Advancing Technology for Nuclear Fuel Recycling: What Should Our Research, Development and Demonstration Strategy Be?

Opening Statement By Chairman Bart Gordon

Good morning and welcome to today’s hearing to explore the policy questions and the research, development and demonstration needs associated with recycling our spent nuclear fuel.

I would like to welcome our expert panelists who will discuss the ongoing RD&D activities in the federal government, private sector and around the globe, and help us understand the safety, environmental, security and economic issues related to the adoption of a nuclear reprocessing strategy.

I am supportive of nuclear power, as I believe it is part of the solution to the daunting challenge of climate change, and I also recognize that our 104 operating reactors provide very reliable baseload power.

To me, the best reason to consider reprocessing is that an expansion of nuclear power may make the once-through fuel cycle inadequate for maintaining our nuclear power supply as uranium resources eventually become scarce.

There are near-term technologies available for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel that could be deployed in the United States relatively quickly, but there are some well-documented concerns raised about this strategy. I am also aware of ongoing research in more advanced technologies that could address the nuclear fuel cycle issues we face today.

While reprocessing of spent fuel allows us to extract more energy from the given supply of natural uranium, it raises concerns about increased costs for waste management and the proliferation of weapons-grade materials.

I am hopeful that today’s discussion will shed some light on the various benefits, challenges and risks that we must address before adopting a long-term nuclear recycling strategy.

Again, I would like to thank the witnesses for their participation today and I look forward to your testimony. Thank you.

Witnesses

Panel

0 - Dr. Mark Peters
Deputy Associate Laboratory Director Argonne National Laboratory Argonne National Laboratory
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0 - Dr. Alan S. Hanson
Executive Vice President for Technology and Used Fuel Management Areva, Inc. Areva, Inc.
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0 - Ms. Lisa Price
Senior Vice President GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Chief Executive Officer Global Nuclear Fuel GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Chief Executive Officer Global Nuc
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0 - Dr. Charles D. Ferguson
Philip D. Reed Senior Fellow for Science and Technology Council on Foreign Relations Council on Foreign Relations
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