TEXAS/HALDEN – The Deep Borehole Demonstration Center (DBD Center) is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew (Andy) Griffith as its new Executive Director. Griffith brings more than 40 years of experience in nuclear energy, having held significant positions in the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and Battelle.

Griffith currently leads a team at Battelle that supports the U.S. Army’s exploration of microreactor technology and other related opportunities. Prior to his role at Battelle, he retired from the DOE in 2023, where he most recently served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain at the Office of Nuclear Energy.  In this capacity, Griffith led the DOE’s efforts in research, development, and deployment of advanced nuclear fuel cycle technologies aimed at improving fuel utilization and energy generation while reducing waste generation and limiting proliferation risk. He also played a crucial role in developing the nuclear fuel supply needed for the deployment of advanced reactors in the United States.

The DBD Center was established in December 2022 as a not-for-profit independent organization to advance global knowledge on the use of deep borehole disposal for the safe geological disposal of radioactive waste. The Center organizes scientific demonstration projects sponsored by governmental and non-governmental organizations to accelerate the global adoption of this technology.

In his new role as Executive Director, Griffith will be responsible for developing and overseeing the delivery of the Deep Borehole Demonstration Program, driving the recruitment of program and project sponsors, representing and advocating for the DBD Center within the U.S. and international nuclear organizations, and ensuring transparent and inclusive governance for the program.

 “We are thrilled to welcome Andy Griffith as the new Executive Director of the DBD Center,” one of the DBD Center’s Board member Richard Esposito stated.  “His extensive experience in the nuclear energy sector renders him an exceptional leader to oversee the Center’s mission of advancing deep borehole disposal technology. We are confident that under his guidance, the DBD Center will continue to make significant strides in demonstrating and promoting safe geological disposal solutions for radioactive waste.”

Concurrent with his position as Deputy Assistant Secretary, Griffith served as Acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, overseeing the DOE’s entire nuclear energy portfolio from February 2022 to May 2022. Throughout his tenure at the DOE, he held various leadership roles supporting nuclear energy waste management, facility operations, security, and technology research missions. Before joining the DOE, Griffith served in the U.S. nuclear submarine force and continued his service in the Naval Reserve, retiring as a Captain in 2009. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Maryland, University College.

For more information, please contact: info@deepboreholedemo.org

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About the Deep Borehole Demonstration Center
The nonprofit Deep Borehole Demonstration Center was established to provide interested entities and governments. The nonprofit Deep Borehole Demonstration Center was established to provide interested entities and governments worldwide with an independent organization through which to commission projects that characterize and advance the technical readiness of deep borehole nuclear waste disposal technologies.

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Berkeley, CA – Deep Isolation has been selected as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) initiative, which funds energy and environmental projects with potential for commercialization.

In collaboration with the advanced reactor developer Kairos Power, Deep Isolation’s awarded Project “PUCK” (Performance Validation of the Universal Canister System for Kairos Power) aims to validate the functionality of Deep Isolation’s advanced disposal canister design with TRISO (TRi-structural ISOtropic) spent fuel. TRISO – dubbed “the most robust nuclear fuel on earth” by the Department of Energy – is a commercially viable fuel form used in advanced reactor designs under development by multiple vendors.

This project addresses the problem of the increasing nuclear spent-fuel stockpile by proving the viability of innovative, triple-purpose canister technology that can accommodate a wide range of different nuclear waste types for storage, transportation, and eventual disposal in a geologic repository.

Through the support of the DOE’s ARPA-E programs, Deep Isolation is developing a Universal Canister System (UCS) for the safe storage, transport, and disposal (in both traditional mined repositories and deep boreholes) of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste from both conventional and advanced nuclear reactors. The UCS provides a robust design that future-proofs the advanced reactor industry in the face of uncertain future disposal paths while making available a new, low-cost, modular, and scalable disposal option: deep borehole disposal. By testing the UCS design with spent TRISO fuel from one of the country’s first advanced reactors, Kairos Power’s KP-FHR, Project PUCK will support the development of the UCS to the point of full commercialization.

“This represents a significant milestone for our company and for the industry,” explains Rod Baltzer, CEO of Deep Isolation. “The adoption of this technology in the advanced reactor commercial market will pave the way for an integrated waste management system. I am delighted that the Department of Energy is supporting our collaboration with Kairos Power to demonstrate the Universal Canister System’s effectiveness, reinforcing this technology as the solution of choice for advanced reactors.”

“We are excited to collaborate with Deep Isolation on Project PUCK,” says Per Peterson, Chief Nuclear Office and Co-Founder of Kairos Power. “Kairos Power has been a strong supporter of Deep Isolation since its inception. We are delighted to work with them to see this technology being commercialized and deployed to provide an integrated, end-to-end solution for managing spent fuel produced by advanced reactors.”

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About Deep Isolation
Deep Isolation is a leading global innovator in nuclear waste storage and disposal solutions. Driven by a passion for environmental stewardship and scientific ingenuity, the company’s patented solution of advanced nuclear technologies enables global delivery through its partnerships with industry leaders as well as flexible IP licensing options. With grant support from the US Department of Energy through the UPWARDS project, Deep Isolation is developing a Universal Canister System (UCS) for the safe storage, transport and disposal of spent nuclear fuel from advanced reactors. Once encapsulated in a UCS canister, the waste streams from any advanced reactor will be both safe and future-proofed – that is, ready for any option the waste owner may choose in the future: long-term storage, disposal in a mined geologic disposal facility or disposal in a deep borehole repository. The prototype UCS canister being developed by the UPWARDS project will be used for future testing and demonstration programs, providing invaluable data to inform the OECD-NEA WISARD project. 

About Kairos Power
Kairos Power is a mission-driven nuclear technology, engineering, and manufacturing company singularly Kairos Power is a mission-driven nuclear technology, engineering, and manufacturing company singularly focused on commercializing the fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) – a clean energy solution that can be deployed with robust safety at an affordable cost to enable deep decarbonization. Founded in 2016, the company is unique in applying a rapid iterative development approach and vertical integration strategy to bring advanced reactor technology to market. In 2023, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction permit for Kairos Power’s Hermes demonstration reactor – the first non-water-cooled reactor to be approved for construction in the U.S. in more than 50 years. Kairos Power’s mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy with the ultimate goal of dramatically improving people’s quality of life while protecting the environment.

Press Contact
media@deepisolation.com
www.deepisolation.com

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BERKELEY, CA – Deep Isolation welcomes the vote this week by the Estonian Parliament, the Riigikogu, in which a three-fifths majority passed a Resolution supporting the adoption of nuclear energy in Estonia.  Fermi Energia is driving this effort forward by investing to support energy security and a net-zero energy market in Estonia through the development of a Small Modular Reactor.

Rod Baltzer, CEO of Deep Isolation, said, “New nuclear energy is vital to provide the clean, scalable foundation of our net-zero future.  I welcome the recognition of this by the Estonian Parliament.  My congratulations go to the Estonian Nuclear Energy Working Group, whose evidence-driven analysis supported this decision, and to our colleagues at Fermi Energia, whose innovation and entrepreneurship are enabling Estonia’s nuclear future.  I also welcome the leadership that Estonia is showing by focusing on the need to establish a solution for safe, scalable disposal of spent nuclear fuel right at the outset of the country’s nuclear journey.” 

Chris Parker, Managing Director of Deep Isolation’s European business, added, “Deep Isolation is proud to support Fermi Energia as it takes forward the clear wishes of the Estonian Parliament.  In February this year, Fermi Energia announced that it has selected Deep Isolation’s technology as its solution for storage and disposal of SMR spent fuel, and we look forward to working with them and stakeholders across Estonia to bring this to fruition.”

“Next steps for Fermi Energia include submitting an application for National Designated Spatial Planning (including Environmental Impact Assessment) for 2-3 sites within the next 4 months. During this process, the most suitable site for the 2-unit BWRX-300 plant will be officially selected, and the layout and conditions for the project will be established. The National Designated Spatial Planning (NDSP) process is expected to continue until 2028. By that time, Fermi Energia aims to be prepared to apply for a construction license in Estonia, drawing upon the successful experiences with the BWRX-300 in Darlington and Polish Stawy Monowskie FOAK projects,” explains Kalev Kallemets (PhD), Fermi Energia CEO. 

On 7 February 2024, Deep Isolation and Fermi Energia announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly drive forward the development of SMRs in Estonia supported by a safe and scalable solution for the resulting spent fuel, based on use of Deep Isolation’s Universal Canister System (UCS) and patented directional drilling solution for deep borehole disposal for isolation and management of spent fuel.

Media Contact:

Sophie McCallum, Chief of Staff
media@deepisolation.com
2001 Addison St., Suite 300
Berkeley, CA 94704
www.deepisolation.com

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About Deep Isolation:
Deep Isolation is a leading global innovator in nuclear waste storage and disposal solutions. Driven by a passion for environmental stewardship and scientific ingenuity, the company’s patented solution of advanced nuclear technologies enables global delivery through its partnerships with industry leaders as well as flexible IP licensing options.

About Fermi Energia:
Fermi Energia is investing to support energy security and a net-zero energy market in Estonia through development of a Small Modular Reactor.  Since 2019, Fermi Energia has conducted a series of research and preliminary works, with the aim to start energy production in 2035.  These include pre-implementation studies with Deep Isolation, to confirm the compatibility of Deep Isolation’s technology with Estonia’s geology and to evaluate the economics of deploying their technology in the context of either an open or closed fuel cycle. 

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