by John Hunter

Created on: May 15, 2008

The short answer to the question is yes. However, as a preliminary to this question another should be considered.

During his presidential term (1976-1980) Jimmy Carter banned the reprocessing of nuclear fuel as a policy matter, based on concerns regarding nuclear proliferation. Consequently there is no capability for processing commercial spent fuel in the U.S. today. Prior to considering whether the U.S. should accept foreign spent nuclear fuel for reprocessing the federal government needs to reverse this decision and promote the re-establishment of a processing capability through incentives to the nuclear industry. Understandably, any company with the ability to design, build and operate a fuel reprocessing plant will be extremely reluctant to stick its toe into these waters again without government guarantees that the government will not once again reverse itself.

However, for the sake of argument let us suppose that this obstacle does not exist, and that there is a capability and willingness to reprocess spent nuclear fuel in this country. Why would it be a good idea to accept foreign spent fuel for reprocessing?

First, the U.S. has no ability to stop other countries from developing commercial nuclear power. It will happen whether we like it or not and it will happen under the auspices of the U.N. through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In addition to the thirty plants now being proposed for our own country, thirty more in China, more in India, and to the looming prospect of a nuclear Iran and other mid east countries, even Brazil is considering its nuclear options. In the face of this nuclear renaissance and its attendant possibilities of an undesirable nuclear arms race, the U.S., by offering reprocessing services, can exercise considerable influence on nuclear material flows.

In fact, the U.S. would be a late comer to this game. France is currently providing these very services to Japan, and Russia is poised to provide them also to Iran. Even so, the most obvious advantage of limiting the capability to a few reliable suppliers is deterring rising nuclear countries from developing their own indigenous capability.

Second, the reason for reprocessing is to extend the fuel supply. "Spent fuel" is not really spent, because the amount of fissile material actually consumed is only a few percent of the total fuel element load. By storing spent fuel as waste a power producer denies himself access from up to 95% of its total available energy. The U.S.

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