When Nuclear Plants Close: Challenges for U.S. Reactor Decommissioning

Clearwater and other organizations host “When Nuclear Plants Close: Challenges for U.S. Reactor Decommissioning”

Thursday, October 15, 10 am – 3 pm

New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 46th St., New York, NY

In the next decades most of the currently-operating U.S. nuclear power reactors are anticipated to close for aging, safety and economic reasons. This trend has already begun with San Onofre Nuclear Generating Stations in Southern California, Kewaunee in Wisconsin, Vermont Yankee in Vermont, and Crystal River in Florida. Decommissioning more than one hundred nuclear reactors will bring serious challenges for state governments and impacted communities.

Among those challenges: limited experience with reactor decommissioning in the United States; lack of consensus between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), reactor operators, States, and the public on adequate protection from residual radiation; absence of a geologic repositories to receive spent nuclear fuel; and insufficient funds set aside for decommissioning.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, and the New York Society for Ethical Culture seek to raise awareness of the significant public health, environmental, societal and financial challenge of decommissioning, now and in the coming decades, and identify sound and just paths forward.

To view the complete conference agenda, click the link below:

http://www.clearwater.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Decommissioning-Conference-FINAL-agenda-15-Oct-2015.pdf

To register to attend the event, click the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1yzmtf0GBlaznD2ucxrP5-sGId-Hok2eWIk2pyVqc3ds/viewform