Oklahoma nuclear hub plan includes deep borehole waste disposal and first-in-nation goal

Oklahoma is one of five states in the running to host a first-of-its-kind nuclear innovation hub, according to a 31-page proposal obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The proposal outlines how Oklahoma plans to manage the entire nuclear life cycle, including fuel fabrication, advanced reactors, used fuel recycling and permanent disposal of high-level nuclear waste. It states the state’s goal to become “the first U.S. state to establish a permanent disposal solution before it begins commercial nuclear deployment.”

To support this effort, Oklahoma is asking the federal government for help in reducing “first-of-a-kind investment risks.”

A significant portion of the proposal focuses on “deep borehole disposal” of radioactive waste.

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The document explains that this method involves drilling holes thousands of feet deep, sealing radioactive waste inside specially designed canisters, and lowering them into the boreholes, which would then be sealed shut.

The proposal does not identify specific locations for the hub, stating that multiple sites are still being evaluated.

It also acknowledges the state’s nuclear history, referencing the old Kerr-McGee operations, which “negatively shaped public perception of nuclear industry safety.”

The document emphasizes that any future steps must demonstrate improved safety standards.

The chairman of the House Energy Committee called the proposal a “generational opportunity” during an interview for this week’s Oklahoma Chronicle.

Additionally, nuclear experts have expressed mixed opinions on the plan, with one supporting it and another being more critical.

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