US nuclear energy policy Provision of funds for decommissioning

The five recognized methods of decommissioning nuclear power plants are reviewed, and are linked with US nuclear regulatory policy. Although over 60 US nuclear reactors have been decommissioned since 1960, none have been large-scale commercial facilities. Costs of the decommissioning alternatives are estimated, but are acknowledged to be highly tentative and uncertain. Five methods of providing funds for decommissioning and the actual practices of US electric utilities are analysed in terms of the policy issues they present. Revenue bonding and sinking fund approaches are argued to be the soundest means to recover decomissioning uncertainties surrounding decommissioning are considered.