US nuclear regulators will not require backup cooling for spent fuel pools
What happened
US nuclear regulators have decided not to create new rules for long-term cooling of spent nuclear fuel. This means nuclear power plants will not have to ensure their spent fuel pools can be cooled without human intervention.
Why it matters
A petition asked US nuclear regulators to require nuclear power plants to ensure their spent fuel pools could cool themselves for long periods, even without staff present. The regulators have now formally denied that request. This means the existing rules, which assume human intervention for cooling, will remain in place.
The signal
Watch for any future incidents at spent fuel pools that require human intervention for cooling, especially during extreme weather or other events that might limit access to plant staff.