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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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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.
International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference
Technical Session
Monday, November 14, 2022|3:15–5:00PM MST|Mesquite
Session Chair:
Kevin Connolly (ORNL)
Alternate Chair:
Rob Howard (PNNL)
Session Organizer:
Brady D. Hanson
To access paper attachments, you must be logged in and registered for the meeting.
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Development and Application of a Risk-Informed Approach for Shipment of a Microreactor Transportation Package
3:15–3:35PM MST
Steven Maheras (PNNL), Garill Coles (PNNL), Laura Hay (PNNL), Steven Short (PNNL), Harold Adkins Jr. (PNNL), Jon Phillips (PNNL), Peter Lowry (PNNL), Tracy Ikenberry (PNNL), Cynthia Rakowski (PNNL), Caitlin Condon (PNNL), Kaushik Banerjee (PNNL)
Paper
Verification and Validation of START: A Spent Nuclear Fuel Routing and Decision Support Tool
3:35–3:55PM MST
Caitlin Condon (PNNL), Mark Abkowitz (Vanderbilt Univ.), Harish Gadey (PNNL), Robert Claypool (Kanini Software Solutions), Steven Maheras (PNNL), Matthew Feldman (PNNL), Erica Bickford (U.S. Dept. of Energy)
Knowledge Management for Multi-Decadal Stakeholder Engagement on Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation Planning and Policy: An Example from the United States with Section 180(c) Policy
3:55–4:15PM MST
Erica Bickford (U.S. Dept. of Energy), Lauren Rodman (PNNL), Sara Hogan (U.S. Dept. of Energy)
Successful Transportation of a UNF Transportation Cask Containing LLW
4:15–4:35PM MST
Mike Valenzano (Orano TN Americas), Nicolas Guibert (Orano TN Americas)
Package Performance Study: A Historical Perspective and Planning for a Path Forward
4:35–4:55PM MST
L.M. Hay (PNNL), S.J. Maheras (PNNL), E.E. Bickford (U.S. Dept. of Energy), M.R. Feldman (PNNL), D.J. Ammerman (Sandia)
