Company will fabricate and test prototype railcar to transport spent nuclear fuel, high-level radioactive waste
Springfield, Va., December 1, 2022
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) – Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) has placed the award of a contract to ENSCO, Inc. to fabricate and test a prototype of an 8-axle cask railcar, known as a Fortis railcar, to transport spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. As the prototype is constructed, ENSCO, Inc., a leading provider of railroad engineering services, will pursue conditional approval from the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) Equipment Engineering Committee to use the car for the transport of radioactive material.
“ENSCO is pleased to lead this team selected to deliver this critically important Fortis prototype to the U.S. Department of Energy,” commented Jeff Stevens, President of ENSCO, Inc. “Our team of scientists, engineers and partners will work together to construct a prototype vehicle and conduct all testing required to secure AAR approval for use of the vehicle to move radioactive materials safely and efficiently throughout the U.S.,” Stevens concluded.
ENSCO will partner with Kasgro Rail Corporation, Oak Ridge Technologies, and RailcarCo Corporation to deliver the prototype vehicle and all necessary testing equipment to the DOE. Much of the testing of the Fortis railcar will be conducted at the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in Pueblo, Colorado. ENSCO assumed management of the U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Railroad Administration’s TTC research, testing and training facility on October 1, 2022.
According to the DOE, commercial spent nuclear fuel is packaged in containers weighing approximately 80-210 tons which is beyond legal weight limits for truck transport in the U.S., consequently, rail transport is the preferred mode to move containers to disposal and storage facilities across the country.
ABOUT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY – OFFICE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY
The mission of the U.S. Department of Energy is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) mission is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental, and economic needs.
ABOUT ENSCO, INC.
ENSCO, Inc., and its wholly owned subsidiaries, represent a $150 million international technology enterprise, headquartered in the Washington, D.C., area. For more than 50 years, the ENSCO group of companies has been providing leading-edge engineering, science and advanced technology solutions to governments and private industries worldwide. ENSCO operates in the aerospace, national security, surface transportation and cybersecurity sectors and focuses on technologies, products, and services to support the safety, security, reliability, and efficiency of customer missions. Field offices and subsidiaries, representatives and partnerships are located throughout the United States and around the world. Learn more about ENSCO
