Solving the Unsolvable: Nuclear Waste Solutions for the New Millennium
Managing spent fuel is one of the most significant challenges surrounding the use of nuclear energy. Although the technical means to build repositories exist, disposal attempts have often faced strong political and societal pushback. Many states are now acknowledging the urgency of the matter and considering multinational or national interim storage facilities until they construct a permanent repository. The Stimson Center and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Global Nuclear Future Initiative co-hosted a seminar on “Solving the Unsolvable: Nuclear Waste Solutions for the New Millennium.” Led by experts from academia, government, NGOs, and the nuclear industry, the panels and discussions examined the existing interim storage facility proposals as well as opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
9:00-9:15 AM
Opening Remarks by the Stimson Center and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences
Speakers:
Cindy Vestergaard, Stimson Center
Francesca Giovannini, American Academy of Arts & Sciences
9:15-10:45 AM
Panel Discussion: Nuclear Waste Management – Existing Proposals and Levels of Governance
Chair: Cindy Vestergaard, Stimson Center
Speakers:
Putting proposals into the global context
Carlyn Greene, UXC
Towards Regional Solutions to Nuclear Waste Management: Lessons Learned from Institutions around the World
Francesca Giovannini, American Academy of Arts & Sciences
Multilateral Interim Storage
Robert Rosner, University of Chicago
Current Multilateral Repository Initiatives
Charles McCombie, ARIUS Association
11:00-12:30 PM
Roundtable: Factors that might Advance Storage Solutions at the National or Multilateral level: Experiences from around the World
Chair: Robert Sloan, Tulane Law School
Speakers:
South Australia
Geordan Graetz
Canada
Tom Issacs, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Current Status of Taiwan's Storage/Disposal Plan
Yea-Jen Tseng, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology
Working on capacity building at national and regional level: NTI work in Asia
Andrew Newman, Nuclear Threat Initiative
12:30-1:30 PM
Lunch and Keynote Address: the Situation in the United States and Steps Forward
Introductory Remarks: Robert Rosner, Unviersity of Chicago
Speaker: Daniel B. Poneman, Centrus Energy Corp.
1:30-3:00 PM
Roundtable: Challenges and Possibilities Ahead
Chair: Jacqueline Kempfer, Stimson Center
Speakers:
New nuclear suppliers and spent fuel management
Mark Hibbs, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Cost of Geological Disposal: What are - could - should they be?
Charles McCombie and Neil Chapman, Arius Associate
The Role of ‘4S’ Nuclear Principles
Cindy Vestergaard, Stimson Center