds for preparation of license application and encouraged the industry to make use  expedited licensing procedures, such as combined and construction and operating license(COL) process in seeking approvals from NRC. This initiative led to formation several utility consortia , formed to put together  proposals to receive matching funds for advanced plant application under COL process.

The Obama  administration FY 2010 budget request drastically reduced funding for nuclear power 2010 program with only 20 million dollars requested fiscal year versus 177.5 million dollars fiscal 2009. The budget cut brought U.S. congress which has final word on appropriations  allotted 105 million dollars FY 2010.

While the broad out lines of U.S. nuclear policy on matter such as energy independence and controlling carbon emissions remains same as each new administration brings shift in policy.


U.S. nuclear policy after Fukhushima  nuclear crises.

On March 11, 2011 a magnitude of earthquake and subsequent tsunami  hit Japan severely damaging cooling systems at Fukhushima nuclear reactors. Radiation leaks have led to an evacuation zone, a no-go area and traces radiation reaching east coast of U.S. The facts and developments reported in media continue to change until full scope and latest information of Fukhushima nuclear crises understood, it will be unclear which lessons the U.S.should learn from this nuclear disaster. In mean time there is issue of disposal of nuclear waste.

As  Japanese authorities continue their efforts to get back the nuclear reactors Fukhusima  Daiichi, questions are being raised the future of nuclear energy in United States. Making broad policy decision before Fakhushuma crises is fully analyzed risks enacting reforms that do advance safety and create unnecessary  barriers or creating hurdles to American nuclear power.

Only two months after earthquake  and tsunami, facts are changing and information difficult to verify. U.S.authorities  don’t have necessary technical data how calamity happened in Japan to reform American nuclear industry.

The U.S. has an effective multifaceted regulatory regime that had already addressed many of mistakes and difficult situations that Fukushima seem to have exposed including earthquake and tsunami preparedness and necessary modifications to aged reactors to meet new evolving safety guide lines. On the other hand the accident should raise objections about  America’ s lack of nuclear waste disposal plan.

Earthquakes and tsunamis

While building nuclear reactor that withstand earthquake and tsunami is a new issue to Americans, but U.S.nuclear industry and NRC have enough geological data to face such nuclear crises.

U.S. nuclear regulatory commission mandate that  the most powerful earthquakes ever  recorded for their nuclear plant sites but also withstand most powerful earthquake that geologists think possible for each site.

Current Fukushima earthquake and tsunami under the strict scrutiny and NRC may issue new guide lines in due course.

Further policy makers must recognize reactors owners are highly motivated to maintain safety precautions better preparedness to ensure public safety. Under current U.S. policy the plant operators set to enforce high safety standards - and allow nuclear reactor owner to decide and take necessary steps to avoid radiation leakage and how best to meet them. 

The Mark 1 containment

According to the nuclear energy institute 23 U.S. boiling water reactors share same basic  containment design the Mark 1, as the Fukushima reactors in Japan. The history of Mark 1 containment design in the U.S. is a testament to the effectiveness of American system of nuclear regulation for maintaining public health and safety problems,

The industry responded by forming a Mark 1 reactor owner group to determine how to change the design to address safety concerns, the plants were modified accordingly.

To supply off-site power and water to reactors and fuel pool have been developed in the event of on site power is lost. Hardened containment venting has been added to every plant to ensure that pressure can be safely released from containment should there be system break down.

Nuclear fuel

The problem with spent fuel pools at Fukhushima  high light one area where  policy need reviewed and up dated. Japan in sufficiently prepared to respond to loss of water in the used fuel pools. The loss of water allowed some of used fuel rods to be exposed which resulted increase in radio active releases and additional problems to plant operators. While actual causes may be known later, it seems some water may have been lost during earthquake and that pool integrity was likely compromised during hydrogen explosions. Radiation then spiked as a result of rods being exposed, making emergency response very difficult.

It is unlikely that such a chain events could occur  in U.S. nuclear power plants due to action taken after post 9/11, the U.S. nuclear industry has carried out additional safety precautions against explosions and accidental fires.

In Japan, France or U.S. used fuel is removed from reactors once in 18 to 24 months. Once the fuel is removed it is placed into used fuel pools for further cooling. After 5 years most advanced nuclear nations reprocess fuel again , whereas the 1982 U.S. policy act as amended, mandates that federal government dispose of commercial nuclear waste by placing it in respiratory at Yucca Mountain , Nevada. But federal government defaulted their regulation. The Obama administration exacerbated the situation by attempting to Yucca program without proposing any alternatives to dispose plan for used fuel.

Result U.S. power plants are being forced to collect most spent fuel in pools than they were ever engineered to hold. The federal  regulators at NRC license commercial nuclear facilities and operators , develop regulations, and provide over sight and enforcement of these regulations. This process is supplemented by private regulation. After Three Mile Island accident, the nuclear industry created the institute  for nuclear power operations (INPO) a non-profit, independent private organization that promotes safety and reliability at nuclear power plants. INPO also provides technical and management assistance nuclear industry.

It is suggested president and congress insist NRC finish and review to construct and operate used fuel repository at Yucca Mountain.

Lessons have already emerged  from Fukhushima that can help guide U.S. policy makers clearly Americas approach to nuclear waste management. Simultaneously an early comparison of U.S. and Japanese approaches to safety at commercial nuclear power plants will give better  picture about the nuclear industry in U.S and its policy.