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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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October 2026
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August 2026
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Center for Used Fuel Research: Building confidence in storage and transport
Used nuclear fuel storage and transportation have reached a critical juncture.
Dozens of utilities need reliable data on how used nuclear fuel performs in dry storage casks and canisters to extend regulatory licenses at sites across the United States. Likewise, the Department of Energy expects to take ownership of the used nuclear fuel—termed “spent nuclear fuel” in the laws and regulations governing its stewardship—and transfer it to one or more federal staging facilities for management and disposition.
Meanwhile, dozens of reactor companies are testing prototypes of advanced reactors and advanced reactor fuels. Eventually, regulators and industry must also verify the safety and security of storage methods for these advanced fuel types.
To help address these challenges, the DOE established the Center for Used Fuel Research (CUFR) in January 2026 for work related to the long-term storage and transport of used nuclear fuel.
Technical Session|Panel|Sponsored by FCWMD
Monday, June 16, 2025|3:15–5:00PM CDT|Indiana/Iowa
Session Chair:
Andy Griffith
Alternate Chair:
Michael S. Smith
Session Organizer:
Sven O. Bader
With the recent positive news from Finland and Sweden about the progress made on their repository programs and with the recent change in the U.S. administration, this panel will provide updates on the progress made towards a domestic repository program. These updates will be in the form of understanding Congressional updates and opportunities, consideration of alternative disposal options from the traditional mined geologic repository, discussion of the need for regulatory updates and other related asks from ANS Position Statement 3, and industry's position on the need for positive movement on the backend of the fuel cycle for the existing fleet of reactors, especially in light of the need to continue to foment a positive atmosphere/opinion for the proposed advanced reactors.
Rodney McCullum
Nuclear Energy Institute
Rodney Baltzer
Deep Isolation, Inc.
Eric Knox
Amentum
Peter Swift
NWTRB