US-based nuclear technology company and nuclear waste disposal specialist Deep Isolation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance development of technologies for efficient and secure disposal of high-level nuclear waste (HLW).
Curio and Deep Isolation will collaborate and exchange critical information for the use of Deep Isolation’s Universal Canister System (UCS) and patented directional drilling solution for deep borehole disposal for the isolation and management of HLW from UNF recycling. Deep Isolation has developed a suite of technologies for deep borehole storage and disposal of used nuclear fuel and other nuclear waste. Under an R&D programme funded by he US of Energy’s (DOE’s) Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) office, Deep Isolation has developed a UCS for borehole disposal that can accommodate a variety of fuel types and waste forms.
Curio’s NuCycle technology aims to produce, on a global scale, recycled nuclear fuel and a wide range of isotopes with existing and prospective market demands in a manner that dramatically reduces the amount of HLW by as much as 96% or more while ensuring robust safeguards and security by design.
Under the MOU the companies will explore synergies with respect to their respective UNF recycling and disposal technologies and establishing a framework for cooperation in development of methods related to loading, storage, handling, and transportation of HLW-bearing canisters after the NuCycle process.
Curio CEO Ed McGinnis said the collaboration “signifies a pivotal moment in nuclear technology history where both advanced recycling and advanced geologic sequestration technology are progressing toward commercialisation”. He added: “By joining forces with Deep Isolation, we're not just addressing a critical need for effective nuclear waste management; we're spearheading an era of innovation and responsibility in the nuclear industry.”
Elizabeth Muller, CEO of Deep Isolation, welcomed the opportunity to work with the Curio team to address waste disposal requirements from nuclear fuel recycling. “This MOU lays the groundwork to better understand and address those needs,” she noted.
