As Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners plan to hold another hearing this week on their legislative-required study of nuclear energy development in the state, another state, Wyoming, just lost a nuclear project.
The kind of issues that prompted the loss are those that would also be faced, should Oklahoma make a decision to seriously attempt to develop nuclear power in the state. It also raises the question whether Corporation Commissioners are seriously paying attention to nuclear power issues in other states.
Radiant Industricts, a company pioneering mass-produced portable nuclear generators, pulled up stakes after being met with uncertainty in Natrona County which includes Casper as the county seat. The question that hung in the air and apparently prompted the company to decide to build at Oak Ridge, Tennessee was how to hand the storage of used fuel.
Radiant’s Wyoming proposal was to build portable nuclear generators to create reliable power for customers. The firm wanted to build the generators in Wyoming, use Wyoming-mined uranium and send the generators to customers. In turn, the generators would be returned to the factory when they needed refueling.
A Wyoming state law played a role in Radiant’s decision to drop its plans for the state. The law allows spent fuel to be stored only a operating sites, reported Oil City News.The State Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee met in July to discuss adding spent fuel storage for nuclear manufacturers, but ultimately tabled any decision. The board has not yet met again to further discuss the issue.
SOURCE: Oil City News
