Reply #127: Finding a location for a dump is one of the biggest hurdles. [View All]

[Bdog]

www.enn.com/news/2004-01-02/s_11697.asp
Who pays?

In many cases it is unclear for how long nuclear waste is the liability of the firm causing it, and when the state takes over.

This makes it tough for utilities to calculate the cost, especially if the repositories are built in such a way that they have to be guarded for security reasons.

"It is difficult to give precise costs because France hasn't decided on a strategy on long-term waste management," said Yves le Bars, chairman of ANDRA, the national radioactive waste management agency in France, the E.U.'s biggest nuclear power.

"We say it will take between 15 billion to 25 billion euros (U.S.$18.9 billion to $31.4 billion) to build a repository, operate it and close it for the existing facilities," he said. This would cover high-level waste from France's 58 nuclear plants, assuming fuel would be reprocessed.

Finding a location for a dump is one of the biggest hurdles.