DOE Launches Center for Used Fuel Research to Address Storage and Transport Challenges

Used nuclear fuel storage and transportation have become critical issues for the domestic nuclear industry. Dozens of utilities operating reactor sites across the United States require reliable performance data on how used fuel behaves in dry storage casks and canisters over extended periods. This data is essential for utilities seeking to extend regulatory licenses at their facilities, where fuel storage capacity and safety verification remain ongoing concerns.

The Department of Energy faces its own timeline pressures. Under existing law, the agency is expected to assume ownership of used nuclear fuel from reactor operators and transfer it to one or more federal staging facilities for centralized management and eventual disposition. This transition requires confidence in storage and transport methods that can safely handle fuel from conventional reactors.

Advanced Reactor Fuel Storage Requirements

The challenge extends beyond conventional reactor fuel. Dozens of reactor companies are currently testing prototypes of advanced reactors and developing new fuel types designed for these systems. Regulators and industry stakeholders must eventually verify that existing storage and transport methods are suitable for these advanced fuel forms, or develop new approaches if current infrastructure proves inadequate.

The verification process for advanced fuels introduces additional complexity, as safety and security protocols may require modification to account for different physical and chemical properties compared to conventional used fuel.

Center for Used Fuel Research Mission

To address these interconnected challenges, the Department of Energy established the Center for Used Fuel Research in January 2026. The center focuses on generating the technical data and analysis needed to support regulatory decisions, extend storage licenses, and validate transportation methods for both conventional and advanced reactor fuels.

By consolidating research efforts under a dedicated center, the DOE aims to accelerate the development of evidence-based standards and practices that can guide utilities, regulators, and industry participants through the evolving landscape of fuel storage and transport requirements.

Domestic enrichment capacity expands as industry focuses on fuel-cycle sustainability

The American Nuclear Society's Fuel Cycle & Waste Management Division convened Global 2026 this week under the banner "Deploying Sustainable Nuclear Fuel Cycles." A plenary session titled "Fueling the Future of Nuclear" brought together industry representatives to discuss the trajectory of domestic enrichment capacity and its role in securing the nuclear fuel supply chain.

Panelists representing four companies—Urenco USA, Centrus Energy, General Matter, and Global Laser Enrichment—presented their respective strategies for expanding enrichment services. The discussion centered on how these organizations are positioning themselves to meet evolving fuel specifications and market demand across the front end of the fuel cycle.

The enrichment sector is responding to multiple fuel requirements, including low-enriched uranium (LEU), LEU+ variants, and high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). Each of these fuel forms serves different reactor types and operational profiles, from conventional light-water reactors to advanced reactor designs. The panelists outlined how their companies are launching new capabilities or scaling existing operations to address these diverse needs.

Strengthening domestic enrichment infrastructure has become a priority for the nuclear industry as it seeks to reduce supply-chain vulnerabilities and support the expansion of nuclear generation capacity. The session reflected broader industry momentum toward securing reliable, domestically sourced fuel components as a foundation for sustainable nuclear deployment.

Four enrichment service providers discussed expansion plans at the American Nuclear Society's Global 2026 conference
Companies are launching or expanding services to supply low-enriched uranium, LEU+, and high-assay low-enriched uranium
The focus reflects industry efforts to build resilient domestic fuel-cycle capacity

Industry context

The conference theme underscores the nuclear sector's emphasis on fuel-cycle sustainability as a prerequisite for long-term reactor deployment. Enrichment capacity—a critical chokepoint in the fuel supply chain—has drawn increased attention from policymakers and operators seeking to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and ensure reliable access to reactor fuel.

Americium-241 Radioisotope Heater to Demonstrate Lunar Night Operations

Zeno Power Systems' Survive-the-Night Package will fly on Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander no earlier than 2028 as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The payload centers on a radioisotope heater unit powered by americium-241, designed to maintain critical spacecraft systems during the lunar night when surface temperatures plummet to -208°F or lower.

The lunar thermal environment presents one of exploration's most severe engineering challenges. Near the equator, daytime temperatures exceed 250°F, but darkness brings extreme cold. Permanently shadowed polar craters are even colder. The thin lunar atmosphere cannot retain solar energy, creating temperature swings of hundreds of degrees across the 14-Earth-day lunar cycle.

RHUs have historically used plutonium-238 to generate approximately 1 watt of thermal power, but supply constraints have limited availability
Zeno's design uses americium-241 with a novel fuel and shielding system to achieve higher specific power output
The unit generates passive thermal energy through radioactive decay, requiring no solar input or active power systems
Firefly's first Blue Ghost mission in early 2025 achieved the first fully successful commercial Moon landing and measured nighttime temperatures below -275°F

Supply Chain and Future Lunar Operations

Zeno's payload includes a dedicated platform with structural, communications, electrical, command and data handling, and thermal management subsystems. The radioisotope heater will operate during the lunar night following daytime operations powered by solar panels, demonstrating sustained surface capability across the full lunar cycle.

The demonstration addresses identified gaps in NASA's Moon Base Program, which has prioritized radioisotope power systems for extended lunar exploration. Firefly Vice President Ray Allensworth noted that firsthand thermal data from the first Blue Ghost mission informed development of technologies needed for long-duration surface operations supporting both government and commercial lunar activities.

Zeno's RHU maintains instrument functionality during extended darkness without relying on battery reserves or solar generation
The technology enables operations in permanently shadowed regions inaccessible to solar-powered systems
Successful demonstration will validate americium-241 as a plutonium-238 alternative for future deep space missions
The mission supports broader US space policy objectives announced through a National Security Presidential Memorandum targeting over 1,000 annual launches by 2030