The processes and associated dilemmas of nuclear power plant decommissioning are reviewed in this publication. Decommissioning involves the clearing up and disposal of a retired nuclear plant and its equipment of such a way as to safeguard the public from the dangers of radioactivity. Related problem areas are identified and include: (1) closure methods (discussing the options of decontamination and dismantlement, storage, and reaction of a permenent tomb); (2) high-level waste management (identifying spent fuel removal and disposal problems); (3) retired reactor disposal (citing examples of waste management systems employed in the United States and in Europe); (4) economics (providing cost estimates for major expense items); (5) savings mechanisms (proposing efforts to offset future decommissioning costs); and (6) long-term strategies (urging the need for safe disposal and decommissioning research and development programs). (ML)