Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management

The U.S. Department of Energy's role in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's licensing process for a repository

"Before the repository is constructed and operations can begin, DOE must first receive a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission"

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has studied the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada for more than 20 years to determine its suitability for development as the nation's first geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.

Before repository is constructed and operations can begin, DOE must first receive a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), an independent agency of the federal government. DOE submitted its license application in June, 2008.

The license is issued in two stages. The first is a construction authorization. The second phase is a license to receive and possess waste.

The license application addresses the NRC’s Yucca Mountain Review Plan, which identifies areas of review, review methods, and acceptance criteria that the NRC will use in its review and evaluation of the application.

At this time, the DOE is…

Preparing to defend the license application in NRC licensing proceedings
Refining the performance assessment capability

Now that the application is submitted…

When the NRC accepts the license application for technical review, the NRC's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (Board) will initiate a proceeding that includes public hearings. During the proceeding, DOE will address contentions (points of disagreement with DOE’s license application) submitted to the Board by parties. Potential parties include the NRC, the DOE, the state of Nevada, and others whose interests may be affected by the proceeding.

What happens next?

If construction authorization is granted, DOE will begin initial construction of emplacement tunnels and surface facilities. Before completing construction, DOE will update its application for a license to receive and possess waste, as required by NRC regulations.

Yucca Mountain Project