Issue Summary
Nuclear energy is a key component of the nation’s energy mix. It accounts for about 20% of the electricity generated in the United States and about half of its carbon-free electricity. As our nation’s demand for energy is expected to grow in the coming decades, policymakers have supported the continued operations of existing nuclear power plants and the development of new plants.
A Nuclear Power Plant with Cooling Towers and Related Facilities
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Source: Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have key responsibilities related to nuclear energy. Specifically, DOE seeks to advance nuclear energy through research and development activities. It is also responsible for siting, building, and operating a geologic repository to dispose of high-level nuclear waste. The NRC licenses nuclear power plants, certifies designs, and oversees their safe operation and security.
However, both DOE and NRC could better address key issues related to nuclear energy research and development, safety and security, and waste management.
For instance:
- Funding. DOE has provided billions of dollars to support research to develop advanced nuclear energy technologies, such as small modular reactors and microreactors. But DOE could do more to ensure that it is consistently using key practices to effectively oversee such projects.
- Staffing. As industry continues to develop advanced nuclear technologies, NRC expects to see a significant increase in the number of applications for advanced reactors in the coming years. NRC has begun updating its regulations and processes to include these reactors but has had difficulty hiring and retaining the staff needed to license them.
- Nuclear Waste. Commercial spent nuclear fuel—radioactive waste generated by nuclear power plants—can pose serious risks to humans and the environment. DOE is responsible for disposing of commercial spent nuclear fuel at a permanent geologic repository but has yet to build such a facility. As a result, more than 90,000 metric tons of this waste is being stored at nuclear power plants across the country in spent fuel pools or dry casks. Meanwhile, the federal government has paid billions in damages to utilities for failing to dispose of this waste and may potentially have to pay tens of billions more in coming decades.
- Safety. NRC’s oversight process includes addressing safety risks at commercial nuclear power plants. However, NRC doesn't fully consider the risks from climate change. For example, NRC mostly uses historical data to identify and assess safety risks, rather than data from future climate projections.
Spent Nuclear Fuel Pool (Left) and Spent Nuclear Fuel Dry Casks (Right)
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Source: Nuclear Regulatory Commission
