Status and commercial potential of the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant

Technical Report · Wed Mar 28 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6481892

Bowsher, C A

In October 1981, President Reagan lifted the indefinite deferral on commercial reprocessing of nuclear spent fuel in the United States that the previous administration had established in 1977. This raised speculation that the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant - a privately owned, partially constructed reprocessing plant - could become operational. This report examines the status and the commercial potential of the plant. Three overall observations can be drawn from the information presented in the report. The potential for commercial reprocessing to develop in the United States is driven by economics in the private marketplace which is closely tied to the future role that nuclear power will have as a domestic energy source. Before private industry seriously considers starting another commercial reprocessing venture, nuclear industry representatives believe three issues associated with commercial reprocessing - the use of plutonium as a fuel source, an acceptable solidified high-level radioactive waste form, and guarantees against changes in federal policies - must be addressed. Technical assessments of the plant and GAO discussions with knowledgeable persons within and outside the government disclose no apparent fundamental problems that currently would prohibit the plant from operating when completed. A number of technical concerns and licensing issues need to be resolved, however, before the plant could operate as a commercial venture. In addition, the economic prospect for the plant as a commercial venture is not promising.

• Research Organization: General Accounting Office, Washington, DC (USA). Office of the Comptroller General
• OSTI ID: 6481892
• Report Number(s): GAO/RCED-84-21; ON: TI84901488
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
BARNWELL FUEL PROCESSING PLANT
COMMERCIALIZATION
ENERGY SOURCES
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPENT FUELS