Publications Details

US/EURATOM I-NERI 2019 Annual Review Assessing

Sorrenson, Ken; Teague, Melissa C.; Saltzstein, Sylvia J.; Papaioannou, Dimitri; Hanson, Brady; Caruso, Stefano; Linnemann, Konrad

This project addresses the important issue of validating the integrity of spent nuclear fuel storage for extended periods of time, followed by transportation. While it is believed that this fuel is safe in its current condition for long periods of time, confirmatory data and analyses need to be obtained to validate our understanding of used fuel degradation mechanisms that may impinge on the integrity of the fuel to withstand long term storage and transportation conditions. This is especially true for high burnup fuel (> 45 GWD/MTU) that is currently being discharged. The international community recognizes the importance of these issues. Moreover, several European countries now envisage to subject mixed oxide (MOX) fuel to extended storage and direct disposal. The institutes collaborating on this proposal all have active programs focused on resolving these very issues. Collaborating together provides a leverage of programs and funding that will benefit each program individually as well as the commercial nuclear industry, as a whole.