Funded by the UK’s Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and monitored by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the effort led to the manufacture of a first-of-its-kind disposal canister prototype aligned to UK regulatory requirements and the disposal needs of Britain’s planned new build nuclear capacity.
The project is expected to give UK manufacturers early-mover advantage in the global borehole disposal market with high-quality disposal canisters representing a potential global market value of over £100bn over the next 20-30 years.
Launched in December 2022, this project helped validate Deep Isolation’s patented borehole disposal technology for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW).
Conducted in collaboration with the Nuclear AMRC, NAC International, Inc, and Sheffield University, the effort focused on canister design validation and assessing the UK’s manufacturing supply chain capabilities.
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“This project is a game-changer for deep borehole disposal canisters,” Rod Baltzer, CEO at Deep Isolation said in a statement. “It not only validates key aspects of our technology but also advances manufacturability, cost efficiency, and supply chain readiness – paving the way for future deployments.”
A key outcome was the fabrication of two prototype canisters designed to encapsulate a pressurised water reactor (PWR) SNF assembly for dry storage, transport, and final disposal.
“Developing a viable, cost-effective solution for nuclear waste disposal is a critical challenge, and this project has demonstrated the manufacturability and scalability of Deep Isolation’s innovative canister design,” said Charles Carpenter, head of research for AMRC’s Nuclear Manufacturing Group. “By collaborating with industry leaders, we’ve not only validated key technical aspects, but also identified pathways to strengthen the supply chain for advanced nuclear waste disposal solutions.”
The project elevated Deep Isolation’s technology readiness level from TRL 3 to TRL 6. Moreover, AMRC’s assessment of UK manufacturing capabilities identified supply chain challenges, particularly in sourcing the canister shell. The team proposed solutions to reduce manufacturing barriers, leading to projected cost reductions and a clearer pathway for future production at scale.
Feedback from this initiative informed an updated canister design, with the second prototype fabricated in early 2025 for additional testing. Deep Isolation will use this prototype to further demonstrate the safety and feasibility of its disposal solutions.
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