Successful Implementation of the Research Reactor Conversion and HEU Fuel Disposal Project in Kazakhstan

The National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NNC RK), in collaboration with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), has successfully implemented a project to transfer irradiated highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel from the IVG.1M research reactor’s interim storage facility to a silo storage facility at the long-term cask spent nuclear fuel (SNF) storage facility at the Baikal-1 site. This solution aims to ensure the safe and secure storage of nuclear material, thereby strengthening the national security of both Kazakhstan and the United States.

The transportation and placement of fuel in the cells of the new silo storage facility was successfully completed between 25 April and 14 May 2025. As part of this process, 11 canisters containing 33 spent fuel assemblies from the IVG.1M reactor were transported within the technical area of the Baikal-1 site and placed in 11 vertical cells within the silo storage facility. Meanwhile, the NNC RK is developing its own technology for down-blending and the final disposal of the IVG.1M reactor’s HEU SNF.

About the project: The NNC RK is successfully implementing a project to convert research reactors and dispose of HEU fuel in Kazakhstan. As part of this work, construction and installation work was successfully completed at the long-term cask SNF storage facility at the Baikal-1 site in cooperation with the U.S. organizations in November 2024. This facility is designed to safely store HEU SNF from the IVG.1M research reactor in the long term, following its conversion to operate using low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel.