HALEU PACKAGING | SMRS & ADVANCED REACTORS
and licensed the DN30-X packaging. For deconverted materials such as powders and metals, Orano offers the Versa-Pac system in two drum- sized formats: the VP-55 (55 gallons / ~208 litres) and the VP-110 (110 gallons / ~416 litres). These Type A fissile packages are designed to transport materials enriched up to 100%. The VP-55 was specifically developed to meet the growing need for transporting enriched uranium up to 10% 235
U (known as
LEU+) and HALEU to meet the fuel requirements of advanced reactor designs.
As the industry moves toward defining fuel assembly formats, Orano is monitoring developments to prepare for the packaging needs of that next phase of the fuel cycle. This ability to adapt and offer certainty where little exists is one of Orano’s key contributions in a rapidly evolving landscape. Nicolas Guibert, Product Line Manager at Orano commented: “In a very fluid environment with a lot of parameters that are to be determined I think that’s a very big part, that we provide assurance as a company. Related to that, most of the advanced reactors have a very different way of operating when compared with the traditional nuclear industry. We’re seeing young organisations with different levels of maturity, and they need support from the old industry to be successful”. In 2023, enrichment companies Urenco and Orano
formed a consortium to develop the 30B-X cylinder for transporting HALEU. Two variants are available to support different enrichment levels: one capable of carrying 1,460 kg of UF6
30B-10), and another for up to 1,271 kg of UF6 Scaling for future higher-
volume requirements will demand continual evaluation and adaptation – constantly
assessing whether current designs remain adequate or if new solutions are needed, while also recognising the potential for
cost savings as the HALEU industry matures. Orano TN’s Business Line Manager, Transportation and Services, Jomaries Rovira, explained that this learning curve will create opportunities for improvement both in functionality and cost reduction: “Once we start scaling-up and learning more about the transportation of HALEU, which we’ve done in the past but not at the volumes we’re going to be seeing in the next decade or so, there are going to be opportunities for optimisation and learning from doing it over and over again. There are going to be opportunities to do things better in the future and less costly”.
enriched up to 10% (called the enriched
up to 19.75% (called the 30B-20). The cylinders are used with the DN30-X transport system, which combines the established DN30 protective structural packaging with the new 30B-X cylinder. One of the adaptations associated with the higher level of enrichment is the system includes a Criticality Control System (CCS) that incorporates neutron-absorbing rods to meet criticality safety requirements during transport. In May 2025, Orano began serial production of its 30B- 10 cylinders, developed for transporting LEU+ material, with a production run of 10 units. The DN30-X package received NRC certification in March 2023, and licensing in France is currently ongoing. For UNF, Orano offers the TN Eagle package, which
is currently being evaluated for adaptation to support HALEU enrichment levels. Designed to meet the latest regulatory standards, the package is licensed for transport in France and the United States. However, as with new fuel assemblies, UNF has
complex handling and regulatory challenges, many of which remain unresolved for advanced reactor designs. As Guibert noted: “The management of the used fuel, all those new designs and new HALEU enrichment, is still a big question mark for many players and many countries”.
Scaling-up for the next generation of nuclear While larger volumes of HALEU will require specially engineered transport packages there are also commercial challenges associated with this widely forecast market upscale. A fleet of packages is anticipated to support sustained operations. To provide market flexibility the business is exploring multiple business models, including leasing rather than purchasing packages outright, to help streamline logistics for customers. Some advanced reactor developers have already placed orders or are planning to lease transport packages, ensuring they are ready to move HALEU once it becomes available and commercial needs emerge. As Orano adapts to meet the market’s changing needs, Guibert emphasises that the more traditional nuclear sector can also gain benefits by learning from the new generation of advanced nuclear power. He says: “As the old industry, we are also learning from working with new players because they’re bringing new approaches and dynamics that are very new and sometimes unsettling. It’s an interesting time”. As reactors shift from traditional LEU to higher enrichment fuels, new certified transport packages will be required to support these new nuclear fuel cycles. Orano is actively adapting and expanding its solutions in response to these evolving requirements – building out scalable fleet concepts ready for commercial deployment. ■
www.neimagazine.com | July 2025 | 7
Above: Orano’s TN Eagle package is currently being evaluated for adaptation to transport used nuclear fuel with HALEU enrichment levels
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