BERKELEY, CA – Deep Isolation welcomes the release of a new national Action Plan by the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council (USNIC), outlining a path to implement President Trump’s vision for nuclear waste disposal as set forth in Executive Order 14302. The Action Plan for Transforming the Back End of the U.S. Nuclear Fuel Cycle provides a detailed roadmap for enabling permanent disposal of the nation’s spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, and advances a public-private partnership model to move the nation forward.

The Action Plan offers a credible, consensus-driven roadmap to address the longstanding challenge of nuclear waste disposal in the United States. It calls for the creation of an independent waste management entity, access to existing Nuclear Waste Fund resources, and a collaboration-based siting process that empowers willing communities to partner in solutions. It also emphasizes the need for legislative reform and integration of innovative technologies like deep borehole disposal and advanced recycling.

“This is a pivotal moment for nuclear energy and for the country,” said Rod Baltzer, CEO of Deep Isolation and Chair of the USNIC Backend Working Group. “USNIC is providing an actionable plan on how to break through decades of paralysis on waste disposal. The Plan recognizes that the market is evolving, technologies are advancing, and communities are increasingly willing to be part of the solution.”

The plan directly supports Executive Order 14302, which calls for the revitalization of the nuclear industrial base and the establishment of a sustainable, long-term spent fuel strategy. The USNIC Action Plan turns the President’s vision into action, aligning industry consensus with clear steps to advance nuclear innovation, security, and waste solutions.

“We are fully committed to this vision,” said Baltzer. “By aligning the President’s Executive Order with a clear plan, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make real progress on U.S. nuclear waste disposal, and to replace decades of inaction with solutions that are fiscally responsible, technically sound, and publicly supported.”

In particular, Deep Isolation strongly supports several key elements of the USNIC Action Plan, including:

1. Accelerated deployment of innovative disposal technologies, such as deep borehole disposal, to create greater flexibility and reduce lifecycle costs.
2. Streamlined regulatory pathways for non-traditional repository designs, aligning with IAEA and NRC modernization initiatives.
3. Prioritization ofnear-term demonstration projects to establish technical feasibility and community consent.
4. Public-private partnerships and competitive procurement, unlocking private sector investment and innovation in waste management.
5. Expanded DOE engagement with interested communities, helping build momentum for locally-supported disposal solutions consistent with global best practices.
6. The call for Congress to amend the 1987 Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) that has, for decades, blocked federal engagement with private-sector and community-led disposal efforts beyond Yucca Mountain.

To demonstrate its practical support for the aforementioned legislative update, Deep Isolation has submitted a formal proposal to deregulation.gov recommending that Congress revise NWPA Section 161 as proposed by the USNIC.

“We believe this targeted change would unlock meaningful progress,” Baltzer explained. “While full modernization of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act may ultimately be needed, this immediate step would empower the DOE to begin evaluating new disposal options, including Deep Isolation’s patented deep borehole disposal technology – and empower innovators to work with willing communities to develop safe, permanent, and cost‑effective options for the future.”

The proposed revision to NWPA Section 161 states:

• Delete: “The Secretary may not conduct site-specific activities with respect to a second repository unless Congress has specifically authorized and appropriated funds for such activities.”

• Replace with: “The Secretary may conduct, or may enter into a contract to conduct, site-specific activities with respect to a second repository. The Secretary may not prepare an application to the Commission for a license to construct a second repository unless Congress has specifically authorized and appropriated funds for such activities. Where a private-sector repository developer and an interested potential host community jointly request consideration of a repository site, the Secretary shall evaluate such request and report to the relevant congressional committees within 180 days. The Secretary may, consistent with existing authorities and appropriations, initiate site-specific activities or enter into contracts under this section in response to such a request.”

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About Deep Isolation

Named as one of Goldman Sachs’ Top 30 Startups in carbon capture, hydrogen power, and nuclear energy, Deep Isolation is the first company commercializing nuclear waste disposal in deep boreholes. It offers a uniquely tailored solution to help countries complete the necessary steps to dispose of their waste inventories. With 87 patents issued to date, it leverages proven drilling practices to safely isolate waste deep underground in horizontal, vertical, or slanted borehole repositories.  Deep Isolation’s Universal Canister System (UCS) was developed through a three-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency -Energy (ARPA-E), and is engineered to support integrated management of spent fuel and high-level waste from advanced reactors across storage, transportation and eventual disposal.

For more information, visit: deepisolation.com 

For media inquiries, please contact: media@deepisolation.com

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BERKELEY, CA – Deep Isolation, a leading innovator in nuclear waste disposal technology, today announced its participation in the newly launched WISARD (Waste Integration for Small and Advanced Reactor Designs), a three-year international project spearheaded by the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). The initiative aims to develop integrated approaches to radioactive waste management for the next generation of nuclear power systems.

WISARD brings together public and private stakeholders from across the nuclear lifecycle to drive innovation in how reactor design influences waste strategies across four critical areas: treatment and recycling, storage, transportation, and final disposal.

Deep Isolation will contribute technical expertise and data to help inform how integrated management strategies can enhance safety and reduce costs across these four areas.

“We welcome Deep Isolation’s support and participation in the WISARD project,” said Rebecca Tadesse, Head of the NEA Division of Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning. “Their knowledge and expertise in integrated waste management and canister solutions will contribute to the success of the project.”

Deep Isolation’s Universal Canister System (UCS) is a triple-purpose canister designed for safe storage, transportation, and deep geologic disposal. It is compatible with both mined and borehole repositories and supports a range of advanced reactor waste streams, enabling flexibility in future waste disposition pathways.

“Deep Isolation is delighted to collaborate with NEA on this ambitious initiative,” said Chris Parker, Chief Commercialization Officer at Deep Isolation. “The world needs advanced nuclear to meet rising energy demands and address climate change, but the deployment must be matched with thoughtful, efficient strategies for managing the waste. WISARD provides a vital platform to align public and private sector efforts around these long-term solutions.”

Deep Isolation’s participation in WISARD builds on recent research presented at the 2025 Waste Management Symposia (WMS). The company’s paper Opportunities and Barriers for Optimizing Costs Across the Back End of the Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle underscores the importance of WISARD’s work to integrate waste management into deployment strategies for small and advanced reactors right from the outset — and demonstrates strong demand across the nuclear industry for innovative products, like the UCS, that can reduce costs and uncertainty for the industry across storage, transportation, and disposal.

Additional studies presented at WMS, including Progress on the Development of the Universal Canister System for Advanced Reactor Waste Forms and Economic Case for Universal Canister System in Dry Storage, Transportation, and Disposal, underscore the value of Deep Isolation’s UCS in enabling practical, long-term, cost-optimized waste strategies for advanced reactor technologies.

To read NEA’s press release: https://www.oecd-nea.org/jcms/pl_105787/planning-for-sustainability-from-the-start-launch-of-the-wisard-project

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About Deep Isolation

Named as one of Goldman Sachs’ Top 30 Startups in carbon capture, hydrogen power, and nuclear energy, Deep Isolation is the first company commercializing nuclear waste disposal in deep boreholes. It offers a uniquely tailored solution to help countries complete the necessary steps to dispose of their waste inventories. With 87 patents issued to date, it leverages proven drilling practices to safely isolate waste deep underground in horizontal, vertical, or slanted borehole repositories.  Deep Isolation’s Universal Canister System (UCS) was developed through a three-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency -Energy (ARPA-E), and is engineered to support integrated management of spent fuel and high-level waste from advanced reactors across storage, transportation and eventual disposal.

For more information, visit: deepisolation.com 

For media inquiries, please contact: media@deepisolation.com

About the NEA

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is an intergovernmental agency under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It facilitates cooperation among countries with advanced nuclear technology infrastructures to seek excellence in nuclear safety, technology, science, environment and law. The NEA currently consists of 34 member countries representing 80% of the world’s installed nuclear electricity generating capacity.

About WISARD

WISARD (Waste Integration for Small and Advanced Reactor Designs) is a three-year joint project launched by the NEA in May 2025. It brings together international stakeholders from across the nuclear energy lifecycle to evaluate how design decisions in advanced reactor systems influence backend waste management strategies. The project focuses on integrating considerations for storage, treatment and recycling, transportation, and disposal from the earliest stages of reactor development to promote sustainable and cost-effective solutions.

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BERKELEY, CA – Deep Isolation, a leading innovator in nuclear waste disposal technology, applauds the suite of executive orders signed by President Donald J. Trump on May 23, 2025, which prioritize revitalizing the nuclear industrial base, accelerating the deployment of advanced reactors, and advancing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal.

The executive orders represent a historic federal commitment to unlocking the full potential of nuclear energy, including a clear directive to develop a national policy for managing SNF and evaluating recycling and reprocessing pathways. They task the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with other federal agencies, to recommend near-term actions for SNF disposal and to strengthen the domestic nuclear fuel cycle. These actions signal a shift toward enabling permanent solutions for America’s growing inventory of nuclear waste.

“For decades, America’s inability to dispose of its nuclear waste has remained an unresolved challenge,” stated Rod Baltzer, CEO of Deep Isolation. “We welcome the administration’s commitment to resolving it. A credible, near-term pathway for permanent disposal is essential, and Deep Isolation ꟷ together with its U.S.-based supply chain partners ꟷ is ready to contribute to this national priority.”

Despite over 40 years since the passage of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA), the U.S. still lacks an operational geologic repository for SNF. Today, over 92,500 metric tons of SNF remain in temporary storage at more than 70 sites across 35 states, a backlog that continues to grow by approximately 2,000 metric tons each year. More than 27 years overdue, the federal government has still not begun accepting commercial SNF for disposal, with significant financial consequences:

• $50.4 billion in the Nuclear Waste Fund (NWF) from utility ratepayers remains largely unused.
• $2 million per day in taxpayer liabilities ꟷ totaling $11.1 billion as of 2024 ꟷ has been paid in legal judgments due to the Department of Energy’s failure to meet its obligations under the NWPA.
• The estimated future liability for failure to dispose of the waste is at least $37.6 billion as of 2024.

Deep Borehole Disposal: A Viable, Near-Term Solution

Deep borehole disposal (DBD), once confined to laboratory analysis, is now a commercial reality. Thanks to sustained private investment and strategic partnerships, Deep Isolation has advanced this solution from a theoretical concept to a mature system ready to begin the licensing process. The company’s patented solution for directionally-drilled deep borehole repositories combines innovation from the U.S. oil, gas and nuclear sectors to provide disposal solutions for long-term nuclear safety.

Key enablers include:

• A robust U.S.-based supply chain comprised of leading firms.
• The Deep Borehole Demonstration Center in Texas, a public-private nonprofit launched in 2023 to conduct full-scale demonstrations.
• A licensing-ready system, optimized through Deep Isolation’s Universal Canister System (UCS) co‑developed with DOE and industry partners.

Strategic Partnerships with Recycling Leaders

“Deep Isolation is proud to collaborate with U.S. leaders in reprocessing and advanced reactor fuel cycles,” said Chris Parker, Chief Commercialization Officer at Deep Isolation. We welcome the administration’s determination to accelerate the implementation of these exciting technologies.”  Deep Isolation’s existing partnerships with leaders in this sector such as Curio, Oklo and SHINE underscore the administration’s recognition that, even after recycling, residual high-level waste remains ꟷ and still requires a disposal solution.

Policy Alignment and a Path Forward

The new executive orders direct the DOE to bring forward national policies on SNF and HLW management, evaluate private-sector reprocessing options, and identify disposal pathways. They acknowledge what experts, communities and industry leaders have long recognized: permanent disposal is essential, and flexibility in both technology and siting is key.

Deep Isolation strongly supports:

• The launch of a national program for disposal, building on the momentum created by these executive orders and their commitment to public-private partnerships to advance recycling, reprocessing, and disposal capabilities.
• The emphasis on use of DOE sites as an accelerator for new reactor deployment, which we believe can also valuably be applied to demonstrate disposal technologies. A single deep borehole demonstration at a National Laboratory site, for example, could both establish U.S. first mover advantage in a potential $600 billion global market and permanently dispose of a DOE-owned waste stream.
• The reform of the NRC to enable faster decision-making while upholding the agency’s reputation for scientific rigor, transparency, and highest levels of safety. Deep Isolation’s own safety assessments demonstrate that its repository designs, which can be constructed in under two years, significantly exceed the NRC safety standards established for Yucca Mountain, underscoring that speed and safety can and must go hand in hand.

“Recycling can reduce nuclear waste volumes, but only disposal ensures it is safely isolated from people and the environment,” said Baltzer. “That’s why we are investing in permanent, deep geologic solutions.  The Executive Orders mark a turning point for American innovation, science, and leadership. We have the tools and the technologies and, with these Executive Orders, we now have the political commitment to act. What we need next is execution. Deep Isolation, together with our supply chain partners, is ideally placed to turn this into reality, and we look forward to collaborating with the Department of Energy to put into practice the exciting vision that the President has set out.”

Read the full executive order: Reinvigorating the nuclear industrial base

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About Deep Isolation

Named as one of Goldman Sachs’ 30 top startups in carbon capture, hydrogen power, and nuclear energy, Deep Isolation is the first company commercializing nuclear waste disposal in deep boreholes.  It offers a uniquely tailored solution to help countries complete the necessary steps to dispose of their waste inventories. With 70 patents issued to date, it leverages proven drilling practices to safely isolate waste deep underground in horizontal, vertical, or slanted borehole repositories.

For more information, visit deepisolation.com. 

For media inquiries, please contact:
media@deepisolation.com

Details of Deep Isolation’s existing partnerships with US nuclear recycling companies are set out in earlier announcements on the company’s website: SHINE Technologies,  Curio Legacy Ventures and Oklo Inc.

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