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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.
Yu Wang, Jingni Guo, Wenqian Li, Feng Yao, Jianzhu Cao, Liqiang Wei, Yujie Dong, Feng Xie
Nuclear Technology | Volume 212 | Number 7 | July 2026 | Pages 1728-1742
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2025.2582333
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The High-Temperature gas-cooled Reactor Pebble-bed Module (HTR-PM) 600 MW HTR-PM (HTR-PM600) nuclear power plant represents a significant advancement in nuclear power technology, especially for the pebble-bed–type High- Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR). To ensure operational safety and efficiency of HTGRs, the process radiation monitoring system (PRMS) in HTR-PM600 has been designed to monitor various aspects of radiation in process systems within the nuclear power plant. This system is pivotal for detecting normal operating conditions, diagnosing the performance of fuel elements in the core, and preventing or identifying radioactive leaks into or from the process systems and is based on the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Versuchsreaktor (AVR), Modular HTGR plant, 10 MW High- Temperature gas-cooled experimental Reactor (HTR-10), High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Demonstration Power Plant (HTR-PM), and other pressurized water reactors. The PRMS can be structured into five subsystems, including the primary circuit activity monitoring subsystem, solid fission product sampling subsystem, liquid process radiation monitoring subsystem, radiation monitoring subsystem for radioactive solid wastes processing system, and area airborne radioactivity monitoring subsystem. This paper first introduces the design of the PRMS of HTR-PM600 and then focuses on the development of the PRMS of HTGRs in China. Moreover, the PRMSs of other HTGRs in the world will be discussed. With the review of technology development and comparison with the design in other countries, more useful advice for the future development of the PRMS of HTGRs will be provided. Furthermore, the paper discusses the development history of the PRMS in HTGRs in China, the relationship between the PRMS and source term, and measurement results of the primary circuit activity monitoring system.