The NEA Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) created the Ad-hoc Group on the Extended Storage and Transportation (AhGEST) in 2021. Following the work on these two topics, AhGEST presented its conclusions and recommendations to the RWMC in March 2022. The AhGEST recommended to organise a broad discussion on sustainability of extended storage and transport with involvement of the NEA standing technical committees, international organisations and other stakeholders.

Extended storage refers to situations where storage periods longer than generally considered today are required, for example, when the disposal solutions are not available in the near future. These longer storage periods require further understanding of potential changes to the spent fuel and radioactive waste characteristics over time. In order to understand such behavior, a monitoring and inspection programme might provide useful information to help identify potential challenges and options to address them before a safety problem arises (such as repackaging). 

The NEA and Natural Resources Canada organised the international workshop on Management of Spent Fuel, Radioactive Waste and Decommissioning in SMRs or Advanced Reactor Technologies held on 7-10 November 2022 in Ottawa, Canada. The workshop discussions focused on how radioactive waste management can be considered as part of a comprehensive preparation for these reactors’ deployment from the design stage, as well as on understanding the unique features of SMR waste in order to identify key concepts associated with the disposal of SMR waste. Based on the discussions held, the current workshop will address and elaborate on a number of related topics.

• To enable an overview of current approaches and plans related to the extended storage and transportation of spent fuel, SMRs and advanced reactor fuel and radioactive waste;
• To identify technical issues related to spent fuel from new, advanced types of reactors and other radioactive waste;
• To link technical, regulatory and policy aspects of the extended spent fuel storage, transportation as well as advance reactor spent fuel management;
• To identify cross-discipline challenges and various concepts/tools to address these overarching systematic challenges.

A more detailed programme will be announced soon.

Session 1: Workshop opening

Session 2: Extended storage of light water reactor spent fuel and radioactive waste

Session 3: Storage of SMRs and advanced reactors spent fuel and radioactive waste

Session 4: Transport of spent fuel and radioactive waste

Session 5 : Factors and tools for holistic decision making

Site Visit: HOLTEC spent fuel casks manufacturing plant (Camden, New Jersey, USA)

• Registration is free
• Registration deadline: 26 November 2023
• The number of participants is limited to 100
• Workshop venue: Hotel Westin Mount Laurel, Camden, New Jersey, United States

Workshop participants can benefit from a group rate of 189 USD per night at the Westin Mount Laurel hotel. This rate is applicable for bookings made no later than on Saturday, 4 November 2023.

Book your group rate here

Alternative accommodation suggestions for participants 

The workshop will be hosted by the NEA, HOLTEC and EPRI, and sponsored by ORANO. 

Photo by HOLTEC, Dry cask storage system MPC37 for PWR fuel (HOLTEC HI-STORM)