The U.S. government is going to stop issuing permits for the development of new nuclear power plants until it is able to investigate and resolve issues surrounding the storage of radioactive waste. License extensions for existing facilities will also be delayed during the review process. Right now, 14 reactors are awaiting license renewals; 16 are in line for permits to allow for new construction.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has said the current storage plans are safe and effective, but a federal court says the commission has not detailed environmental consequences. The NRC says they plan to do more research about the negative consequences associated with not having a long-term waste storage facility.
Government officials say the research process should be completed with enough time left for approaching permit expirations to be considered.