Nuclear Engineer, Integrated Waste Management activities, Nuclear Sciences division
Nuclear Engineer, Integrated Waste Management activities, Nuclear Sciences division

Biography

Steve Maheras is a nuclear engineer who joined PNNL in 2009. Maheras currently manages PNNL’s U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy’s Integrated Waste Management (IWM) activities. As the active lead for IWM’s nuclear power plant site evaluation activities, he has extensive knowledge of commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) storage and transportation systems and technologies. He is also experienced in SNF transportation infrastructure, planning, and logistics, including the development of an Association of American Railroads Standard S-2043 railcar. 

Maheras has conducted numerous transportation risk and consequence assessments for both SNF and other radioactive materials. These transportation risk assessments have included rail and truck transportation routing analyses, rail and truck transportation risk and consequence assessments, and assessing the impacts of transportation sabotage and terrorism on rail and truck shipments of SNF and other radioactive material.

Prior to his involvement in IWM, Maheras managed Battelle’s Yucca Mountain Repository Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the Nevada Rail Corridor Supplemental EIS, and Rail Alignment EIS transportation activities. He also led the team that developed the improvised nuclear device consequence model used in the 2008 Integrated Chemical/Biological/Radiological/Nuclear Terrorism Risk Assessment. The objective of this risk assessment, required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 18 (HSPD‑18), Medical Countermeasures Against Weapons of Mass Destruction, was to examine the effectiveness of medical countermeasures in reducing the risk of chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear acts of terrorism.

Maheras also serves as a transportation subject matter expert for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's new reactor and advanced reactor EISs.

Research Interest

  • Microreactor transportation
  • Transportation packaging
  • Transportation infrastructure and planning
  • Transportation logistics
  • Transportation risk and consequence assessment
  • Nuclear fuel cycle
  • SNF transportation and storage
  • Radioactive waste management

Education

  • PhD, Health Physics, Colorado State University
  • MS, Health Physics, Colorado State University
  • BA, Zoology, University of New Hampshire

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Health Physics Society
  • American Nuclear Society
  • Institute of Nuclear Materials Management
  • Secretary, N14 Standards Committee on the Packaging and Transport of Radioactive Materials and Non-Nuclear Hazardous Materials

Awards and Recognitions

  • Diplomate of the American Board of Health Physics, Certified Health Physicist
  • Aoki Award for Distinguished Oral Presentation, 18th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM 2016), Kobe, Japan.

Publications

2022

 

  • Coles G.A., P.P. Lowry, J.R. Phillips, S.M. Short, C.A. Condon, S.J. Maheras, and T.A. Ikenberry, et al. 2022. Parametric Study of Factors that Affect Calculated Dose from TRISO Fueled Microreactor Transportation Accident. PNNL-33607. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Parametric Study of Factors that Affect Calculated Dose from TRISO Fueled Microreactor Transportation Accident
  • Coles G.A., S.M. Short, S.J. Maheras, and H.E. Adkins. 2022. "Risk-Informed Approach for Regulatory Approval of Microreactor Transport." In Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management (PSAM 2022), June 26-July 1, 2022, Honolulu, HI. Los Angeles, California:International Association for Probablistic Safety Assessment and Management. PNNL-SA-172477.
  • Condon C.A., M. Abkowitz, H. Gadey, R. Claypool, S.J. Maheras, M.R. Feldman, and E. Bickford. 2022. "Verification and Validation of START: A Spent Nuclear Fuel Routing and Decision Support Tool." In International High Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference, November 13-17, 2022, Phoenix, AZ, 115-119. La Grange Park, Illinois:American Nuclear Society. PNNL-SA-174406.
  • Condon C.A., P.J. Jensen, P.D. Royer, H. Gadey, M. Abkowitz, R. Claypool, and S.J. Maheras, et al. 2022. "Verification and Validation of the Stakeholder Tool for Assessing Radioactive Transportation (START) - 22323." In Waste Management Symposia 2022, March 6-10, 2022, Phoenix, AZ 2022,, Paper No. 22323. Tempe, Arizona:WM Symposia, Inc. PNNL-SA-169303.

2021

  • Maheras SJ, L Rodman, RE Best, A Levin, SB Ross, LM Massaro, and PJ Jensen. 2021. Nuclear Power Plant Infrastructure Evaluations for Removal of Spent Nuclear Fuel. PNNL-30429, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Adkins HE and SJ Maheras. 2021. “Microreactor Transportability Challenges.” In Waste Management Symposium 2021, March 7-11, 2021, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-158630.
  • Maheras SJ, L Rodman, E Bickford, L Janairo, M Arvidson, A McFadden, and K Hobbs. 2021. “GE-Hitachi Morris Operation Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation Virtual Site Evaluation.” In Waste Management Symposium 2021, March 7-11, 2021, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-157906.
  • Rodman L, SJ Maheras, and E Bickford. 2021. “Department of Energy Office of Integrated Waste Management SNF Transportation Knowledge Management Activities.” In Waste Management Symposium 2021, March 7-11, 2021, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-157914.
  • Schwab P, MR Feldman, WJ Reich, SJ Maheras, and S Dam. 2021. “Update on Development of a U.S. Rail Transport Capability for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste.” In Waste Management Symposium 2021, March 7-11, 2021, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-158800.

2020

  • Maheras SJ, E Bickford, LM Massaro, and M Feldman. 2020. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing SNF from Nuclear Power Plant Sites – Pilgrim Site Visit.” In Waste Management Symposium 2020, March 8-12, 2020, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-151362.
  • Rodman L, SJ Maheras, E Bickford, and EP Kennedy. 2020. “Planning for Nuclear Power Plant Site Visits.” In Waste Management Symposium 2020, March 8-12, 2020, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-149620.
  • Schwab P, MR Feldman, WJ Reich, SJ Maheras, and S Dam. 2020. “Update on Development of a U.S. Rail Transport Capability for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste.” In Waste Management Symposium 2020, March 8-12, 2020, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Maheras SJ and HE Adkins. 2020. Concept of Operations for Microreactor Transportation. PNNL-30166 Revision 1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Maheras SJ and HE Adkins. 2020. Complete Documentation of Applicable Regulations and Regulatory Authority for Transportation. PNNL-29718. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, Washington.
  • Kalinina EK, R Kalan, DJ Ammerman, SJ Maheras, C Farnum, and L Lujan. 2020. Update to Transportation Analysis for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Revision 1. SAND2020-9203R. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

2019

  • Maheras SJ, A Levin, RE Best, E Bickford, LM Massaro, and M Feldman. 2019. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel From Shutdown Sites – Oyster Creek Site Visit.” In Proceedings of the 19th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM 2019), August 4-9, 2019, New Orleans, Louisiana. PNNL-SA-144530.
  • Rodman L and SJ Maheras. 2019. “Previous DOE Transportation Acquisition Efforts for Spent Fuel Shipments: An Analysis of Comments Received on Contract Structure.” In Proceedings of the 19th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM 2019) August 4-9, 2019, New Orleans, Louisiana. PNNL-SA-144725.
  • Maheras SJ, A Levin, RE Best, E Bickford, LM Massaro, and M Feldman. 2019. “Lessons Learned in Planning for the Removal of Spent Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Nuclear Power Plant Sites in the U.S.” In International Conference on the Management of Spent Fuel from Nuclear Power Reactors: Learning from the Past, Enabling the Future, June 24-28, 2019, Vienna, Austria. PNNL-SA-142260.
  • Stoll RH, NV Saraeva, SJ Maheras, WM Nutt, and AE Keizur. 2019. “Evolution of an Execution Strategy Analysis Capability and Tool for the Disposition of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High Level Waste.” In International Conference on the Management of Spent Fuel from Nuclear Power Reactors: Learning from the Past, Enabling the Future, June 24-28, 2019, Vienna, Austria.
  • Connolly KJ, MR Feldman, RE Best, SJ Maheras, D McGee, and SO Bader. 2019. “Initial Study for De-Inventory of Spent Nuclear Fuel from the Kewaunee Site.” In 2019 ANS Annual Meeting, June 9-13, 2019, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, E Bickford, LM Massaro, and M Feldman. 2019. “Evaluations of Removing Spent Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Nuclear Power Plant Sites in the U.S.” In International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management 2019 (IHLRWM 2019), April 14-18, 2019, Knoxville, Tennessee. PNNL-SA-140420.
  • Maheras SJ, A Levin, RE Best, E Bickford, LM Massaro, and M Feldman. 2019. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Spent Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Nuclear Power Plant Sites – 2018.” In Waste Management Symposium 2019, March 3-7, 2019, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-139655.
  • Maheras SJ and E Bickford. 2019. “External Engagement During Evaluations of Shutdown Nuclear Power Plant Sites.” In Waste Management Symposium 2019, March 3-7, 2019, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-139529.
  • Rodman L, E Helvey, and SJ Maheras. 2019. “Perspectives on Previous DOE Transportation Acquisition Efforts.” In Waste Management Symposium 2019, March 3-7, 2019, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-140732.
  • Schwab P, MR Feldman, WJ Reich, SJ Maheras, and S Dam. 2019. “Update on Development of a U.S. Rail Transport Capability for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste.” In Waste Management Symposium 2019, March 3-7, 2019, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Saraeva N, R Stoll, J Greeves, J Voss, I Miller, W Mozingo, A Keizur, A Seal, M Feldman, W Nutt, and SJ Maheras. 2019. “Execution Strategy Analysis (ESA) Origin Sites Readiness Model.” In Waste Management Symposium 2019, March 3-7, 2019, Phoenix, Arizona.

2018

  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, E Bickford, LM Massaro, M Feldman, and JL England. 2018. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Spent Nuclear Fuel From Shutdown Sites – Fort Calhoun Site Visit.” In Waste Management Symposium 2018, March 18-23, 2018, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-130429.
  • Connolly KJ, MR Feldman, SJ Maheras, RE Best, E Bickford, D McGee, and SO Bader. 2018. “Initial Site-Specific Studies for Removing SNF from Six Shutdown Sites.” In Waste Management Symposium 2018, March 18-23, 2018, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Schwab P, MR Feldman, WJ Reich, SJ Maheras, and S Dam. 2018. “Update on Development of a U.S. Rail Transport Capability for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste.” In Waste Management Symposium 2018, March 18-23, 2018, Phoenix, Arizona.

2017

  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, KA Buxton, JL England, PE McConnell, LM Massaro, and PJ Jensen. 2017. Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites. PNNL-22676 Revision 10. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Connolly KJ, MR Feldman, SJ Maheras, RE Best, SJ Maheras, D McGee, and SO Bader. 2017. “Initial Site-Specific Studies for De-Inventory of Spent Nuclear Fuel.” In 2017 ANS Winter Meeting and Expo, October 29-November 2, 2017, Washington, D.C.
  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, JL England, LM Massaro, and PJ Jensen. 2017. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing SNF from Shutdown Sites - 2016 Update.” In 16th International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference (IHLRWM 2017), April 9-13, 2017, Charlotte, North Carolina. PNNL-SA-123108.
  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, JL England, LM Massaro, and PJ Jensen. 2017. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites – 2016 Update.” In Waste Management Symposium 2017, March 5-9, 2017, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-123109.
  • Schwab P, MR Feldman, WJ Reich, SJ Maheras, and S Dam. 2017. “Update on Development of a U.S. Rail Transport Capability for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste.” In Waste Management Symposium 2017, March 5-9, 2017, Phoenix, Arizona.

2016

  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, E Bickford, LM Massaro, JL England, and PJ Jensen. 2016. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites.” In Proceedings of the 18th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM 2016), September 18-23, 2016, Kobe, Japan. PNNL-SA-119413.
  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, JL England, LM Massaro, and PJ Jensen. 2016. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites – An Update.” In Waste Management Symposium 2016, March 6-10, 2016, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-114964.
  • Schwab P, MR Feldman, WJ Reich, SJ Maheras, and S Dam. 2016. “Development of a U.S. Rail Transport Capability for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste.” In Waste Management Symposium 2016, March 6-10, 2016, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, KA Buxton, JL England, PE McConnell, LM Massaro, and PJ Jensen. 2016. Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites. PNNL-22676 Revision 8; FCRD- NFST-2016-000478. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.

2015

  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, KA Buxton, JL England, PE McConnell, LM Massaro, and PJ Jensen. 2015. Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites. PNNL-22676 Revision 6. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, JL England, LM Massaro, and PJ Jensen. 2015. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites.” WMS Journal 1(2), December.
  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, JL England, LM Massaro, and PJ Jensen. 2015. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites.” In Waste Management Symposium 2015, March 15-19, 2015, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-106325.
  • Feldman MR, J Wagner, K Connolly, SJ Maheras, E Bickford, J Jones, and P Schwab. 2015. “Laying the Groundwork for a Large-Scale Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation System.” In Waste Management Symposium 2015, March 15-19, 2015, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Ross SB, NA Klymyshyn, PJ Jensen, RE Best, SJ Maheras, PE McConnell, and J Orchard. 2015. “Rail Shock and Vibration Pre-Test Modeling of a Used Nuclear Fuel Assembly.” In International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference: Real World Solutions for Integrated Management of Used Fuel and HLW, April 12-16, 2015, Charleston, South Carolina. PNNL-SA-106815.

2014

  • Kalinina EK, PE McConnell, IK Busch, SJ Maheras, and R Best. 2013. “Transportation Operations Model Analysis for the Removal of Stranded Fuel From Shutdown Reactors.” Packaging, Transport, Storage, and Security of Radioactive Material 25(3-4):139-143.
  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, KA Buxton, JL England, and PE McConnell. 2014. “Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites.” In 2014 ANS Winter Meeting and Technology Expo, November 9-13, 2014, Anaheim, California. PNNL-SA-104823.
  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, KA Buxton, JL England, PE McConnell, LM Massaro, and PJ Jensen. 2014. Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites. PNNL-22676 Revision 4. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Ross SB, RE Best, NA Klymyshyn, PJ Jensen, and SJ Maheras. 2014. Used Fuel Rail Shock and Vibration Testing Options Analysis. PNNL-23709. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Ross SB, RE Best, SJ Maheras, PJ Jensen, JL England, and D LeDuc. 2014. Used Fuel Testing Transportation Model. PNNL-23668. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.

2013

  • Maheras SJ, RE Best, SB Ross, KA Buxton, JL England, and PE McConnell. 2013. Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Sites. PNNL-22676 Revision 1; FCRD-NFST-2013-000238. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Maheras SJ, R Best, SB Ross, KA Buxton, JL England, and P McConnell. 2013. Preliminary Evaluation of Removing Used Nuclear Fuel From Nine Shutdown Sites. PNNL-22418. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Maheras SJ, EA Lahti, and SB Ross. 2013. Transportation Shock and Vibration Literature Review. PNNL-22514. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Kalinina EK, IK Busch, PE McConnell, and SJ Maheras. 2013. “Logistics Case Study for Shipping Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Reactor Sites.” Radwaste Solutions 20(4):35 September-October.
  • Kalinina EK, PE McConnell, IK Busch, SJ Maheras, and R Best. 2013. “Transportation Operations Model Analysis for the Removal of Stranded Fuel From Shutdown Reactors.” In Proceedings of the 17th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM 2013), August 18-23, 2013, San Francisco, California.
  • Kalinina EK, IK Busch, PE McConnell, and SJ Maheras. 2013. “Logistics Case Study for Shipping Used Nuclear Fuel from Shutdown Reactor Sites.” In International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference (IHLRWM 2013), April 28-May 2, 2013, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

2012

  • Maheras SJ, R Best, SB Ross, EA Lahti, and DJ Richmond. 2012. A Preliminary Evaluation of Using Fill Materials to Stabilize Used Nuclear Fuel During Storage and Transportation. PNNL-21664. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, Washington.

2011

  • Maheras SJ and SB Ross. 2011. UFD Storage and Transportation - Transportation Working Group Report. PNNL-20691. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Maheras SJ and SB Ross. 2011. Interim UFD Storage and Transportation - Transportation Working Group Report. PNNL-20289. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
  • Maheras SJ. 2011. MACCS2 Unit Dose Conversion Factors for Use with Next Generation Nuclear Plant Source Term Analysis. PNNL-21012. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.

2007

  • McSweeney TI and SJ Maheras. 2007. “Transportation Risk Assessments, What Can We learn From 30 Years of Predictions.” In Proceedings of the 15th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM 2007), October 21-26, 2007, Miami, Florida.

2006

  • Warren GA, KR McCormick, SM Robinson, RB Kefgen, SJ Maheras, P Weaver, and KJ Iwamasa. 2006. “Development of Tc-99 Characterization Approach for the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant.” In Waste Management Symposium 2006, February 26-March 2, 2006, Tucson, Arizona. PNWD-SA-7209.
  • Scheele RD, BK McNamara, BM Rapko, MK Edwards, AE Kozelisky, RC Daniel, TI McSweeney, SJ Maheras, PJ Weaver, KJ Iwamasa, and RB Kefgen. 2006. “Development of NF3 Deposit Removal Technology for the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant.” In Waste Management Symposium 2006, February 26-March 2, 2006, Tucson, Arizona. PNWD-SA-7217.

2004

  • McSweeney TI, SJ Maheras, and SB Ross. 2004. “Radioactive Materials Transport Accident Analysis.” In Proceedings of the 14th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM 2014), September 20-24, 2004, Berlin, Germany.

2003

  • Chen SY, BM Biwer, FA Monette, R Luna, R Weiner, R Yoshimura, C Detrick, T Dunn, S Maheras, S Bhatnagar, and AK Kapoor. 2003. “Resource Handbook on Transport Risk Assessment.” International Journal of Radioactive Materials Transport, 14(1):29-38.