ECA Update December 31, 2020 Premature Nuclear Reactor Retirements Could Effect Nuclear Waste Disposal

Image View this email in your browser ECA UPDATE Dec 31, 2020 FEATURED NUCLEAR WASTE Premature Nuclear Reactor Retirements Could Effect Nuclear Waste Disposal Forbes | 12/29/2020 Nuclear power has accounted for 20% of electricity generated in the U.S. each year since 1990. But even with climate concerns and a worldwide movement to reduce CO2 emissions, the market is not rewarding nuclear power’s zero-carbon generation nor its unrivaled reliability. More than a quarter of U.S. nuclear power plants don’t make enough money to cover their operating costs, raising the threat of more early retirements. Continue reading >> Follow the latest DOE budget updates with ECA's budget tracker Image Monitor DOE spending bills, detailed site budgets, and more. Find everything you need to know about the DOE budget here! HAPPY NEW YEARS FROM ECA Image NATIONAL LABS Los Alamos National Laboratory may get boost in nuclear funding Santa Fe New Mexican | 12/29/2020 Los Alamos National Laboratory will get a hefty funding boost — including for its work on plutonium pit production — in the military spending bill held up by a presidential veto. Many predict the veto will be overridden, and if it is, the lab’s budget will increase to $3.3 billion from the $2.3 billion allocated last year. The bill puts $837 million into the lab’s plutonium operations, more than double the previous year’s $308 million, as Los Alamos pursues production of 30 nuclear bomb cores by 2026 — a goal critics have questioned. Plans call for the Savannah River Site in South Carolina to make an additional 50 plutonium pits by 2030, so the two facilities will produce a combined 80 pits per year as stated in the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. Continue reading >> TRANSPORTATION New Mexico Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation Symposium NEI | 12/31/2020 Join NEI’s free webinar, "New Mexico Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation Symposium," where you will have the opportunity to engage industry experts regarding spent fuel transportation in New Mexico. The U.S. nuclear industry is anticipating the completion of consolidated interim storage facilities in New Mexico and Texas with the ability to receive spent nuclear fuel as early as 2024. As the U.S. prepares for the transportation of the spent fuel, this symposium provides an opportunity for New Mexico elected officials, state and local first responders, emergency management, as well as state regional and tribal organizations to engage industry experts and join the ongoing conversation. Continue reading >> Image IN OTHER NEWS NUCLEAR IAEA Highlights and Achievements in 2020 – a Year in Review (IAEA, 12/30/2020) LEGISLATION Rep. Burgess introduces American Nuclear Leadership Commission Act (Daily Energy Insider, 12/29) NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT Dems delay defense bill over stimulus check fight with McConnell (Politico, 12/30) LEGISLATION McConnell and GOP reject House's $2,000 stimulus checks (Politico, 12/30) UPCOMING EVENTS Sept. 8-10, 2021 National Cleanup Workshop; Alexandria, VA ECA PUBLICATIONS Read about DOE's High Level Waste Interpretation Have questions about DOE’s recent high-level waste (HLW) interpretation? Download ECA’s Key Points and FAQs on the issue to better understand what ECA believes are the potential benefits of implementation. ECA's Key Points on DOE HLW Interpretation ECA's FAQs on DOE HLW Interpretation Interested in learning more? Read the ECA report “Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High Level Waste Definition” at www.energyca.org/publications ECA BULLETIN Stay Current on Activities in the DOE World Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities, legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org. View current and previous editions of the ECA Bulletin at www.energyca.org/bulletin DOE SITE PROFILES Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local governments. Access your community's profile by visiting: www.energyca.org/site-profiles DOE Site Proflies Energy Communities Alliance 1625 Eye St., NW Suite 800 Washington DC 20006 U