NTI Expert Presents on Pacific Rim Spent Fuel Management at IAEA International conference

NTI expert Alex
Bednarek joined more than 250 participants from 45 countries in
Vienna, Austria for the  “IAEA International Conference on the
Management of Spent Fuel from Nuclear Power Reactors: Learning
from the Past, Enabling the Future.” This conference, which occurs every four
years, and was held during the week of June 24, attracts experts from all over
the world engaged in various facets of national and international spent nuclear
fuel management.

Over the course of the week, participants were engaged in
presentations and discussions on a variety of topics, including: national
strategies; spent fuel and high-level waste storage; transportation; recycling and
reuse; disposal; advanced nuclear energy systems; and challenges.

Bednarek presented on work NTI has been leading over the
past five years to build a partnership among key Pacific Rim stakeholders on
the management of spent nuclear fuel. This partnership, which engages
government, industry, and academic experts from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan,
China, Canada, and the United States, is composed of working groups on (1)
long-term monitored dry-cask storage; (2) technical and non-technical aspects
of siting; and, (3) research and development at underground research facilities.
The intent of this initiative is to share relevant information, identify issues
of common interest, and work toward cooperation on topics that can provide
meaningful benefits to the participants’ waste management programs.

The next meeting of the partnership will be held August 12-14,
2019 in Suwon, South Korea, jointly hosted by NTI and Kyung Hee University.
Learn more about the work of this partnership here.