Spent Nuclear Fuel Management: How centralized interim storage can expand options and reduce costs - A study conducted for the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future

The purpose of this study is to assist decision makers in evaluating the centralized interim<br>storage option. We explore the economics of centralized interim storage under a wide variety of<br>circumstances. We look at how a commitment to move forward with centralized interim storage<br>today could evolve over time. And, we evaluate the costs of reversing a commitment toward<br>centralized storage if it turns out that such a decision is later considered a mistake. We have not<br>conducted independent analysis of cost elements, drawing instead on the work of others, but we<br>compare and contrast these other cost studies to gain an appreciation of the uncertainties. While<br>we conduct many analyses, our purpose is not to provide a single value or estimate of the<br>incremental costs/savings of centralized storage. Instead, we present analyses to inform decision<br>makers of the nature of costs under a wide range of circumstances. We find that the risks and<br>benefits of today_s decision are asymmetric: a centralized interim storage facility could prove<br>invaluable, but under other circumstances the downside is relatively modest_if the facility is not<br>needed total expenditures can be limited.