US nuclear waste site gets two new underground storage rooms

The US environmental regulators have approved new storage space for nuclear waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. This means the plant can continue accepting defense-related transuranic waste, even after losing previous storage areas.

The US has one permanent deep geological repository for defense-related nuclear waste. This approval means the site can continue operating and accepting waste, which is critical for managing the country's nuclear legacy. Without these replacement panels, the plant would have run out of space, creating a major bottleneck for waste disposal.