ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Aug 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2026
Nuclear Technology
September 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2026
Latest News
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.
Executive Session
Monday, November 14, 2022|1:00–2:45PM MST|Eucalyptus
The conventional nuclear development cycle is long, slow, and capital intensive. Kairos Power is disrupting this cycle by embracing a rapid iterative approach with both nuclear and non-nuclear systems before the first commercial reactor to bring down the cost of innovation. The company has commissioned its Engineering Test Unit (ETU) – a major, non-nuclear hardware iteration on its path to commercializing the fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR). With ETU, Kairos Power can demonstrate the design and integration of principal KP-FHR technologies, initiate and exercise the supply chain, and gain operational experience from a large-scale Flibe facility. Lessons learned from ETU will feed directly into plans for the Hermes demonstration reactor and future iterations, allowing Kairos Power to accelerate innovation and optimization while mitigating technical, licensing, manufacturing, and construction risk.
Moderator: Jess C. Gehin (Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science & Technology at Idaho National Laboratory)
Speaker: Dr. Edward Blandford (Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer of Kairos Power)
To access the session recording, you must be logged in and registered for the meeting.
Register NowLog In