Spent Fuel Prioritization Act of 2025
The Spent Fuel Prioritization Act of 2025 would amend the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to change how the federal government decides the order in which it accepts high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel from civilian nuclear power reactors for disposal or storage. The bill directs the Secretary of Energy to prioritize waste shipments based on four criteria: (1) whether the reactor is decommissioned or decommissioning, (2) the population size of the area where the reactor is located, (3) the earthquake hazard in that area, and (4) a national security risk relating to continued storage in that area. The tallest priority is given to decommissioned reactors, with other factors guiding the order among remaining waste. The assessment of earthquake risk relies on Seismic Hazard Maps from the USGS, and the national security assessment would involve consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security. In short, the bill would reshape the sequence of waste acceptance to favor decommissioned plants and/or areas with larger populations, higher earthquake risk, or greater national security concerns, rather than using the current scheduling framework alone.
Key Points
- 1Adds a new priority framework to Section 302(a) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, creating a formal, multi-factor ranking for accepting civilian reactor waste.
- 2Priority factors include: (A) decommissioned or decommissioning status; (B) area population size; (C) area earthquake hazard (as per USGS Seismic Hazard Maps); (D) national security risk related to continued storage in the area (to be determined in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security).
- 3The highest priority is given to decommissioned or decommissioning reactors; other criteria serve to rank remaining waste shipments.
- 4Uses USGS seismic hazard data to define earthquake risk and requires interagency consultation to assess security concerns.
- 5The bill does not specify funding, timelines, or limits on shipments, but it would influence how the Secretary orders acceptance of high-level waste and spent fuel.