The letter also follows last week’s release of a report by a bipartisan group of experts recommending a new solution for managing domestic nuclear waste—one that centers around the foundation of an independent corporation led by reactor owners.
Quote: “As DOE develops a recommended national policy on spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste management, we encourage you to take an important step to reestablish a single-purpose office to manage the spent nuclear fuel program, outside of the Office of Nuclear Energy and with a direct reporting relationship to your office. This is consistent with existing law and will help ensure the priorities for restoring an active nuclear waste management program remain in focus,” the letter states.
Growing liability: Reps. Levin and Pfluger note that, by DOE estimates, there remains a financial liability of between $38.6 billion and $44.3 billion for the continued management of commercial SNF, and of $23 billion for the DOE’s own legacy high-level waste and SNF. This is on top of the $12.2 billion already paid out for the government’s failure to find a SNF management solution.
“We recognize that legislative action will likely be necessary to restore a workable, long-term spent fuel management program, and we stand ready to work in Congress and with the administration to achieve this,” the letter reads.
Other efforts: Levin, whose district includes the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, also introduced the bipartisan Nuclear Waste Administration Act of 2024, which would modernize the U.S. nuclear waste management program by establishing an independent Nuclear Waste Administration to manage the country’s nuclear waste.
In 2021, Levin, along with then Rep. Rodney Davis (R., Ill.), helped form the bipartisan Spent Nuclear Fuel Solutions Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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