Berkeley, CA — Deep Isolation, a leading innovator in nuclear waste storage and disposal solutions, will discuss horizontal borehole disposal as an option for spent fuel from advanced reactors at the upcoming Waste Management Symposia.

Rod Baltzer, Chief Operating Officer at Deep Isolation, will present a session titled “Disposal of Radioactive Wastes from Advanced Reactors in Horizontal Boreholes” as part of the High-Level Radioactive Waste, Spent Nuclear Fuel/Used Nuclear Fuel track, 7 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. PST on March 11. Baltzer is responsible for Deep Isolation’s waste management operations, domestically and internationally, including interactions with communities, utilities and government entities. He has more than 20 years of experience in leadership positions in the nuclear waste industry.

Baltzer’s presentation will include insights derived from the recently published Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) study, “Feasibility of Borehole Co-Location with Advanced Reactors for Onsite Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel.” The report indicates that locating a deep borehole repository at the site of a hypothetical advanced reactor in the southeastern United States could be a potentially safe and cost-effective waste management technology option.

“The EPRI study is important as it evaluates new pathways for future nuclear waste disposal,” said Deep Isolation CEO Elizabeth Muller.

“We’ve seen a heightened interest in advanced reactors this past year, and I’m excited to discuss the back-end of the advanced nuclear lifecycle,” Baltzer said. “I’ll discuss why we think that a borehole repository can provide a safe and cost-effective disposal option for advanced reactors.”  Baltzer will hold office hours on March 8 from noon-2 p.m. PST, for those wishing to ask questions before his session, and on Thursday, March 11, from 7-10 a.m. PST, during the session.

Also on the agenda for Deep Isolation will be a session on stakeholder engagement.

Jim Hamilton, Director of Partnerships, will participate in the panel session, “Stakeholder Involvement in Consolidated ISF Storage, Disposal, and Transportation Initiatives,” 7-8:30 a.m. PST, on March 11. Hamilton has more than 25 years of experience in the public, private, and NGO sectors and has advised the U.S. Department of Energy on its spent fuel management program.

The panelists will discuss elements needed for success in engaging various stakeholders at all levels of a project’s lifecycle and will share best practices and lessons learned from current and previous projects.

“We have been talking with and listening to stakeholders across the waste management spectrum from the company’s inception, and it remains a key element of our success strategy,” Hamilton said. “While we do not have a disposal location yet, the work we are doing now will put us in a good position to continue to earn stakeholder support for our future implementation.”

Visit wmsym.org to register for the conference.

ABOUT DEEP ISOLATION

Deep Isolation is a leading innovator in nuclear waste storage and disposal. Founded upon values of environmental stewardship, scientific ingenuity, and social responsibility, Deep Isolation offers a solution that leverages directional drilling technology to safely isolate nuclear waste deep underground.