GILLETTE — Dozens of residents gathered at the Campbell County Senior Center Thursday evening to learn about nuclear waste.
Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, and City Councilman Jack Clary hosted the event, which was titled “Proposed nuclear waste disposal in Campbell County.”
John Kotek and Rod McCullum of the Nuclear Energy Institute delivered a video presentation on the nuclear industry.
They both stated that, while nuclear technology has evolved significantly from what people were used to decades ago, it still generates nuclear waste, which must be stored somewhere.
Kotek stated that the Department of Energy intends to solicit expressions of interest by the end of this year to see if any communities are willing to host an interim storage or disposal facility. It would be funded by the DOE.
Bill Tallen, who worked for the United States Department of Energy for 20 years, emphasized the importance of exercising caution and skepticism in the nuclear industry.
He stated that if properly implemented, the next generation of nuclear energy “is vital to our energy future.” He chastised Radiant, which has caused quite a stir in Wyoming by selecting Bar Nunn as a potential temporary storage location for its nuclear waste.
Radiant plans to store spent nuclear waste in sealed containers at the proposed manufacturing site in Bar Nunn. Following manufacturing, the units would be transported to customers across the country before being returned to Bar Nunn for storage or refueling after an expected 20-year lifespan.
Tallen expressed greater confidence in another company, BWXT, which plans to deploy microreactors in Wyoming.
In comparison to Radiant, “BWXT is the adult in the room,” he stated.
“What I do see, thus far, is they seem to be more transparent, more upfront in discussing their plans than what I’ve seen (from other companies),” Tallen said when asked about BWXT. “I do not see insurmountable hazards in their plan.”
Tallen said there are still questions about BWXT’s future plans.
“Do they intend to refuel their microreactors at that facility?” If that happens, where will it go?” Tallen asked.
Tallen stated that no federal repository for permanent nuclear waste storage has been selected, is under construction, or is even on the horizon.
“There is nothing that Radiant or any commercial operator can do to speed up that process,” he told me. “(That means) temporary storage is effectively permanent.”
Bear gave elected officials three minutes each to explain their position on nuclear energy and ask questions.
Commissioner Scott Clem inquired about proposals to store nuclear waste in Gillette or Wyoming, noting that state law currently prohibits nuclear waste storage in Wyoming. Both Kotek and McCullum said there are no plans to store nuclear waste in Campbell County.
“Any proposals to bring nuclear waste to Wyoming would have to be through a collaborative process,” McCullum informed the crowd. “There would not ever be a proposal that would take anyone by surprise to bring nuclear waste into any state.”
Rep. Abby Angelos, R-Gillette, stated that she is not opposed to nuclear energy, but she does oppose nuclear waste storage.
“Our job is to protect the welfare of future generations,” she informed us.
Commissioner Jim Ford expressed interest in nuclear energy, saying it has “a part to play” alongside coal, oil, and gas. However, he was not in favor of storing nuclear waste in Campbell County.
“I’m not interested in borrowing someone else’s troubles,” Ford informed the crowd.
He stated that although nuclear energy is “probably the most highly regulated and safest energy there is,” “when things go wrong, they go very wrong.”
Rep. Chris Knapp, R-Gillette, encouraged the audience to conduct their own research.
“I’m not an expert, but I can read and I can absorb,” he told me.
Commission Chair Kelley McCreery stated that he wants the nuclear companies to be transparent.
“These companies that are coming in, I would expect them to be completely transparent, I would expect our elected officials to be completely transparent, where we get the truth,” McCreery told the crowd. “If we get the truth, you don’t need to tell anybody to be for or against it; it’ll sell itself.”
Sen. Troy McKeown, R-Gillette, questioned whether nuclear energy is just another “green plan.”
“At the end of the day, why aren’t we developing more coal and gas?” asked the engineer.
Rep. Bill Allemand, who represents Bar Nunn, shared McKeown’s sentiments.
“We’ve got enough coal for 500 years here in this county,” said the man. “We have enough oil and natural gas to generate electricity for many years. Let’s slow down the process and make it safer. Then let us go for it.
Ford agreed that things should proceed slowly, but that people should approach the situation with an open mind.
“I don’t think anyone needs to feel rushed to make decisions,” he told me. “We should be open to learn and listen to consider what exactly it is that might impact our community and our state.”
