NEA Mandates and Structures

Expert Group on Extended Storage and Transportation (EGSTRA)

Chair(s):		Secretary:	Gabriele GRASSI (gabriele.grassi@oecd-nea.org)
Member(s):	All NEA member countries^*
	Russia (Suspended*)
	^*Russian Federation suspended pursuant to a decision of the OECD Council.
EU participation:	The European Union (EU) takes part in the work of the NEA, in accordance with the NEA Statute and the Supplementary Protocol to the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Observer(s)(International Organisation):	International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) By agreement
Date of creation:	01 December 2025
End of mandate:	30 November 2027

Mandate (Document reference):

Proceedings of the NEA Joint Workshop on “Multifactor Optimisation of Predisposal Management of Radioactive Waste” held on 10-14 February 2020 [NEA/RWM/R(2020)3]
Summary record of the 54th Plenary Session of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC-54) held on 11-12 March 2021 [NEA/RWM/M(2021)2/FINAL]
Summary record of the 55th Plenary Session of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC-55) held on 22-23 March 2022 [NEA/RWM/M(2022)3/FINAL]
Summary from the Workshop on “Extended Storage and Transportation of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste from Current and Future Reactor Technologies” held on 5-8 December 2023 (forthcoming)
Summary record of the 57th Plenary Session of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC-57) held on 22 March 2024 [NEA/RWM/M(2024)2/FINAL]
Mandate of the Expert Group on Extended Storage and Transportation (EGSTRA) [NEA/RWM(2025)4/FINAL]

Mandate (Document extract):

Extract of document NEA/RWM(2025)4/FINAL

Background

Storage and transportation of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste are critical components of national and internationals waste management strategies. The Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) has previously explored these topics through various initiatives, identifying several key challenges.

One of the most pressing issues is the need for extended storage, pending the availability of operational disposal solutions. To explore this further, the RWMC decided to create the Ad hoc Group on the Extended Storage and Transportation (AhGEST) in 2021. The group presented its findings and recommendations at the 55^th RWMC Plenary Session in March 2022. Following AhGEST’s proposal, the RWMC agreed that the next step would be to organise a broad discussion on sustainability in the form of a workshop.

The technical workshop on “Extended Storage and Transportation of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste from Current and Future Reactor Technologies” was held in December 2023. The workshop expanded the scope of discussion to include novel reactor technologies, exploring whether, and to what extent, lessons learnt from existing systems could be applied to new systems, and identifying unique features requiring specific attention.

Key takeaways from the workshop include:

While a variety of storage and transportation systems are in use, most experience is based on light water reactor fuel, with limited data from older fuel types used in the 1960s and 1970s.
Longer timeframes require consideration of technical compatibility with future processes, such as repackaging, reprocessing and final disposal – each of which involves transportation.
Extended storage also necessitates stable policies for managing ageing, storage capacity, licensing, assets, and information and knowledge over the long term.
Small modular reactors and other advanced reactor designs will generate a variety of spent fuels and radioactive waste types, increasing geographical distribution and transportation volumes. This will demand flexibility in waste storage systems, require gap analysis and additional research, and lead to (re)assessments of current cask designs and transportation regulations.

Considering these findings, the RWMC decided at its 57^th Plenary Session in March 2024 to establish the “Expert Group on Extended Storage and Transportation (EGSTRA)” to take this work forward.

Scope

The EGSTRA will focus on storage and transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) from current nuclear systems (e.g. light- and heavy-water reactors) as well as legacy spent fuel and waste (e.g. from prototype and research reactors).

The group will consider both wet and dry storage solutions.

It will adopt a multi-dimensional approach, encompassing technical aspects, economics, strategic planning, regulatory frameworks, and policy considerations.

Where relevant, the EGSTRA could also consider innovative systems such as small modular reactors and Generation IV technologies.

Objectives

The EGSTRA will:

Facilitate the exchange of information, operational experience, and good practices among members on storage and transport of spent nuclear fuel and HLW.
Develop solutions and guidance for the key challenges related to:
- Extended storage and subsequent transportation, including fuel integrity, ageing management, regulatory approaches, and economic sustainability. These efforts will be driven by the compatibility with future processes such as repackaging, reprocessing and disposal, as well as the need for transportation at each stage.
- Integrated safety strategies for storage and transportation, addressing long-term performance, containment and monitoring methods, preparedness for subsequent management steps, and knowledge management.

Working Methods

Member countries are invited to support EGSTRA’s activities by providing the necessary resources in terms of voluntary financial contributions or in-kind support to the NEA.

The EGSTRA will operate through plenary meetings and an ongoing, project-oriented work programme.

The EGSTRA will report to the RWMC regularly, and at least once per year.

In addition, the EGSTRA will:

Identify the necessary resources and timelines for its activities.
Establish task groups, if needed, to address specific topics and organise workshops where appropriate.

Membership

The EGSTRA composition will include a diverse range of experts in storage and transportation of spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The group will bring together representatives from radioactive waste management organisations, national laboratories and research institutes, industry, regulatory bodies, and policy-making institutions.

Interactions

The EGSTRA will cooperate and coordinate its work with other NEA working bodies under the guidance of the RWMC.

When appropriate, it will also liaise closely with other NEA Standing Technical Committees and their subsidiary bodies – specifically the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC), the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI), the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA), the Nuclear Law Committee (NLC), and the Committee for Technical and Economic Studies on Nuclear Energy Development and the Fuel Cycle (NDC).

The work of the EGSTRA is complementary to the activities of other international organisations. It will consider and build upon relevant initiatives by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the European Commission, and other relevant organisations. Under the guidance of the RWMC, EGSTRA may also provide input to support the activities of these organisations when relevant.

Deliverables

In line with its scope and objectives, the EGSTRA will produce relevant reports and organise workshops, conferences, and webinars as appropriate with the support of the NEA Secretariat.