On nuclear waste disposal, regional interest and small modular reactors

What are the possible options for nuclear waste disposal in Asean?

- Chin Hui Shan

Q

A Mr Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said there are a number of steps involved in the proper disposal of nuclear waste.

"In the case of a nuclear power plant, for quite a long period, the spent fuel is stored at the site of the nuclear power plant," he said. Spent fuel refers to nuclear fuel that has been removed after being used in a nuclear reactor.

Used fuel is normally stored underwater — with the practice known as wet storage — for at least five years, before it is moved to dry storage, according to the World Nuclear Association.

"Eventually, with time, with decades passing, countries start to look into a final repository," Mr Grossi said.

The IAEA helps countries to determine this through a process known as siting, he added.