U.S. imports of spent (irradiated) nuclear fuel elements (SITC 52517) totaled $43K in July 2026, traded with 2 countries.

Spent (Irradiated) Nuclear Fuel Elements imports of $43K in July 2026 ran 254% above the year-to-date monthly average of $12K.

Last updated: July 2026 data

Spent fuel cartridges removed from nuclear reactors contain a complex mixture of residual fissile material, fission products, and transuranic actinides, making them among the most hazardous and tightly controlled items in international commerce. US imports of spent nuclear fuel are governed by NRC regulations under 10 CFR Part 110, require specific import licenses, and are subject to IAEA safeguards accounting. Physical transport demands specialized Type B or C certified casks meeting both NRC and DOT/IAEA transport standards. Commercial imports are rare and typically occur only in the context of research reactor fuel return programs or government-to-government agreements; utilities do not routinely import spent fuel.

AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.

2 shipments/mo

12-month trend

ImportsExports

Imports

$43KYoY · Pro

Exports

$0YoY · Pro

12-mo low · imports

YoY · Pro

Fewer than 6 of the last 12 months reported trade above $500K; the trend chart is not shown for thin series.

Through July 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Basic heading 450 of 465 in section 5

Share of section 5 imports0.0001%

Basic heading 52517 · $43K of $28.9B

Where it comes from, where it lands, what it pays

Imports · July 2026

Countries

origin

Canada and Japan together supply 100% of it.

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Districts

customs district

Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.

States

destination

Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.

Ports

entry

Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Under what circumstances would spent nuclear fuel legally enter the US as an import?

The most common scenario is the US Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Acceptance Program, under which the US government accepts spent fuel from foreign research reactors that used US-origin enriched uranium. Commercial power reactor spent fuel imports are extremely rare and would require specific NRC import license approval, DOE consent, and compliance with applicable bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements.

What transport packaging standards apply to shipments of spent fuel cartridges?

Spent fuel must be shipped in NRC-certified Type B or Type C transport casks that meet both domestic 10 CFR Part 71 requirements and IAEA SSR-6 transport regulations. The casks must demonstrate containment, shielding, criticality control, and structural integrity under normal and accident conditions. Port-of-entry facilities must be pre-approved for receipt of such shipments, and advance notification to NRC and CBP is mandatory.