Long-term behaviour of irradiated CANDU fuel in concrete canister storage

Dry storage of irradiated fuel provides a long-term, viable and economical alternative to storage in water pools. In 1974, a Dry Storage Program was initiated at the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment (WNRE) in Pinawa, Manitoba, Canada to demonstrate the concept. In the initial phases of the program, four demonstration canisters were constructed, two with electrical heaters and two for irradiated fuel storage. Since then, nine more concrete canisters have been constructed for irradiated fuel storage and experiments. To date, ≅1320 irradiated fuel bundles (≅18 000 kg U) are stored in concrete canisters at WNRE. Three irradiated fuel storage experiments in concrete canisters are being conducted by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and Ontario Hydro in a joint program at WNRE. These experiments are known as the Easily Retrievable Basket Experiment and Phases 1 and 2 of the Controlled Environment Experiment