Key Issues
Experience, Testing Confirm Transportation of Used Nuclear Fuel Is Safe, Reliable
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February 2009
Key Facts
February 2009
Key Facts
- The nuclear energy industry has completed more than 3,000 shipments of used nuclear fuel over the past 40 years with no injuries, fatalities or environmental damage as a result of the radioactive nature of the cargo, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Shippers transport used nuclear fuel as a solid, ceramic material that is unable to leak or explode.
- Constructed of many layers of steel and lead, containers used to carry the fuel are extremely robust. The NRC requires thorough tests and analyses prior to certifying used fuel containers.
- Facilities such as Sandia National Laboratories have tested containers under extreme circumstances to ensure they would protect the public in the unlikely event of an accident during transport. Tests have proven that containers can withstand high-speed crashes, extremely hot and long-lasting fires, and submersion in water.
