Decommissioning: A New Era in the U.S. Nuclear Power Industry

The briefing highlights the risks associated with the accelerating shutdown of the U.S. civilian nuclear fleet, specifically criticizing the role of private decommissioning companies like Holtec and NorthStar. It argues that these firms prioritize profit by dismantling plants quickly and using inadequate dry storage canisters for spent nuclear fuel. The document warns that the push for consolidated interim storage (CIS) sites in New Mexico and Texas is a dangerous substitute for a permanent geologic repository, potentially leading to thousands of hazardous waste shipments across 43 states and the District of Columbia. It calls for a science-based national plan and stricter NRC regulation to ensure long-term waste stewardship and public safety.

• Private decommissioning companies, specifically Holtec and NorthStar, are acquiring closed nuclear plants to maximize profits by dismantling them quickly and using dry storage canisters that may not be suitable for the required durations.
• High burn-up fuel (HBF), which constitutes approximately 40% of spent nuclear fuel at U.S. reactors, is more radioactive and thermally hotter than conventional fuel, making it more dangerous to handle, transport, and store.
• The pursuit of consolidated interim storage (CIS) sites in New Mexico and Texas is criticized as a 'de facto permanent storage' solution that lacks the protections of a geologic repository and could lead to nuclear proliferation risks through waste reprocessing.
• The implementation of CIS would necessitate thousands of radioactive waste shipments via truck, train, and barge across 43 states and the District of Columbia, potentially impacting 87% of Congressional districts.
• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is accused of facilitating expedited decommissioning by granting waivers and exemptions from safety regulations, particularly regarding Holtec's thin-walled dry storage canisters.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (n.d.). Decommissioning: A New Era in the U.S. Nuclear Power Industry. https://www.eesi.org/files/Backgrounder_-_Decommissioning_-_A_New_Era_in_the_U.S_._Nuclear_Power_Industry_.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Decommissioning: A New Era in the U.S. Nuclear Power Industry. n.d. https://www.eesi.org/files/Backgrounder_-_Decommissioning_-_A_New_Era_in_the_U.S_._Nuclear_Power_Industry_.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Decommissioning: A New Era in the U.S. Nuclear Power Industry |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/Backgrounder_-_Decommissioning_-_A_New_Era_in_the_U.S_._Nuclear_Power_Industry_.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitutenddecommissioning, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Decommissioning: A New Era in the U.S. Nuclear Power Industry}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/Backgrounder_-_Decommissioning_-_A_New_Era_in_the_U.S_._Nuclear_Power_Industry_.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }