The Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology Campaign, formerly the Used Fuel Disposition Research and Development Campaign, within the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy identifies alternatives and conducts scientific research and technology development to enable storage, transportation, and disposal of spent nuclear fuel and wastes generated by existing and future nuclear fuel cycles. This paper summarizes the major fiscal year 2016 accomplishments of the spent nuclear fuel storage and transportation part of the campaign.

The purpose of the storage and transportation research and development is to support development of the technical basis to inform management and licensing decisions regarding storage and transportation of spent nuclear fuel. Storage research and development focuses on closing technical gaps related to extended storage of spent nuclear fuel, including uncertainties with high-burnup spent nuclear fuel cladding performance and long-term canister integrity. Transportation research and development focuses on ensuring transportability of spent nuclear fuel following extended storage, addressing data gaps regarding nuclear fuel integrity, retrievability, and understanding the stresses and strains the fuel experiences during normal conditions of transport. Both of these areas are currently initiating large, multi-year tests, and this paper provides the progress of each. Because the tests are in the initial stages, little data will be presented here; further data will be available as the tests mature. References will be provided in this document for additional background, data, and details