U.S. Navy to build $1.65B nuclear fuel waste handling facility
by Keith Ridler, The Associated Press
The facility will be built at an Energy Department site that includes the Idaho National Laboratory, considered the nation's primary lab for nuclear research
BOISE, Idaho—The Navy and U.S. Department of Energy have announced that they’ll build a $1.65 billion facility at a nuclear site in eastern Idaho that will handle fuel waste from the nation’s fleet of nuclear-powered warships.
Officials on Tuesday said the new facility is needed at keeping nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines deployed.
The facility will be built at the Energy Department’s 890-square-mile site that includes the Idaho National Laboratory, considered the nation’s primary lab for nuclear research.
The decision concludes a lengthy environmental process that also looked at continuing using outdated facilities or overhauling them.
Officials say the new facility will operate through at least 2060 and can handle a new type of spent-fuel shipping container used by the latest warships.
