US nuclear regulators approve new storage for spent fuel, clearing a backlog

US nuclear regulators have approved a new design for storing spent nuclear fuel. This means more nuclear power plants can move their used fuel into dry storage, freeing up space in cooling pools.

Nuclear power plants generate electricity, but they also generate radioactive waste. This waste, called spent fuel, is first stored underwater in cooling pools. When those pools fill up, plants need to move the fuel into dry storage casks. Approving new cask designs helps plants manage their waste and continue operating, which is a quiet but critical part of keeping nuclear power online.