NAC International Receives U.S. NRC Certification for the OPTIMUS-H Transport Packaging System

Peachtree Corners, GA – NAC International Inc. (NAC) has received a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) certification for NAC’s highly shielded version of its versatile OPTIMUS® (OPTImal Modular Universal Shipping) transport packaging system. The OPTIMUS-H is now approved under NRC 10 CFR Part 71 with Certificate of Compliance (CoC) USA/9392/B(U)F-96, effective August 5, 2024. 

This new certificate follows licensing approvals obtained under Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) certification CNSC Certificate Number CDN/2098/B(U)F-96 and associated Validation Certificate Number AUS/2021-94/B(U)F in Australia. Previously, the lightweight version of the OPTIMUS system, OPTIMUS-L, received U.S. NRC and CNSC certification. NAC has already deployed a fleet of OPTIMUS systems to support various North American packaging and transportation projects. 

“This milestone OPTIMUS-H certification in the U.S. expands packaging options for U.S. commercial customers and government programs seeking more versatile and lower-cost solutions to transport nuclear materials safely and efficiently. The small size, modular packaging options, and greater adaptability of the OPTIMUS transportation packaging systems provide economical choices for transporting a wide variety of waste materials that until now were considered orphaned and stranded wastes,” said Kent Cole, NAC’s President and CEO. “Both the OPTIMUS-L and OPTIMUS-H packaging systems are now licensed in the U.S. and Canada and deployed commercially. This allows NAC and OPTIMUS to support a wide variety of packaging and transportation projects in North America and abroad.” 

The OPTIMUS system (U.S. Patent No. 11,373,773) was developed to provide an adaptable, efficient and economical alternative to non-typical radioactive materials transportation campaigns commonly conducted using larger inefficient transport casks. Combined, the two OPTIMUS models accommodate a wide range of contents to support customer packaging requirements in the U.S., Canada, and internationally.

The OPTIMUS-L packaging is designed and licensed for contact handled-transuranic waste (TRU), low and intermediate-level solid wastes, low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel wastes, High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU) TRISO fuel, and other low activity contents that require shipment as Type A(F) or Type B/Type B(F). The OPTIMUS-H model is a highly shielded version that relies on a 7-inch-thick ductile cast iron outer shield vessel to provide sufficient shielding for a broader range of Type B contents, including Class B and C waste, Greater-than-Class-C (GTCC) waste, remotely handled-TRU waste, spent nuclear fuel, and other intermediate-level and high-level waste.

Both the L and H versions rely on the same containment vessel design, enabling an integrated waste management approach that leverages standardization for packaging and shipment of a range of materials. This standardization promotes optimization of content shielding, payloads, and shipping configurations, yet can be uniquely tailored for each project. For example, OPTIMUS systems are ideal for shipping TRU waste between smaller sites to support waste consolidation efforts to improve the efficiency of shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. In Canada, the OPTIMUS-H has been deployed to support a major CANDU spent fuel transportation campaign.

In addition, the packaging certificate can be amended in the future to include new contents to support DOE Environmental Management projects, R&D of advanced reactor fuels and generated waste forms, and other nuclear materials derived from nuclear production processes and decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear facilities.

NAC unveiled its first OPTIMUS to the public at the Waste Management Symposium 2020 in Phoenix. Since then, NAC has delivered 22 OPTIMUS-L and nine OPTIMUS-H systems to support North American packaging and transportation projects.

About NAC

NAC International Inc. (www.nacintl.com) is a diversified corporation specializing in developing and licensing technology and providing full scope services for used nuclear fuel and radioactive materials packaging, storage, transport and disposal. Since 1968, NAC has been a leader in providing solutions and services to the nuclear industry throughout the world, working with both government and commercial organizations. NAC and subsidiaries have supplied more than 3,600 used fuel dry storage cask systems worldwide and has completed more than 3,800 used fuel shipments over all modes of transportation. NAC also provides a broad range of fuel cycle-related technical and consulting services to clients worldwide. NAC maintains its corporate headquarters in Peachtree Corners, GA, with subsidiaries in Oak Ridge, TN; San Diego, CA; Mars, PA; and Niagara Falls, ON. NAC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi Zosen Corporation, a global leader in design and construction of environmental systems, industrial plants, industrial machinery, process equipment, infrastructure-related equipment, disaster prevention systems, and precision machinery.