Radioactive Materials Transportation
The Southern States Energy Board works with states and federal partners to support the safe transportation of used nuclear fuel and radioactive waste and strengthen preparedness for radiological emergencies. Through its committees and working groups, the Board brings together radiological health professionals, emergency managers, law enforcement officials, and technical experts to coordinate planning, training, and mutual assistance across the South.
Used Nuclear Fuel Transportation
The Board’s Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee works with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Storage and Transportation to help develop a framework for the safe and efficient movement of used nuclear fuel. This work addresses the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle and supports coordination among federal agencies, states, and tribes.
Current Activities & Shipment Planning
The Committee is helping prepare for DOE’s High Burnup Research Cask shipment, scheduled for 2027. The shipment will transport used nuclear fuel from North Anna Power Station in Virginia to Idaho National Laboratory for research on how higher burnup fuel behaves after removal from a reactor and placement in dry storage. Higher burnup fuel remains in a reactor longer to produce more energy.
Committee representatives from Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia participate in DOE’s monthly shipment planning working group. Recent activities include reviewing a draft transportation plan and discussing a practice shipment.
In August 2026, the Board participated in DOE Transportation Core Group discussions in Colorado Springs and a visit to MxV Rail in Pueblo, Colorado. Participants viewed testing facilities and met with experts supporting the Atlas railcar, which is expected to carry the research cask.
Southern Emergency Response Council
The Southern Emergency Response Council (SERC) administers a mutual aid agreement established in 1972 to help southern states assist one another during radiological emergencies involving nuclear power plants.
Its 14 member states are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
Mutual Assistance & Preparedness
The Southern Mutual Radiation Assistance Plan (SMRAP) provides the framework for coordinating assistance among participating states. SERC representatives review and update the plan annually to reflect changes in response capabilities, equipment, and available resources. The Board serves as regional coordinator for simulated activation of the plan during state nuclear power plant exercises.
In May 2026, the Board participated in an evaluated exercise involving Alabama’s Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant. The exercise included a simulated request from the Alabama Department of Public Health for assistance from neighboring states.
SERC most recently met on August 31, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee, to review proposed exercises and consider plan updates addressing changing state resources and emerging technologies, including advanced nuclear and fusion energy.
Transuranic Waste Transportation
The Board’s Transuranic (TRU) Waste Transportation Working Group develops policies and procedures to support safe shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico. WIPP is the nation’s only deep geologic repository for disposal of defense-related TRU radioactive waste.
TRU waste includes clothing, tools, debris, soil, and other materials contaminated with plutonium and other radioactive elements. In the South, inventories are stored at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina and Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.
State Coordination & Funding
The southern transportation corridor includes seven states along Interstate 20 and beyond, extending from South Carolina to New Mexico, with Tennessee also participating in the program.
The Board works with DOE’s Carlsbad Field Office to secure funding for state planning, training, and preparedness activities. Annual funding averages approximately $2.5 million and is distributed to corridor states through a cooperative agreement. The Board also hosts virtual meetings to review state workplans, budgets, and technical needs.
Current Activities & Transportation Planning
The Board is coordinating with the National Nuclear Security Administration on proposed shipments from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory to other DOE facilities for processing before disposal at WIPP. One proposed destination is the TRU Waste Processing Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Planning discussions address inspections, packaging, routing, tracking, and scheduling. Some shipments may use WIPP transportation equipment and portions of the existing corridor in reverse, moving material from western facilities to Oak Ridge.
As reported in the Board’s 2026 Annual Report, WIPP has received more than 14,800 shipments since opening in 1999. More than 2,100 originated from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Savannah River Site, representing more than 3.1 million miles of highway transportation.