Nuclear Dangers Proliferate in Georgia

SAVANNAH, Georgia, June 3, 2004 (ENS) - The state of Georgia relies on nuclear energy for 27 percent of its electricity and is the location of four nuclear power reactors with seven more within 15 miles of its borders. Three environmental advocacy groups and a state senator said Wednesday that the plans by several regional utilities to add new nuclear plants puts the state and the region at greater risk of terrorism, nuclear accidents and water pollution.

"It is reckless to revitalize a dying industry on the shoulders of U.S. taxpayers, yet again," said Sara Barczak, safe energy director with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and co-author of a new report for policy makers to address the security, economic and environmental impacts of nuclear power reactors.

"Our report explains why nuclear power is no bargain for Georgia, no matter how it is evaluated - the environment, public health and national security all suffer because of this ill-advised technology."

At a press conference on the Savannah River, a resource threatened by activities at the sprawling Savannah River nuclear weapons facility, coastal leaders and organizations including State Senator Regina Thomas, Citizens for Environmental Justice, Center for a Sustainable Coast, and the Savannah Riverkeeper expressed their concerns.

Georgia State Senator Regina Thomas (Photo courtesy Ron Webber)

"Understanding and reducing the negative consequences of nuclear power and nuclear weapons on our region should be a top public health and environmental priority. This report helps move us in that direction," said Charlie Belin with the Savannah Riverkeeper.

"Radioactive contamination both on and off-site at the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons facility near Augusta is also a major concern for us including existing operations as well as proposals such as plutonium bomb fuel for commercial reactors," said Dr. Mildred McClain, executive director of Citizens for Environmental Justice.

The "plutonium bomb fuel" is the central feature of a plan by the the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and a private consortium, Duke COGEMA Stone & Webster, to dispose of surplus plutonium from nuclear weapons by converting the material into mixed oxide (MOX) fuel and using that fuel in commercial nuclear power reactors.

Most commercial nuclear fuel used in the United States contains uranium as the primary material used during the fission process. MOX fuel contains a mixture of plutonium and uranium oxides, with plutonium providing the primary fissile material.

Although 18 European reactors use MOX fuel, it is made from commercial grade plutonium, not weapons grade. Weapons grade plutonium MOX has never before been used in a reactor.

The Duke COGEMA Stone & Webster team is completing the final design of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility to be constructed at the DOE's Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina and Augusta, Georgia. Construction is scheduled to begin in December 2004.

The fuel fabricated at the Savannah River Site would be transported regionally and used in four nuclear power reactors operated by Duke Power in the area of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The reactors - Catawba 1 and 2 and McGuire 1 and 2 - were relicensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in December 2003.

MOX fuel assembly (Photo courtesy COGEMA)

The Nuclear Information and Resource Service, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, and Georgians Against Nuclear Energy, among others, claim the presence of weapons grade plutonium would create a terrorist target.

They contend that the MOX fabrication, transport and use in reactors not originally designed for MOX fuel is not safe.

So far, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has denied all of these petitions.

The Commission points out that MOX fuel fabrication and use is part of the ongoing U.S.-Russian Federation plutonium disposition program, a nuclear nonproliferation program.

The Savannah River Site Citizens Advisory Board has expressed additional concerns about the radioactive waste streams that are expected to be generated by the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility.

In a formal recommendation on January 20, 2004, the Citizens Advisory Board warned of a "total lack of coordination" between two agencies within the Department of Energy on the issue of treating and disposing of the radioactive waste generated by the MOX fuel program at Savannah River.

The two agencies at odds are DOE's Environmental Management (EM) and DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

The Citizens Advisory Board cites two letters to illustrate the confusion.

The Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management states in her letter of May 15, 2003 that "NNSA is responsible for managing and disposing of the radioactive waste generated by its programs."

DOE-NNSA states in its letter dated June 18, 2003 that "the DOE order assigns responsibility for ultimate disposal of waste to the Assistant Secretary for EM not NNSA."

Describing its attitude as "quite apprehensive," the Citizens Advisory Board says, "Such lack of responsibility assignment appears to represent inefficient and ineffective control of its program by DOE-HQ."

Waste streams from the Plutonium Disassembly and Conversion Facility and the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility at Savannah River Site will be treated in a facility called the Waste Solidification Facility. This facility is expected to cost about $58 million.

The Inspector General conducted an audit to determine whether DOE has a complete plan to dispose of waste generated from the Plutonium Disposition Program, which is managed by DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The audit report states that a complete disposal path for waste generated by the Waste Solidification Facility has not yet been developed.

The Inspector General's report identifies three waste streams being produced at WSB over the 13 year life of the facility - 819,000 gallons of liquid low-level waste, 5,200 drums of solid low-level waste, and 17,000 drums of solid transuranic waste.

The audit report further states that, beginning in 2007, DOE-NNSA proposes the three waste streams be transferred to DOE’s Environmental Management, which will subsequently treat or dispose of the waste.

The Inspector General report "gives credulity" to the Citizens Advisory Board's belief that DOE-NNSA "needs to be more open to and communicative with public stakeholders. In that respect, DOE-NNSA needs to amplify its efforts to have "give-and-take" communication with stakeholders where classification issues allow," the citizens group said.

On June 15, members of the public will have an opportunity to make their concerns about MOX known to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. An Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will hear brief oral public statements in Charlotte, North Carolina on Duke Energy’s request to the Commission to amend the operating license of the Catawba Nuclear Station to allow the use of four mixed oxide, or MOX, test assemblies.

Catawba Nuclear Power Plant (Photo courtesy NRC)

Any person who is not a party to the proceeding will be permitted to make an oral statement setting forth his or her position on matters of concern related to the proceeding. These statements do not constitute testimony or evidence, but may help the Board and/or the parties in their deliberations in connection with the issues.

An evidentiary hearing previously scheduled to commence on June 15 in Charlotte has been rescheduled for July 14 at the NRC Offices in Rockville, Maryland. At that hearing, the Board will receive testimony and exhibits and allow the cross-examination of witnesses on certain matters at issue in this proceeding.

People who have submitted a written request to make an oral limited appearance statement in Charlotte by 4:30 pm EDT on Monday June 7 will be given priority over those who have not. Requests to make an oral statement must be mailed, faxed or sent by e-mail to: Office of Secretary, Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001. Fax: 301-415-1101, verification 301-415-1966; Email: hearingdocket@nrc.gov

A copy of the written request to make a statement should also be sent to the Chairman of the licensing board at: Administrative Judge Ann Marshall Young, Atomic Safety & Licensing Board Panel, Mail Stop T-3F23, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555 - 0001. Fax: 301-415-5599, verification 301-415-7550; Email: AMY@nrc.gov