If it's Thursday it must be Trash Day.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission puts a hold on new reactor construction and licensing renewals. This is a result of a recent court ruling that questioned the NRC's plans for storing radioactive waste.
This action will delay at least 19 requests by utilities for new operating licenses or license renewals. This includes the plans here in Missouri by Ameren for license renewal of the current nuclear reactor at Callaway Plant #1 and the recently touted SMR's, small reactor project a joint effort by Ameren-Westinghouse.
Environmental groups have been working to seek this delay after the June ruling that basically said that the NRC's plans for long-term storage of radioactive waste at individual reactors were insufficient.
The ruling was in response to a lawsuit by New York's attorney general and others over a relicensing application for the Indian Point nuclear plant along the Hudson River.
We will see if this makes any difference and whether action will be taken to find permanent long-term storage for the nuclear waste that has already been generated. It's a political football that has been kicked around for a long time and the football still looks like its got enough air in it to stand further kicking so we shall see what happens.
At least for now we have a short reprieve on the building of new nuclear reactors and license renewals.
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