Nuclear-Power Firms Push Back Against Fees

The Wall Street Journal reports that nuclear power companies are moving to seek suspension of the fees they pay the Federal Government to dispose of their nuclear waste. Because the Obama administration has  terminated the plans to build a nuclear waste disposal facility at Yucca Mountain, the companies say that they should not pay fees until there’s another plan in place.

"There's no more program. And since the fees are supposed to be based on the program, there shouldn't be a need to collect more money," said Pillsbury energy partner Jay Silberg, who served as the lead partner on Nebraska Public Power District v. United States, whereby the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the government cannot defend its failure to accept spent nuclear fuel by blaming "unavoidable delays" in the development of the nuclear waste repository.