Confidence in transportation package performance

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is responsible for the long-term management of Canada's used nuclear fuel (UNF). Canada's plan is known as Adaptive Phased Management (APM). It consists of containing and isolating UNF in a deep geological repository (DGR) using a multiple barrier system in a robust host geology. A DGR is a system of tunnels and placement rooms constructed underground, several hundred metres below the surface within a stable rock formation. Canada's UNF is currently safely stored on an interim basis in licensed facilities at reactor sites in Ontario, Québec, and New Brunswick, as well as at AECL's (Atomic Energy of Canada Limited) nuclear research laboratories in Ontario and Manitoba. NWMO is in the process of identifying a willing host community or region for the repository site with plans to select one community by 2024. The site selection process started in 2010, with 22 municipalities and Indigenous communities showing interest. NWMO has narrowed down the options through technical evaluations and engagement activities to ensure safety and community partnerships. Managing all of Canada's UNF in a single repository location will require the transport of UNF from these interim storage facilities to the centralized DGR location. NWMO's responsibility includes designing and developing a transportation system for the safe and secure delivery of UNF from current interim storage locations to the deep geological repository. Current plans are to begin operations at the repository facility no sooner than the 2040s. The transport of UNF from the existing interim storage sites to the repository will commence once the facility is licensed and operational. NWMO is considering two transportation system options: an all-road option or an intermodal road/rail option to each potential host site. The transportation program is anticipated to take place over a period of approximately 45-50 years. Community and Indigenous engagement activities conducted as part of the DGR siting process have determined that transportation safety is a topic of broad interest for Canadians and Indigenous peoples. Feedback from engagement activities has shown that there are opportunities to enhance NWMO's dialogue with the public about radioactive materials currently transported in Canada and internationally. This Executive Summary summarizes the Confidence in Transportation Package Performance report (hereafter referred to as the "report") which aims to provide insights into transportation regulations for radioactive materials, emphasizing the safety of people and the environment. The report discusses package design, regulatory requirements, and testing processes, with case studies and examples from countries with established transportation programs and those planning DGRs. The report also addresses frequently asked questions from NWMO's engagement activities. (author)