How Much More Radioactivity Would SempraSafe bring to Utah?

FACT: In 2010, EnergySolutions brought waste containing 7,450 curies of radioactivity to Utah.[1]

FACT: According to a scientific survey of nuclear power plants done by the Electric Power Research Institute, nuclear power plants produce 43,800 curies of ion exchange resins each year. [2]

FACT: Those resins include class A, B and C wastes.

FACT: EnergySolutions already disposes of much of the nation’s Class A ion exchange resins. [3]

QUESTION: How much Class B and C ion exchange resins do nuclear power plants produce each year? In other words, if SempraSafe is approved, how many curies could EnergySolutions bring to Utah each year?

ANSWER: We don’t know, because EnergySolutions hasn’t said. However, available data – and statements from the company – lead us to an educated guess.

FACT: According to an analysis of the EPRI data that appears in the journal Radwaste Solutions[4], resins contribute 78.8 percent of total LLRW radioactivity from nuclear power plants. That same analysis indicates that of total LLRW radioactivity, 65 percent comes from class B and C wastes. We can thus conclude that of the total resins inventory (43,800):

ANSWER: Blending could bring an additional 19,184 to 28,470 curies of resins to Utah every year. That would TRIPLE to QUADRUPLE the current amount.