Radioactive Waste Safety Research

Spent Fuel

NRC research is developing the technical basis to ensure the continued safe performance of long-term dry storage systems for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste under extended service conditions (20 to 100 years) and the structural integrity of spent fuel transport casks during severe accidents.

Decommissioning and Waste Management

Research programs are developing tools for assessing the performance of decommissioning and waste management options. This research examines the potential mechanisms that could cause environmental movement of residual radioactivity remaining after license termination and provides computational methods to estimate the effects of such movement on the public.