Private sector participation in the transport of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is developing new-generation casks for transporting spent fuel from reactor sites to a monitored retrievable storage (MRS) facility and repository. These new truck and rail casks are expected to be state of the art and have shipping capacities greater than those of existing casks. As a complement to the casks under development, the DOE is planning for the acquisition of existing casks and new casks designed based on existing technology. To support the unprecedented high volume of fuel shipments, the DOE will require a number of support services, including equipment inspection and maintenance, records management, planning and scheduling operations, personnel training, spare parts, and transportation services. The DOE has been directed by Congress to use private industry to the fullest extent possible in each aspect of the spent-fuel and high-level waste transportation program. This includes the development and procurement of shipping casks, the transportation support system, and associated services