Full Title: Strategising for the Back End of Small Modular and Generation IV Reactors: Outcomes of the 7th Joint Session of the CDLM and RWMC
Author(s): OECD, NEA
Publisher(s): OECD
Publication Date: July 18, 2025
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Description (excerpt):
The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) supports its member countries in tackling key challenges in radioactive waste management and decommissioning through the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) and the Committee on Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management (CDLM). These committees serve as vital platforms for navigating technical, economic and societal challenges through a holistic approach.
There is growing interest in small modular reactors (SMR) and Generation IV technologies as part of efforts to strengthen energy security and achieve net-zero carbon emissions. The RWMC and CDLM have launched initiatives to begin exploring the “back end” – encompassing spent fuel and radioactive waste management as well as dismantling and decommissioning – of these new designs, recognising it as a key factor in ensuring responsible, long-term deployment.