NRC Renews SwRI Contract to Operate Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has renewed its contract with Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to operate the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA).

Valued at potentially up to $52 million, over a five-year period of performance (inclusive of one-year base period and four one-year option periods) the contract provides continuing technical assistance and research support to NRC activities related to storage, transportation, possible reprocessing and ultimate geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes.

“For 30 years, CNWRA has been central to supporting NRC’s mission through evaluations of engineering and environmental and scientific factors affecting management of radioactive wastes,” said Dr. Wesley C. Patrick, CNWRA executive director.

SwRI has operated CNWRA since it was created in 1987 as a federally funded research and development center. CNWRA provides independent technical assistance and research support to the NRC, the U.S. regulatory agency responsible for evaluating safety and environmental aspects of storage, transportation and disposal of radioactive wastes.

Recognized as a center of excellence in earth science and engineering, CNWRA supports the NRC with a broad range of technical assistance and research. CNWRA expertise includes environmental evaluations, fire protection engineering, hazard assessments, materials degradation and aging management. The center provides performance and probabilistic risk assessments, risk-informed license review and site characterization. It also supports public outreach and stakeholder engagement associated with rule-making and licensing activities.

“SwRI is proud that our CNWRA operations support the NRC in its mission to protect public health and safety,” said SwRI President and CEO Adam Hamilton. “Our staff members have expertise spanning the environmental, geological and material sciences, as well as the engineering disciplines needed to evaluate safety and environmental compliance of nuclear facilities.”