Son of Yucca: New Mexico Picks up Repository Baton Dropped by Nevada

[wtmusic]

Apparently the people of New Mexico, with two existing repositories, appreciate the economic benefits 1,000+ jobs will bring. Its above-ground storage is not as secure as Yucca, and with Areva as head contractor we're effectively outsourcing $billions to France - but it's better than what we got:

"An Areva-led team of companies has been selected by the Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance (ELEA) as its commercial partner for developing the concept of a consolidated used nuclear fuel storage facility in south-eastern New Mexico.

ELEA was created in 2006 by Eddy County, Lea County and the cities of Hobbs and Carlsbad to secure funding from the Department of Energy to site a used fuel recycling facility as well as an advanced recycling reactor under the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). However, ELEA announced in 2011 that it was interested in hosting an interim used fuel storage facility. Eleven companies or consortiums responded to ELEA's initial request for interest to develop the storage facility. In February 2012, ELEA issued an additional request for interest.

ELEA and Areva will now negotiate a memorandum of understanding to develop the contractual framework for moving forward with the potential development of an above-ground interim storage facility for used nuclear fuel at ELEA's site, which comprises some 390 hectares of land in Lea County, about 34 miles east of Carlsbad and 37 miles west of Hobbs."

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/WR-Areva_to_help_develop_US_storage_facility-0910125.html

[appal_jack]

1. 390 hectares is a small plot of land.

The nation's whole spent nuclear fuel supply to be stored & 'reprocessed' in an area of less 1,000 acres?

k&r,

-app

[FBaggins]

2. Volume has never really been an issue.

Some may think so, but they rarely understand what they're talking about.

[appal_jack]

3. Security IS an issue

I am open to hearing how the 390 acre tract can accommodate adequate perimeter defenses and environmental safeguards, including the multiple redundancies of each that are necessary to achieve true security, but this article does not even begin to cover the subject.

Surface storage of spent nuclear fuel makes for an attractive terrorist target. And Fukushima has certainly served as a warning about what can go wrong with surface storage due to natural catastrohes as well (not that this proposal includes storing waste on top of buildings as Fukushima so unwisely did, but still...)

-app