The State of Idaho and the U.S. Department of Energy have agreed to a targeted waiver of the 1995 Settlement Agreement. The agreement established milestones to remove legacy waste at the Idaho National Laboratory site while allowing nuclear energy research and development at the lab.
According to a news release from the Governor’s Office, the waiver will enable critical research on a high burn up nuclear fuel cask from a commercial nuclear power plant. This research will provide data to support licensing for the extended storage of spent fuel at 54 nuclear power plants in 28 states.
The waiver enables The Idaho National Laboratory to address a national need not envisioned when the Settlement Agreement was established three decades ago, while supporting the national commitment to energy independence.
Officials say the research will help sustain the current U.S. nuclear reactor fleet, which produces nearly 20% of the nation’s electricity, and reinforces Idaho’s critical role in supporting the U.S. nuclear industry.
