Show Notes
The nuclear power sector is gaining a lot of momentum. But even as SMRs continue to flourish, the Department of Energy’s reactor pilot program moves forward, and decommissioned plants come back online, the question of what to do with nuclear waste has largely stayed out of the spotlight. The U.S. currently houses 90,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel; as more plants come online, that number could rise dramatically.
In this episode, Shayle speaks to Dr. Jen Shafer, a former ARPA-E director and current professor at the Colorado School of Mines, to learn more about waste itself, and how to dispose of — or recycle it — as the industry evolves.
The two cover topics like:
The physical and chemical composition of spent nuclear fuel
Short-term versus long-term hazards of waste
The stalled disposal site at Yucca Mountain in Nevada
Wet versus dry storage methods for nuclear waste
The strategies for managing the waste from advanced reactors
The “take back” model for managing microreactor waste
Resources
Catalyst: The path to market for new nuclear reactors
Catalyst: The US nuclear groundswell
Open Circuit: Inside Meta’s massive nuclear push
Open Circuit: Fear and loathing at the Department of Energy
Latitude Media: What TerraPower’s big milestone says about future nuclear projects
Latitude Media: Commonwealth Fusion Systems launches digital twin with Nvidia and Siemens
Latitude Media: Trump Media’s bizarre fusion play for TAE Technologies
Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor.
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Catalyst is brought to you by Antenna Group, the public relations and strategic marketing agency of choice for climate, energy, and infrastructure leaders. If you're a startup, investor, or global corporation that's looking to tell your climate story, demonstrate your impact, or accelerate your growth, Antenna Group's team of industry insiders is ready to help. Learn more at antennagroup.com.
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This is a partner episode, brought to you by Bloom Energy.
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