New Idaho Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility to Ensure Safety, Advance Cleanup

The Idaho Cleanup Project is scheduled to construct an estimated 15,000-square-foot staging facility at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, shown above, to store overpacked used nuclear fuel to meet cleanup milestones in Idaho.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — The U.S. Department of Energy recently approved the conceptual design for the Idaho Cleanup Project’s (ICP) used nuclear fuel staging facility project.

This facility will ensure the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site has sufficient capacity for safe storage of used nuclear fuel and supports the DOE’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) in meeting obligations to the state of Idaho under the 1995 Idaho Settlement Agreement.

Building the staging facility advances ICP’s future used nuclear fuel packaging efforts to prepare for eventual shipment of the fuel out of Idaho for disposal, as required by the agreement with the state. The facility will provide sufficient near- and long-term storage capacity to support this work.

“This achievement underscores ICP's commitment to safely fulfilling our obligations to the state of Idaho,” said Nick Balsmeier, acting ICP manager. “I’m grateful to ICP contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition for their support and focus on advancing our critical mission.”

Used nuclear fuel in Idaho will be placed into transportable storage packages and staged until they are safely shipped out of Idaho at a future date.

The project is expected to be completed between 2030 and 2032. When finished, the estimated 15,000-square-foot staging facility will be capable of storing 25 storage overpacks generated from used nuclear fuel packaging activities. The large concrete storage overpacks will contain transportable used fuel casks and ensure the safe long-term management of the fuel.

-Contributor: Carter Harrison