California-based radioactive waste disposal company Deep Isolation is expanding its search for clients to Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
The company this week announced it is teaming with Dominion Engineering Inc. of Reston, Va., to combine their nuclear-fuel-disposal technologies with an initial focus on Latin American.
“This is potentially a good market,” said Deep Isolation’s chief operating officer Rod Baltzer. He declined to comment on any contracts that might be in negotiation.
Dominion Engineering’s role is to provide technology that ensures the integrity of the spent fuel canisters prior to disposal.
Deep Isolation’s business model is that nations with two to six reactors would be ideal customers. Latin American nations with reactors are Mexico, Argentina and Brazil.
Mexico has two operational commercial reactors. Brazil has two functioning power reactors and one under construction. Argentina has three operational reactors, one under construction and two in planning stages.
“We’ve engaged around the world, but we have not engaged Much in Latin America or South America,” Baltzer said
Deep Isolation is already seeking reactor-fuel-disposal clients in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. While it has participated in two study projects in the southeastern United States and Estonia, it has not yet signed a contract to dispose of spent nuclear fuel.
