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Updated: May 3, 2026

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident
Published on: December 14, 2017
The growing problem of stranded used nuclear fuel
William M Alley1, Rosemarie Alley
1National Ground Water Association, 601 Dempsey Road, Westerville, Ohio 43081, United States.
Abstract:
By 2050, almost all U.S. nuclear reactors will have reached their 60 year maximum expected life. Many will shut down sooner. With no assurance that the current approach for finding a geologic repository or interim storage sites will succeed, used nuclear fuel could be stranded indefinitely at more than 70 sites in 35 states. Societal discussions about the future of nuclear waste should be framed in terms of the relative risks of all alternatives. We review and compare onsite storage, interim storage, and a geologic repository, as well as how these alternatives are presented to the public.
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