U.S. spent nuclear fuel acceptance policy 2006 and beyond

In 1992, a large group of research reactor operators joined with Edlow International Company (EIC) forming the Edlow Group and promote the interests of members before the U.S. government and to enhance the negotiating leverage of each member. The goal was to convince the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to resume acceptance of foreign research reactor spent fuel after a three-year suspension. Approximately four years later in May of 1996, largely due to the efforts of the Edlow Group, DOE, in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), issued a new research reactor spent nuclear fuel acceptance policy. After five years of successful spent fuel shipments, new issues have surfaced which led of the Edlow Group to represent the interests of the foreign research reactor community before the DOE. This paper discusses the new spent research reactor fuel issues, and proposes utilizing a reactivated Edlow Group to address these concerns. (author)