Long-Term Agreement Reached for Navy Nuclear Fuel Research at INL

Press Release

LONG-TERM AGREEMENT REACHED FOR NAVY NUCLEAR FUEL RESEARCH AT INL

Governor C. L. "Butch" Otter, Attorney General Lawrence G. Wasden, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Director Admiral Kirkland Donald, and General Counsel of the Navy Frank R. Jimenez today announced an agreement extending nuclear Navy operations at the Idaho National Laboratory beyond 2035.

"With appreciation for those who held this office before me, worked out the 1995 agreement with Navy officials and recognized the need to look to the future, this addendum renews Idaho's critical role in supporting nuclear energy and the Navy's national security mission," Governor Otter said. "It ensures Idaho will help the Navy continue important research for its nuclear fleet while protecting Idaho from becoming a spent fuel repository by default."

"This agreement is an extension of Idaho's 1995 court settlement with the federal government," Attorney General Wasden said. "It maintains Idaho's productive relationship with the Navy and keeps enforceable limits on spent fuel shipments, inventory and storage conditions."

"The Navy appreciates Idaho's important contributions to keeping our nuclear fleet operating safely and effectively as we perform our missions around the globe. We look forward to our continued partnership with Idaho," Admiral Donald said.

"The Navy values the trust and confidence the people of Idaho place in us. I believe that the record of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program in Idaho and elsewhere demonstrates that nuclear work can be performed safely and responsibly," Jimenez said.

In conjunction with this agreement, the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program plans to refurbish its facilities in Idaho for long-term operations.

The nuclear Navy began operations at the Idaho National Laboratory in 1949, constructing the first nuclear submarine prototype for the USS Nautilus. In the intervening decades, the Navy built other prototypes and conducted training for personnel to operate reactors for submarines and surface ships. Current Navy operations at INL focus on spent fuel examination and preparation for disposal in a repository outside Idaho.

The Navy's work in Idaho has contributed significantly to the U.S. nuclear fleet's effectiveness, with over 139 million miles safely traveled, and a new generation of reactors that can operate without refueling for the life of the ship.

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