Deep Isolation validates its disposal canister for TRISO spent fuel

Working with advanced reactor company Kairos Power, Deep Isolation said it validated the potential use of the UCS to safely and cost-effectively manage TRISO SNF from Kairos Power’s fluoride salt–cooled, high-temperature reactor (KP‑FHR).

Project PUCK (Performance Validation of the Universal Canister System for Kairos Power) was launched in July 2024 under a Small Business Innovation Research grant from the Department of Energy. According to Deep Isolation, project results confirmed that TRISO SNF is compatible with the UCS and is suitable for disposal in both conventional mined repositories and deep boreholes, offering a cost-competitive and scalable solution for nuclear waste management.

The canister: Optimized for deep borehole disposal, the UCS is a triple-purpose canister designed to enable the safe storage, transport, and permanent disposal of SNF and high-level radioactive waste. According to Deep Isolation, its flexible design also allows compatibility with mined repositories, offering multiple disposal pathway options.

In 2022, Deep Isolation was awarded a $3.6 million grant through the DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) to lead a UCS development project in collaboration with partners NAC International, University of California–Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Quotes: “What we’ve accomplished with Kairos Power is more than a technical milestone—it’s a strategic leap toward long-term sustainability in nuclear energy,” said Jesse Sloane, executive vice president of Deep Isolation. “The UCS, paired with deep borehole disposal, offers an adaptable and forward‑thinking end-to-end solution that can serve the advanced reactor industry for the future.”

“Kairos Power is excited to see the progress made by the Deep Isolation team in advancing the UCS and looks forward to continued collaboration,” said Per Peterson, chief nuclear officer of Kairos Power. “Together, Deep Isolation and Kairos Power are setting a precedent for innovation, safety, and sustainability in the safe and effective management of spent fuel from high temperature reactors.”