Project Overview

As a key contributor to Canada’s electricity and with plans to expand its use to reduce carbon emission, nuclear power is critical to quality of life. One key challenge is public confidence in the safe radioactive waste management. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is planning a deep geological repository (DGR), an underground system to safely and permanently contain the used nuclear fuel. Central to this is the used fuel container (UFC), made of steel and coated with copper to prevent corrosion. This work focuses on the copper layer in the UFC’s closure area, as new joining technologies are being proposed. Understanding its structure and performance will support manufacturing improvements and data for prediction models for UFC long-term performance in the DGR.