Reprocessing Spent Fuel From Nuclear Power Plants: Is it a Viable Process for the United States?

2. Reprocessing Spent Fuel From Nuclear Power Plants:Is it a Viable Process for the United States? By Tony Ohe Department of Environmental Analysis and Design University of California, Irvine Faculty Sponsor: Joseph DiMento, Ph.D., J.D. Department of Urban and Regional Planning University of California, Irvine

3. Introduction • California’s energy crisis is an indicator that the electrical industry is up for a change.

4. Electricity Production U.S. Department of Energy, Annual Energy Review 1999

5. Importing Electricity

6. Carbon Dioxide U.S Department of Energy, Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 1998, DOE/EIA-0573(98) (Washington, DC, October 1999). http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/tbles1.html

7. Global Warming Gases U.S. Department of Energy, Annual Energy Review 1999

8. Carbon Dioxide by Fuel U.S. Department of Energy, Annual Energy Review 1999

9. Electricity Production by Fuel U.S. Department of Energy, Annual Energy Review 1999

10. 2001 National Energy Policy • Expand nuclear energy generation. • Encourage relicensing of nuclear power plants. • Assess the potential of nuclear energy to improve air quality. • Use best science to provide deep geologic repository. • Develop reprocessing and fuel technologies. National Energy Policy Development Group. May 2001. http://www.energy.gov/HQPress/releases01/maypr/energy_policy.htm

11. Nuclear energy Projection Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels, International Nuclear Model, PC version - April, 2000

12. Cumulative Spent Fuel in Storage U.S. Department of Energy, Spent Nuclear Fuel Discharges from U.S. Reactors 1994. Washington, D.C.. February 1996

13. Location of Spent Fuel U.S. Department of Energy, Spent Nuclear Fuel Discharges from U.S. Reactors 1994. Washington, D.C.. February 1996

14. What is Going to Happen to Spent Fuel? Photos from : The Yucca Mountain Project: http://www.ymp.gov/

15. The Research • The research looks at reprocessing as a alternative to long-term storage of spent fuel. • Two questions: 1. Would the U.S. society accept reprocessing? 2. What are the environmental implications of reprocessing?

16. How is the Research Being Conducted? • Would the U.S. society accept reprocessing? • Written survey of the population • What are the environmental implications? • Literature review • In-progress

17. Reprocessing Reprocessing is a processes in which spent fuel is recycled for reuse in nuclear reactors. PUREX Reprocessing technique used by the U.S. for nuclear weapons production. Thermal-Oxide Repressing (THOR) A new technology that is currently being used at the Thermal-Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) in Sellafield, England.

18. Question 1 • Would the U.S. society accept reprocessing? • Written survey of the population

19. Methods Participants N = 157 Mean Age: 20.02 Gender: M: 35.7% F: 63.7% Sample of Convenience

20. Methods Measure The survey consists of questions covering the following 9 areas: • General information about the nuclear energy industry • Trust • Safety • Environmental ethics • Economics • Environmental knowledge • Security • Perceptions of nuclear energy • Approval rate for reprocessing

21. Procedures • Individuals volunteered to take a written survey pertaining to Nuclear Energy. • They were given up to 1 ½ hours to complete the survey that consisted of a total of 119 questions. • The survey consisted of both open ended and closed ended questions.

22. Results • An in-depth analysis of the data is still in-progress. • I will present some basic statistics of the results.

23. Should the U.S. be Involved in Nuclear Energy? Q8

24. How Many Nuclear Accidents have Occurred Within the U.S.? Q32

25. Belief that a Nuclear Facility Would Communicate to the Public in an Open and Truthful Manner if it Encountered Problems Q5

26. Are Nuclear Power Plants Safe? Q42

27. Belief that Something Should be Done to Stop Global Warming Q66

28. Would be Willing to Pay Higher Electric Prices to Stop Global Warming Q24

29. Low Medium Low Neutral Medium High High Understanding of Greenhouse Gases Produced from Power Plants Response Options Q57-62

30. How Much Environmental Damage do Power Plants Cause? Q74-79 Low ----- Neutral ----- High

31. Can the U.S. Safely Secure? Q55 Q68

32. Approval Rate for PUREX Reprocessing Q82

33. How Close Would You be Willing to Live Near a PUREX Facility? Q82.5

34. Approval Rate for THOR Reprocessing Q86

35. How Close Would You be Willing to Live Near a THOR Facility? Q86.5

36. Discussion • There is a general lack of knowledge about the nuclear energy industry. • Contrary to U.S. Policy prior to 2001 to restrict reprocessing, the public would approve commercializing Thermal-Oxide Reprocessing based on the assumption that it would not damage the environment. • However, they would not approve current U.S. reprocessing techniques.

37. Research Limitations • This research gives a general implication. • To provide more externally valid results, a wider subject pool is required. • More detailed statistical analysis of the data is required to reveal any correlations between the variables.

38. Acknowledgments Faculty Sponsor: Joseph DiMento, Ph.D., J.D. Department of Urban and Regional Planning University of California, Irvine Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program University of California, Irvine

39. Questions ?