Maine Yankee and its Community Advisory Panel on Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage and Removal welcome news that the Storage & Transport Subcommittee of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future has accepted the CAP’s invitation to hold a meeting in Wiscasset. The meeting is scheduled for Aug. 10 with details to be announced.
In their July 5 letter to CAP Chair Marge Kilkelly, Subcommittee Co-Chairmen Richard Meserve and Phil Sharp said, “The subcommittee would very much like to hear the concerns and recommendations of the CAP, other officials and stakeholders, and members of the public.” The subcommittee’s focus is on issues related to interim storage and eventual transportation of spent nuclear fuel.
CAP Chair Marge Kilkelly said, “We are delighted and honored that the Storage and Transport Subcommittee has accepted the CAP’s invitation to come to Wiscasset to learn first hand about the unique circumstances of former reactor sites like Maine Yankee that continue to store spent nuclear fuel years after the end of plant decommissioning.
“We are prepared to explain to Commission members why it makes sense on a priority basis to move spent nuclear fuel from these sites to centralized interim storage. CAP members have been involved with the spent nuclear fuel issue for 13 years.
“We believe it is in the best interest of the industry, ratepayers, taxpayers and host communities to prioritize sites like Maine Yankee that no longer are home to operating plants. We believe our CAP and those at Connecticut Yankee and Yankee Rowe in Massachusetts have a unique experience and a community perspective that is an essential element which will help the Commissioners with their important work.”
Maine Yankee’s Chief Nuclear Officer Wayne Norton, who also chairs the national Decommissioning Plant Coalition representing single-unit shutdown reactor sites, and serves as president and CEO of Connecticut Yankee and Yankee Rowe said, “We are encouraged by the growing number of voices such as the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the National Conference of State Legislatures that are urging the priority removal of spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned reactor sites.
“This will reduce the number of sites storing spent nuclear fuel; relieve ratepayers of the financial burden of on-site storage at sites no longer producing electricity; and make these sites available for other useful purposes.”
Members of the DPC include Maine Yankee, Connecticut Yankee, Yankee Rowe, LaCrosse, in Wisconsin, and Rancho Seco in California.
On Jan. 29 U.S. Dept. of Energy Secretary Chu appointed the 15 member Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future “to provide recommendations for developing a safe, long-term solution to managing the Nation’s used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste.”
The Commission is charged with issuing an interim report within 18 months and a final report within two years.
For more information about Maine Yankee, Connecticut Yankee, Yankee Rowe and their community advisory boards go to www.3yankees.com. For information about the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future go to http://brc.gov.
