Deep Isolation to research deep borehole disposal as part of EPRI DOE grant to study uranium recovery options for next gen reactors - PR Newswire APAC
Summary
LONDON, Dec. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Deep Isolation announced today it is part of a grant project awarded to EPRI, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Southern Company Research and Development. Specifically, the two-year project aims to expand the available options of nuclear fuel management by creating a tool for optimizing the integration of processes for recovery of uranium from used nuclear fuel and performing an at-scale scoping study for market readiness of some of these techniques.Each of the participating organizations brings their unique specific technical perspective to the project. "The joint endeavor aligns closely with ORNLs capabilities, said Andy Worrall, section head of Integrated Fuel Cycle research at the laboratory. ""We are launching our fourth contract in the EU, with an advanced reactor developer in Estonia, so its affirming to see that the U.S. government is devoting resources to advanced reactor R&D that integrates borehole repositories as a spent fuel solution," said Chris Parker, Global Head of Business Development and Managing Director, Deep Isolation EMEA Ltd.The EPRI project brings Deep Isolations DOE grant projects this year to four. The previously awarded projects include: a $3.6 million grant to develop a universal disposal canister for advanced reactor applications; a $4 million grant with advanced reactor developer Oklo, Inc. and other partners to develop the first nuclear fuel recycling and disposal facility in the United States; and a $4.9 million award to work with Argonne National Laboratory to develop an integrated used fuel disposal plan using cost-effective deep borehole repository technology for oxide reduction processes.After just four years as a public-facing company, Deep Isolations milestones include: contracts with a dozen countries across three continents, 18 patents and 90 notices of invention.