Dry Cask Storage Act

To require that spent nuclear fuel be stored in certified dry cask storage, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Dry Cask Storage Act 2. Dry cask spent nuclear fuel storage (a) Required designation The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall establish a procedure to require designation of spent nuclear fuel contained in storage pools as qualified to be placed in dry cask storage when the fuel has cooled sufficiently to permit such storage method. (b) Fuel currently in pools As soon as practicable, but not later than 15 years after the date of enactment of this Act, all spent nuclear fuel that is contained in storage pools as of such date of enactment and qualified to be placed in dry cask storage shall be moved to dry casks certified by the Commission. (c) Disposition Except as provided in subsection (b), not later than 1 year after fuel is designated by the Commission pursuant to subsection (a) as qualified to be placed in dry cask storage— (1) such fuel shall be moved from storage pools and placed in certified dry casks; and (2) such casks shall, to the extent the Commission considers appropriate after conducting a cost-benefit analysis, be stored temporarily in hardened onsite storage facilities. (d) Costs of compliance The Secretary of Energy shall determine the costs required for compliance with subsection (b) or (c) by the owner of spent nuclear fuel, and shall reduce by that amount the amount due from that owner pursuant to section 302 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 ( 42 U.S.C. 10222 (e) Annual status reports The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall require each facility storing spent nuclear fuel to submit to the Commission an annual report describing— (1) the total amount of spent fuel stored onsite, whether in storage pools, dry casks, hardened onsite storage facilities, or some other storage method; (2) how much of the fuel is stored using each method of storage; and (3) how much of the fuel has been moved from one storage method or location to another during the past year. (f) Regulations Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall issue regulations for carrying out this Act.

Summary: Dry Cask Storage Act - Directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to establish a procedure to require the designation of spent nuclear fuel contained in storage pools as qualified to be placed in dry cask storage when the fuel has cooled sufficiently to permit it. Requires all spent nuclear fuel that is contained in storage pools and qualified to be placed in dry cask storage to be moved, within 15 years of enactment of this Act, to dry casks certified by the NRC. Requires the fuel, within one year after being designated as qualified to be placed in dry cask storage, to be moved from storage pools and placed in certified dry casks. Requires such casks, to the extent appropriate after a cost-benefit analysis, to be stored temporarily in hardened onsite storage facilities. Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to determine compliance costs for the owner of the spent nuclear fuel, and to reduce by that amount the amount due from the owner to the Nuclear Waste Fund pursuant to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982.