Is transportation of spent fuel safe?
Yes. Progress Energy has been safely transporting used nuclear fuel rods from its Brunswick and Robinson Plants to the Harris Plant for more than 15 years. Since dry storage was constructed at the Robinson Plant in early 2005, the only plant currently shipping fuel to Harris is the Brunswick Plant. Its dry storage facility will be completed in 2010, and Progress Energy will discontinue its shipping program in the next few months. Numerous procedures and advanced technologies are used to ensure the continued protection of public health and safety with regard to shipping spent fuel. The containers used to transport the fuel, called casks, have been extensively tested under extreme conditions and impacts. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Transportation carefully regulate all aspects of used fuel shipping. The rail cars that transport spent fuel rods do so on approved routes and do not travel in excess of 35 mph.
