Spent Fuel Pools
When fuel is removed from the reactor, it will be very hot. It will also contain some material that is continuing to decay and produce more heat. The used fuel will be moved to a spent fuel pool, where it will stay until it has cooled and will not produce more heat.
Dry Cask Storage
Dry cask storage allows spent fuel that has already been cooled in spent fuel pool for at least one year to be surrounded by inert gas inside a container called a cask. Casks are typically steel cylinders that are either welded or bolted closed. The steel cylinder provides a leak-tight confinement of the spent fuel. Each cylinder is surrounded by additional steel, concrete, or other material to provide radiation shielding to workers and members of the public. Some of cask designs can be used for both storage and transportation.