Support for Utah nuke site wanes

Benjamin Grove

Monday, Dec. 12, 2005 | 9:22 a.m.

For weeks speculation has swirled around the comprehensive new national nuclear waste policy being drafted by the Energy Department, and for now, kept under wraps.

But nuclear power companies seem to know all about it -- enough at least, to know that they won't be needing that proposed temporary nuclear waste dump site in Utah, after all.

Seven nuclear companies have been investing in the Utah site for years, saying they need a place to dump their waste until the long-delayed, permanent repository at Yucca Mountain is built.

But last week, two of the seven utilities unexpectedly withdrew their support for the Utah site. Southern Co. pulled out entirely; Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy, a one-third partner in the project, froze any future investment.

Why the sudden change of heart? The two companies have had extensive meetings with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who opposes the Utah dump, it was revealed in a letter from Xcel to Hatch last week. But it's not clear what Hatch -- or perhaps, the Energy Department -- has been telling the company to convince it to drop its support for the Utah site.

In the letter to Hatch, Xcel President Richard Kelly said the company was "encouraged" by the Energy Department's new plan to use a new waste container system that "will simplify the design of Yucca and should accelerate the process for acceptance and removal of used fuel from Minnesota."

The letter also embraces the Energy Department's secretive new plan, calling it legislation that would promote a "new initiative to begin moving waste early in the next decade."

"We are also pleased to note that Congress seems well disposed to quickly consider such legislation upon introduction," Kelly wrote.

Support in Congress? For a plan that hasn't been made public yet? That's not a surprise, Nevada Nuclear Projects Agency Director Bob Loux said. The department won't unveil its plan until it is sure it has solid support in the House and Senate, Loux said.

The Xcel letter concludes with the company's promise to Hatch to maintain its investment freeze in the Utah site as long as there is progress on the other waste initiatives under discussion, including waste recycling and, notably, "federally sponsored interim storage."

In other words, people in high places have given reasonable assurance to Xcel that the company doesn't need to pay for the Goshute site because the government is pursuing a temporary federal dump site.

Where? At Yucca? Or some other site or sites?

The Energy Department won't say -- not publicly at least.

Benjamin Grove can be reached at (202) 662-7436 or at grove@lasvegassun.com.