Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation

A short video by the International Atomic Energy Agency explaining how radioactive material shipping packages of many varieties (energy, medical, etc) are tested and transported.

A short document by the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Navy describing the Navy’s nuclear reactors and fuel types, how their spent fuel is shipped, and what regulatory requirements their packages meet. 

A landing page on the NRC website explaining what and how the NRC regulates with respect to the transportation of spent nuclear fuel. 

A short article by DOE describing the Fortis railcar and its recent approval to begin construction and testing.

A Verge article describing a brief history of spent nuclear fuel, its transportation, and package testing. The main topic of the article is the “Nuclear Triathlon,’ which is a long-distance transportation test that produced real-world transportation data from a non-radioactive package shipped from Spain, to Belgium, to the US, and back. 

A document by the NRC describing the stages of spent fuel storage, the regulations involved in each stage, and the thermal, safety, longevity, and radioactive considerations in storage. This document explains the fundamentals of each storage type in addition to the basics of radiological criticality, reactor processes, and regulatory activities. 

A single-page document by the DOE describing the Atlas Railcar’s purpose, design, and the testing regimen it must complete before being put into service.

A document by the American Association of Railroads describing recommended operating practices for railroads carrying hazardous materials. The scope of hazardous materials is not limited to radiological material. Their recommendations include notifications, emergency response information, and other operating best practices.

A short document by the NRC describing the responsibilities of the NRC and DOT with respect to the transportation of spent nuclear fuel. It also briefly details the design and testing of the packages, what safety studies have been done, what security is in place on shipments, and what assistance will be given in accident response.