Deep Isolation Welcomes Presidential Action to Reinvigorate U.S. Nuclear Waste Disposal Program

May 28, 2025 at 04:58 AM EDT

BERKELEY, Calif., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 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

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.

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.

For more information, visit www.deepisolation.com
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