Eletronuclear used fuel storage unit gets extended licence

Wednesday, 2 April 2025

Eletronuclear said the facility, which received its initial operation authorisation in 2021, was designed to accommodate up to 72 of the Holtec Hi-Storm FW dry storage casks, with the capacity to receive fuel until 2045.

In its announcement in the Official Gazette, the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) said assessments had shown there was "sufficient guarantee that the operation ... can be conducted without undue risk to the safety of workers, the public and the environment with regard to the areas of nuclear technical safety, radiological protection and physical protection of facilities and materials".

Eletronuclear said that it welcomed the authorisation as it does not see used fuel as radioactive waste because of the potential to resuse it in the future.

CEO Raul Lycurgo said: "This is an important milestone for Eletronuclear and the Brazilian nuclear sector. It confirms that, with respect to the most stringent safety and efficiency standards, we are ready to ensure the safe storage of spent fuels and continue our commitment to generating clean and sustainable energy for Brazil. The operation of the UAS (Complementary Dry Storage Unit for Spent Fuel) not only ensures the safety of the facilities but also reinforces the role of nuclear energy in the national energy matrix, with the potential for future reuse of used fuels."

Under a turnkey contract signed in 2017, Holtec of the USA supplied Eletronuclear with HI-STORM FW systems and related equipment for dry storage of used fuel from Angra units 1 and 2. Angra 1 is a Westinghouse-designed 609 MWe pressurised water reactor (PWR), while Angra 2 is a Siemens-designed 1275 MWe PWR. The units have different architectures and licensing bases, adding to the complexity of the project. Holtec modified their respective cask handling cranes and equipment for loading the fuel into the multi-purpose canisters and for moving the canisters to the dry storage facility.

The storage facility is designed to receive fuel elements after the cooling process in pools at the plants. They are stored in canisters made of steel and concrete to guarantee safety. It is a system which is used in the USA and is designed to withstand extreme events such as earthquakes and floods.

It includes physical security, radiation and temperature monitoring, an armoured access control centre and a storage warehouse with a technical workshop, designed and constructed by Holtec. The facility was constructed because the storage pools of both units were reaching full capacity.