OPTIMUS®-L Certified by NRC for HALEU

The OPTImal Modular Universal Shipping (OPTIMUS®) transport packaging systems are certified Type B(U)F packagings that are ideal for transporting a wide variety of radioactive materials, including Type B quantities of intermediate level waste (ILW), transuranic waste (TRU), irradiated fuel waste (IFW), reactor components, experiment wastes, pool debris and reactor products (e.g., sources, irradiated materials, etc.) The OPTIMUS®-L packaging configuration is used for low-activity contents such as contact handled TRU waste and low enriched uranium (LEU). This small, light, modular package is easily handled using crane or forklift and are ideal for facilities with restricted access and/or low crane capacity. The packagings are designed to support legal weight truck (LWT) shipments and can be used in multiple transport configurations.  OPTIMUS®-L is certified by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) under IAEA SSR-6 [1] for shipments within Canada to support Canadian National Laboratory missions and by U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) under 10 CFR 71 and the OPTIMUS®-H. The attributes of the OPTIMUS®-L packaging makes it ideal for the transport of a variety of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuels.  A collaboration of independent DOE national laboratories has evaluated the OPTIMUS®-L packaging as an efficient alternative for transportation of HALEU. NAC has also designed and licensed a basket design for the OPTIMUS®-L package to accommodate TRISO compacts to be used for fabricating HALEU fuel for small modular reactors.