Orano Selected to Transfer All Used Nuclear Fuel into Interim Dry Storage at Diablo Canyon Power Plant
Unique features of Orano’s EOS NUHOMS dry storage system enable secure, prudent offload of all used fuel in approximately two years after site shutdown.
Following a competitive bid process, TN Americas, a subsidiary of Orano USA, was selected by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to offload and transfer all used nuclear fuel and Greater than Class C (GTCC) waste into interim onsite dry storage
at Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) after nuclear operations cease in August 2025.
Orano’s scope includes engineering and licensing to implement Orano’s Extended Optimized Storage (EOS) NUHOMS® system at DCPP, design of a new GTCC dry storage facility, fabrication of storage canisters at Orano’s manufacturing facility (TNF) in North Carolina, construction and installation of concrete storage modules, and conducting the pool-to-pad transfer operations for both the used fuel and GTCC waste.
“We are looking forward to performing another safe and efficient pool offload at Diablo Canyon,” said Amir Vexler, Orano USA CEO. “Our expert teams have successfully performed this work at several other shutdown reactors, exceeding customers’ expectations and without regulatory issues.”
Using Orano’s EOS NUHOMS dry storage system with its advanced capabilities and horizontal orientation, the offload of used nuclear fuel from both DCPP units is scheduled to be completed in approximately two years after the reactor shutdowns. Implementing Orano’s dry storage system at DCPP does not require any major modifications to the existing storage pad or transfer path, and the technology will meet the site’s geologic and environmental conditions.
By transferring the used fuel pool inventory from wet to dry storage, DCPP can begin reducing significant costs associated with managing used fuel in wet storage. Orano’s technology enables a project schedule that fulfills PG&E’s and California residents’ desire to have a safe, economical, and timely transfer of used fuel into dry storage.
The pool offload transfer process at Diablo Canyon will benefit from Orano’s ongoing experience at other reactor sites, including at a boiling water reactor (BWR) site where Orano is on track to complete a pool offload campaign in April 2022, making it the industry’s most efficient BWR pool offload campaign. The projected schedule at Diablo Canyon would also establish a new pool offload benchmark for the industry.
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Illustration of the Orano EOS NUHOMS dry storage system at Diablo Canyon Power Plant with close-up inset showing the Orano transfer equipment and cask containing a sealed canister of used nuclear fuel. © Orano.
Learn more about Orano's NUHOMS dry storage system for used nuclear fuel.
Download this press release.
Orano’s scope includes engineering and licensing to implement Orano’s Extended Optimized Storage (EOS) NUHOMS® system at DCPP, design of a new GTCC dry storage facility, fabrication of storage canisters at Orano’s manufacturing facility (TNF) in North Carolina, construction and installation of concrete storage modules, and conducting the pool-to-pad transfer operations for both the used fuel and GTCC waste.
“We are looking forward to performing another safe and efficient pool offload at Diablo Canyon,” said Amir Vexler, Orano USA CEO. “Our expert teams have successfully performed this work at several other shutdown reactors, exceeding customers’ expectations and without regulatory issues.”
Using Orano’s EOS NUHOMS dry storage system with its advanced capabilities and horizontal orientation, the offload of used nuclear fuel from both DCPP units is scheduled to be completed in approximately two years after the reactor shutdowns. Implementing Orano’s dry storage system at DCPP does not require any major modifications to the existing storage pad or transfer path, and the technology will meet the site’s geologic and environmental conditions.
By transferring the used fuel pool inventory from wet to dry storage, DCPP can begin reducing significant costs associated with managing used fuel in wet storage. Orano’s technology enables a project schedule that fulfills PG&E’s and California residents’ desire to have a safe, economical, and timely transfer of used fuel into dry storage.
The pool offload transfer process at Diablo Canyon will benefit from Orano’s ongoing experience at other reactor sites, including at a boiling water reactor (BWR) site where Orano is on track to complete a pool offload campaign in April 2022, making it the industry’s most efficient BWR pool offload campaign. The projected schedule at Diablo Canyon would also establish a new pool offload benchmark for the industry.
Illustration of the Orano EOS NUHOMS dry storage system at Diablo Canyon Power Plant with close-up inset showing the Orano transfer equipment and cask containing a sealed canister of used nuclear fuel. © Orano.Learn more about Orano's NUHOMS dry storage system for used nuclear fuel.
Download this press release.