US Advances Preparations for High-Burnup Spent Fuel Shipment to Idaho for Research

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently stated that the Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) is participating in preparations for transporting a high-burnup spent nuclear fuel research cask. The cask is planned to be shipped from Dominion Energy's North Anna Nuclear Power Station in Virginia to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for subsequent spent fuel-related research.

INL was selected as the receiving site primarily because it possesses the specialized facilities, equipment, and personnel expertise required for handling spent nuclear fuel. The DOE noted that these capabilities are typically not part of routine commercial nuclear power plant configurations. High-burnup fuel refers to nuclear fuel that remains in the reactor for a longer period to increase energy output.

Recently, representatives from the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), the Office of Environmental Management (EM), and private sector partners conducted coordination efforts in Idaho and toured relevant nuclear facilities and cleanup sites to advance the shipment preparations. Among the key sites visited was the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC). Staff at this center have long been responsible for receiving, processing, packaging, and storing spent nuclear fuel in support of the Office of Environmental Management's cleanup mission.

Visitors inspected a historic water pool facility at INTEC. This facility, capable of holding approximately 3 million gallons of water, was long used for underwater storage of spent nuclear fuel. In 2023, the Idaho Cleanup Project and its contractor, the Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC), completed the transfer of relevant spent nuclear fuel into newer dry storage systems within the INL site.

Visitors also examined the Irradiated Fuel Storage Facility. This facility currently continues to receive and safely store spent nuclear fuel from advanced test reactors at the INL site, with operations handled by trained personnel.

Regarding transportation support, stakeholders also discussed the progress of refurbishing the INTEC rail line. The Idaho Environmental Coalition proposed reusing INTEC's existing rail infrastructure to support the transfer of the high-burnup research cask. This approach is considered beneficial for improving transportation efficiency, reducing costs, and establishing the necessary corridor for future spent nuclear fuel shipments to and from the INL site.

Under current arrangements, the research cask is expected to be transported to INL by the end of 2027. At that time, Idaho Environmental Coalition personnel will receive and store the fuel cask at INTEC; the DOE Office of Environmental Management and Office of Nuclear Energy will continue to advance on-site transfer preparations to support subsequent research.

The DOE stated that this high-burnup research spent fuel cask shipment will be the first spent nuclear fuel to arrive in Idaho in more than 20 years, and the effort builds on the DOE's continued compliance with the 1995 Idaho Settlement Agreement. The research will provide data to support the long-term safe storage and future transportation of spent nuclear fuel.

This shipment is part of the High-Burnup Dry Storage Research Project conducted in collaboration between the Office of Nuclear Energy and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The Idaho Cleanup Project will also assist in transporting spent nuclear fuel from Pennsylvania State University's Breazeale Research Reactor to INL. This fuel previously served university research reactor operations and supported nuclear and medical research.