13.09.2024
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc., a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing portable, clean energy solutions, has signed an agreement with GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH to undertake a wide-ranging project to produce an optimized HALEU transportation system solution. GNS’ specialized expertise in nuclear packaging plays a crucial role in swiftly advancing a robust, innovative, and compliant solution. This agreement reflects NANO Nuclear’s commitment to enhancing the safety and efficiency of transporting next-generation nuclear fuels.
The agreement encompasses a study for the transport of multiple HALEU nuclear fuel types, including uranium oxide, TRISO particles, uranium-zirconium hydride, uranium mononitride, and salt fuel for molten salt reactors. HALEU ("High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium") refers to nuclear fuels with an enrichment of 5 % to 20 % uranium 235. In existing nuclear power plants, fuel with an enrichment of only a maximum of 5 % fissile uranium 235 is generally used. The use of this advanced nuclear fuel is a prerequisite for the realisation of modern "Small Modular Reactors" (SMR).
NANO Nuclear already has an exclusively licensed fuel transportation basket design for HALEU fuel made of uranium oxide, which GNS will adapt to other fuel types. The agreement’s scope of work also includes the conceptual design of a new HALEU transportation solution that is tailored to the particular needs of various fuel types. GNS will oversee a comprehensive study that includes a detailed description of the transportation system, bills of materials for critical components, conceptual drawings, risk assessments, and cost estimates for design, licensing, and manufacturing.
The study will be conducted under the formal NRC Quality Assurance program, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and alignment with NANO Nuclear's long-term strategy for safe and efficient fuel transportation.
Specialized GNS Know-how
GNS-CEO Daniel Oehr emphasises the significance of the contract for GNS: “GNS has 50 years of experience in the field of transport and storage casks for radioactive materials, particularly for various types of irradiated fuel elements. We are pleased to contribute this experience and our unique know-how into our collaboration with NANO Nuclear Energy for their groundbreaking front-end solutions. This order from the USA proves our competitive strength and underlines our international growth strategy.”
“We are excited to collaborate with GNS on this important study, which will contribute significantly to our goal of advancing nuclear fuel transportation technology” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. “The optimized transportation system design will enhance our ability to safely transport a variety of nuclear fuel types, aligning with our mission to provide portable and adaptable clean energy solutions. Additionally, this agreement has transformative potential for the entire logistical portion of the nuclear energy industry, as a comprehensive, secure and timely transportation solution will be vital as more advanced nuclear reactors reach the marketplace and traditional reactors continue operation.”
"In addition to enhancing safety and efficiency of our fuel transportation designs, this agreement with GNS represents a critical step towards our goal of achieving full self-sufficiency in transporting nuclear fuel across the country for each of our deployed microreactor systems," said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Reactor Development of NANO Nuclear Energy. "By developing our own optimized transportation solutions, we are not only ensuring that we can independently manage, in a vertically integrated manner, the transport of fuel to and from our microreactors in development, but we are also positioning NANO Nuclear as a leader in providing these capabilities to the broader nuclear industry. We believe our focus on de-risking every aspect of our reactor deployment strategy means investing in in-house technology that strengthens our autonomy and reliability. This initiative will significantly bolster our ability to deliver safe, portable nuclear power solutions to remote locations, enhancing our overall value proposition and ultimately expanding our market reach."
For more information on NANO Nuclear Energy please visit https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/