USA

The USA has 104 reactors in operation and one under construction. Together they generate around 20 percent of total electricity production.

At Hanford (Washington State), the DOE (Department of Energy) operates several interim storage facilities for low- and intermediate-level waste and long-lived intermediate-level waste. There are also decentralised storage facilities at 72 reactor sites in 33 states.

For low- and intermediate-level waste, there are both state-operated (currently five facilities) and non-state-run disposal facilities (four closed, four in operation).

The Yucca Mountain tuff site was approved by Congress for disposal of high-level waste. However, the government has chosen not to pursue this option and has set up a commission to investigate alternative strategies by 2012.

There is a repository for transuranic military waste (WIPP) at Carlsbad (New Mexico).

Further information:
 

www.epa.gov (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
www.energy.gov/environment/ocrwm.htm (Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management)
www.nrc.gov (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
www.wipp.carlsbad.nm.us (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant)

Photographs available for downloading at «Image Gallery» on the OCRWM website.