Xcel Energy has awarded a multi-year contract to TN Americas, a subsidiary of Orano Nuclear Packaging & Services (NPS) to provide onsite dry fuel storage solutions to the US Monticello and Prairie Island NPPs. Orano will manufacture and deliver the selected NUHOMS dry storage systems for the secure interim storage of used nuclear fuel assemblies. The storage canisters will be manufactured at Orano’s TN Fabrication facility in North Carolina.
This contract award continues the long-term dry fuel storage management partnership between Orano and Xcel Energy in place for 18 years at Monticello and 33 years at Prairie Island. Using Orano’s NUHOMS systems for both Monticello’s boiling water reactor and Prairie Island’s pressurised water reactor ensures high-quality dry storage performance and transport-ready technology for future offsite removal. Dry cask storage has been used at US NPPs since 1986 and an estimated one-third of the USA's total used fuel is now in dry storage casks.
Jean-Luc Palayer, CEO of Orano USA and President of Orano TN Americas said “the combination of our experienced team, proven technology, and reliable performance provides the certainty sought by our customers for successful and safe project delivery”.
Image: Orano's NUHOMS dry storage system (courtesy of Orano)
