UK Government plans for a new generation of nuclear power plants face growing concerns the industry needs another waste repository involving a massive escalation in cost.
Ministers insist they still expect only one high-level geological disposal facility (GDF) will be needed at a possible cost of £12bn but a discussion paper produced by the department of energy and climate change (DECC) indicates a second cannot be ruled out.
The moves come as the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) argue that more research is needed on whether different kinds of waste can be stored together.