Spent Nuclear Fuel - Risks

Risks

There is debate over whether spent fuel stored in a pool is susceptible to incidents such as earthquakes or terrorist attacks which could potentially result in a release of radiation.

Since the September 11 attacks the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has instituted a series of rules mandating that all fuel pools be impervious to natural disaster and terrorist attack. As a result, used fuel pools are encased in a steel liner and thick concrete, and are regularly inspected to ensure resilience to earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and seiches.