In the wake of the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, scientists and lawmakers are struggling to deal with the vulnerability of spent fuel, both as a hazard and as a potential terrorist target. One solution includes moving away from nuclear pools and into dry casks.
According to the New York Times:
Several members of Congress are calling for the fuel to be moved from the pools into dry casks at a faster clip, noting that the casks are thought to be capable of withstanding an earthquake or a plane crash, they have no moving parts and they require no electricity.
But, as with most things, moving this fuel is dangerous. As in “lethal dose in seconds” dangerous if the workers moving it are exposed. So companies like Exxon Nuclear have set out to mitigate these risks as much as possible. It’s just expensive to do so. Check out the video below to learn more. [NYT]