  An intermodal shipment of waste containers departs the West Valley Demonstration Project, representing a milestone for the site. West Valley recently met a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management 2024 priority to safely dispose of a cumulative 20,000 tons of Main Plant Process Building demolition waste since the project’s start about two years ago.
WEST VALLEY, N.Y. — The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) and its cleanup contractor at the West Valley Demonstration Project recently notched an annual cleanup priority ahead of schedule for a second consecutive year, this time safely shipping more than 40 million pounds — equivalent to 20,000 tons — of debris from the demolition of the Main Plant Process Building since launching the project in fall 2022.
Crews with CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley (CHBWV) have packaged and shipped by rail more than 1,000 waste containers from the project for safe disposal offsite. They loaded each container with about 40,000 pounds of debris.
 Meanwhile, demolition of the Main Plant is 67% complete, with more than 40 of 60 cells within the facility demolished. Watch a video created earlier this summer to mark the halfway point in the project.
EM officials attribute the latest successful achievement to extensive planning, an experienced and dedicated workforce, and a commitment to safety.
“The West Valley team did an excellent job in their planning and preparation for this achievement,” said Stephen Bousquet, EM West Valley assistant director for the Office of Project Management. “The adherence to our protected assumptions and deliberate speed led to this successful milestone completion. Site crews were outstanding in performing the work safely, compliantly and efficiently.”
By the end of the Main Plant demolition project, the site is expected to ship about 500 additional waste containers by rail for disposal offsite.
“The team was deliberate in the planning and execution of this work, and worked closely with the onsite demolition crew and offsite disposal facilities, resulting in the safe and compliant disposition of demolition waste,” said Peggy Loop, CHBWV Waste and Site Operations manager.
Last year, West Valley crews accomplished an EM 2023 priority ahead of schedule after safely shipping more than 9,000 tons of Main Plant demolition debris for disposal offsite.
The Main Plant, a 35,100-square-foot, reinforced-concrete structure, is one of the last remaining major facilities at West Valley to be torn down by EM. Its successful demolition, which is expected to be completed next summer, will further reduce environmental risks and position the site for the next phase in cleanup: soil remediation and demolition of remaining facilities.
-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere
JAPAN – Last week, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) leaders traveled to Japan to attend the two-day 8th International Forum on the Decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) to engage with nuclear cleanup experts from Japan, the U.S., U.K. and other countries. The forum, hosted by the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation (NDF), included over 600 attendees and provides an opportunity for the international community to learn about the latest progress of the Fukushima Daiichi NPS cleanup, and for the U.S. and other countries to share technical and communication best practices and lessons learned during decommissioning and remediation of nuclear legacy sites.
This year, leaders from DOE’s Office of Legacy Management (LM) joined EM at the forum, expanding the U.S. perspective to span from cleanup to long-term surveillance and monitoring.
“Collaboration between our countries helps us navigate remaining cleanup challenges, including all aspects of decommissioning nuclear facilities,” EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeff Avery said. “It helps us achieve our respective missions by enabling the sharing of best practices, allowing greater leverage of science resources and providing opportunities to innovate.”
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U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeff Avery, right, thanks Denda Yasutaka, corporate office and general manager, D&D Strategy Office, Fukushima Daiichi Decontamination and Decommissioning Engineering Company, TEPCO Holdings Inc., for the tour of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station cleanup efforts. |
The first day featured a panel with Japanese and international government and industry leaders, and local community members engaging in a discussion focused on the Fukushima Daiichi NPS decommissioning and the future of the local community. The objective of the discussion was to provide the local community with information and space for a robust dialogue, sharing ideas, hopes and visions for the future.
The program for the second day gave technical experts the opportunity to discuss ongoing progress and the upcoming full-fledged debris retrieval process at the Fukushima Daiichi NPS, as well as stakeholder engagement lessons learned and best practices.
“Building these relationships with international partners, as well as our regulators, stakeholders and local communities is a priority for EM as we carry out our mission in the U.S,” said Avery. “Over the past 35 years of EM’s operations, we’ve built a wealth of knowledge through lessons learned, scientific advancement, and facility operations that provide valuable insights to our international partners, just as their experiences provide the same for us.”
EM and Japanese officials have been working together to address the Fukushima cleanup for more than a decade. EM has held technical workshops, hosted Japan government officials and their technical organizations to DOE sites, and supported key stakeholder engagement events, like this year’s forum.
Avery commended the NDF officials for their progress and ongoing initiatives to build transparency and collaboration with local and international stakeholders.
In addition to the forum, leaders toured the Fukushima Daiichi cleanup site and Rokkasho, where Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited operates several nuclear facilities like those within EM’s portfolio, and met with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
 U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management contractors recently hosted a Hanford Site tour for a local leadership group to highlight cleanup progress.
RICHLAND, Wash. — Contractors at the Hanford Site recently led a site cleanup tour for up-and-coming community leaders who are part of the latest Leadership Tri-Cities (LTC) class.
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company sponsored the site visit.
The tour included representatives from five other Hanford contractors: Bechtel National Inc., Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, Inomedic Health Applications, Navarro-ATL and Washington River Protection Solutions.
Hanford plays an important role in the lives of the more than 300,000 people who live in the Tri-Cities, Washington area. Therefore, it’s important that current and potential community leaders are familiar with the Hanford Site and its mission.
LTC is an immersive learning experience that seeks to develop knowledgeable leaders to serve the Tri-Cities community and includes 10 sessions focusing on various sectors and industries, including Hanford cleanup.
The LTC program helps prepare a diverse group of local leaders who want to facilitate positive change in the local community. The site visit is meant to educate and inform, encouraging participants to be advocates and ambassadors of Hanford cleanup.
“The Hanford Site is a massive stage for contemplation and consideration — contemplating the past and considering the future,” said Kevin Lewis, LTC class participant and president of Visit Tri-Cities, an organization that promotes tourism in the region. “Until you get out here, you really can’t comprehend the size, scope and magnitude of what’s going on. It really is a remarkable experience to come and see this firsthand.”
 Savannah River Site liquid waste contractor Savannah River Mission Completion will use drones equipped with cameras to inspect the cleaning status of waste tanks at the site. The drones will provide more flexibility and capability, as the aircraft can cover a larger area more quickly than tools used in the past. The drone and its cameras are protected by a wire cage that shields the craft from a collision.
AIKEN, S.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) is deploying drones for the first time to perform internal inspections of radioactive liquid waste tanks at the Savannah River Site (SRS).
Until now, the SRS Liquid Waste program had used wall-crawling robots that cling to the tank walls using magnets. These drones provide the program more flexibility and capability, as the aircraft can cover more area than a magnetic crawler — and do so more quickly. Additionally, the drones are equipped with 3D-scanning light detection and ranging equipment, which can generate precise 3D scans of the tank and its waste.
Initially, the inspections will be of the annulus space in the tanks. The annulus provides secondary containment and protection for these tanks in the event of a leak. The drones were implemented for inspections late last month.
Before the work can begin with the drones, all administrative and regulatory requirements must be satisfied. Pilots are required to be trained on drone operations, followed by advanced training on successfully navigating the environment of a waste tank and learning best practices for planning flights for optimal results.
The remote-controlled aircraft, the Flyability Elios 3, is a 19-inch diameter drone with four helicopter-like propellers, a high-definition camera, thermal camera, and additional features that will benefit the tank inspection program. The drones also have advanced stability features that make them easier to maneuver in flight. Four drones have been purchased for the project, and all are designed to fly in confined spaces, thanks to a protective cage that shields the propellors and cameras from potential collisions with a tank wall.
The Elios 3 model drone has undergone extensive radiation exposure testing at the Idaho National Laboratory. The lab determined the level of radiation exposure the drone could withstand before experiencing a failure. That level was judged to be adequate for the needs of the liquid waste program.
SRMC Chief Operations Officer Wyatt Clark said the new drones will serve a valuable purpose in the site’s tank closure process.
“These drones are an important step in our ability to perform inspections of the tanks,” Clark said. “The drones will help us determine the effectiveness of our cleaning efforts.”
Jim Folk, DOE-Savannah River Operations Office assistant manager for waste disposition, said this new use of technology is a safe and effective method to continue to protect people and the environment.
“DOE wants to ensure we can ultimately close the remaining 43 liquid waste tanks at SRS in a safe manner,” Folk said. “With the help of drones, we can advance our work to complete the liquid waste mission by 2037.”
-Contributor: Jim Beasley
 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (EM MSIPP) Success Through Academic Research Scholarship Scholars are pictured at the 3rd Annual DOE EM MSIPP Achievement Workshop. From left: Darian Moulden, Tyler Mends, Emmanuel Otoo, Xana Lee, Lillian Ngohuynh, Tylin Williams and Hannah Newmarker.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (EM MSIPP) Success Through Academic Research Scholarship (STARS) Scholars have successfully concluded their first summer internship.
After spending 10 weeks at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, and Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) in Lexington, Kentucky, the scholars joined other EM MSIPP participants in Augusta, Georgia, for the 3rd Annual DOE EM MSIPP Achievement Workshop in August.
The scholars spent their internships working at their assigned EM project site offices to gain a better understanding of the mission and work of EM, and how their own interests and research can contribute to the cleanup mission. They concluded their appointments with a presentation of their assignments throughout their internships at the workshop.
The scholars will remain engaged with their sites throughout the academic year and are slated to return for a second 10-week internship next summer. Upon successfully completing their bachelor’s studies, they will be eligible to apply for employment with EM or continue for an additional two years pursuing a master’s degree through the EM MSIPP STARS program.
Overall, the scholars enjoyed their work at their sites, with many of them finding affirmation in their previously declared field of interest. Lillian Ngohuynh, a rising senior at the University of Texas, San Antonio, was previously undecided about pursuing a career in data science or information technology (IT) and cybersecurity but through her work with PPPO, she has decided to pursue IT & cybersecurity.
Similarly, Darian Moulden, a student at Tennessee State University, Nashville, found that her work on the power systems at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky ignited a “niche and a love for it (industrial power).”
At the conclusion of their internships, the scholars left with a renewed sense of interest in their coursework and a firm commitment to supporting the EM mission. Emmanuel Otoo, president of the Virginia Commonwealth University chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, said that he plans to share his experience within the EM MSIPP STARS program with fellow chapter members and encourage them to apply to the program next year.
The EM MSIPP STARS program is part of the larger EM MSIPP, which works to build a sustainable pipeline to employment with EM for students pursuing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees at minority serving institutions.
-Contributor: Lauren Zack
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — For nearly 20 years, cleanup crews at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site have benefited from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Contractor Assurance System (CAS).
Today, the Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC), the DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) cleanup contractor at the INL Site, is applying this program to meet the challenges of cleanup work in Idaho and to create a safe, productive work environment.
In 2005, DOE ordered its contractors to establish CAS programs as a systematic approach to increase oversight and evaluate work performance. Through CAS, DOE and its contractors better align to support the cleanup mission to protect the public, workforce and environment.
Matthew Steffa, an IEC contractor and performance assurance specialist, identifies CAS as a program that supports other DOE safety requirements by providing regular opportunities for improvement.
“The existing safety infrastructure allowed the project to identify the unique challenges that cleanup employees would face at the INL Site and the safeguards that would protect them,” said Steffa. “Through CAS, however, our team had to think about the framework for continually improving those safeguards.”
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Idaho Environmental Coalition President Ty Blackford speaks to safety team leaders during the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s annual Safety Team Leadership Learning Day. The event provides workers a full day of learning, equipping them with resources and tools to support their success as safety team leaders. |
For crews in Idaho, establishing an effective CAS program meant reinforcing avenues for employee feedback, like the Voluntary Protection Program, Integrated Safety Management System, and Observe Watch Learn, and by building the tools to collect and report that feedback.
Frank Ireland, an IEC program support manager, highlights the formation of the Executive Safety Review Board (ESRB) as an important part of this process.
“Constructive lessons-learned conversations are essential,” Ireland said. “Providing employee feedback directly to senior management via the ESRB provides a method for our project to focus on the right areas and issues.”
Over time, data is used to identify trends valuable to ESRB members and other project leaders. Angela Morse, IEC quality assurance senior manager, recognizes how these trends are used for future planning.
“The use of CAS metrics provides all levels of management with the ability to assess how their project is doing and to identify trends that may require action,” she said. “And with this data, we can easily find what works and where there is room for improvement.”
Idaho Environmental Coalition’s systematic approach to safety includes the involvement of Corrective Action Review Boards across the various projects at the Idaho National Laboratory Site. The boards meet regularly to review and provide support to corrective actions identified through a variety of processes, including assessments, surveillances and other mechanisms that help the contractor ensure workers’ safety and compliance requirements continue to be top priorities. |
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By her assessment, Morse estimates that nearly 300 people, from individual project leaders to the ESRB, evaluate these trends and employee feedback every month.
Workforce training, safety requirements or job procedures can be properly updated as a result, consistent with the CAS mission of continual improvement.
More importantly, Ken Whitham, IEC safety, health, quality, and security senior director, believes an increased use of reporting through employee feedback avenues proves the CAS program’s success in Idaho.
“CAS touches every aspect of our work and all comes back to supporting the people in the field,” Whitham said. “These processes have proven to the workforce that their feedback and safety are important.”
DOE relies on CAS and similar programs to enable robust oversight and to ensure its mission is delivered safely, effectively and efficiently. EM and IEC are committed to upholding these principles to protect both human health and the environment.
-Contributor: Carter Harrison
 PADUCAH, Ky. — David Lu, left, completed his summer internship at the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) headquarters in Washington, D.C. in August. Later that month, he toured the EM Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride (DUF6) Conversion Plant at the Paducah Site near his hometown of Murray, Kentucky. In this photo, EM Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office Facility Representative Chris Richards, center, and Federal Project Director William Wessel lead the tour of the plant’s systems and processes to convert 46,000 DUF6 cylinders at the Paducah Site to a more stable compound. With roots near the site, Lu took the initiative to arrange for the tour to familiarize himself with the site.
"I grew up in Western Kentucky, so working as a DOE Scholar in EM has been a special opportunity for me to play a part in the environmental cleanup process in my home region and to learn how my dissertation research relates to the work,” Lu said. “Visiting the Paducah DOE site was a highlight of my internship experience and greatly expanded my perspective of the EM mission by seeing how efforts at the headquarters level connect with the field site, interfacing with experts in the field, and understanding how the work directly benefits the local community."
 U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) summer intern David Lu, center, tours EM’s Paducah Site on Aug. 26. EM Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office Facility Representative Chris Richards, right, and Federal Project Director William Wessel point out the construction of a new rail line at the Paducah Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride conversion facility during the tour.
Lu is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Kentucky (UK) in Lexington. He received a degree in chemical engineering from UK before becoming a graduate research assistant in the UK Center of Membrane Sciences, focusing on developing, scaling up and assessing the life cycle impact of polymeric membranes derived from eco-friendly materials to remove contaminants from water. Lu is a trainee in the UK National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program, which brings together students and faculty from multiple departments to collaborate on challenges relating to the food-energy-water nexus. Additionally, he is a trainee at the UK Superfund Research Center, which is a multi-disciplinary group that focuses on mapping the presence of emerging contaminants from the environment, studying their health effects and developing methods to remove them.
-Contributors: Zachary Boyarski, Dylan Nichols
 Workers observed and monitored equipment in the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant during commissioning of a transfer line for wastewater.
RICHLAND, Wash. – Contractor teams recently collaborated to transfer 4,000 gallons of wastewater between two Hanford Site facilities. They commissioned a transfer line that will support the site’s tank waste treatment mission. It’s another indicator contractors and facility operators are working as a team as they get ready for operations at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) to start next year.
The pipeline backs up the main one that will transfer wastewater from the Effluent Management Facility (EMF) at WTP to the nearby Liquid Effluent Retention Facility (LERF). The retention facility is made up of four large basins that store wastewater until it is treated to remove contaminants for disposal.
“As the site gets ready to immobilize tank waste in glass for safe disposal, integrated operations will continue to increase in frequency and complexity across multiple Hanford facilities,” said Delmar Noyes, Hanford assistant manager of Tank Waste Operations. “The contractors are demonstrating they can work together to complete the work safely and efficiently.”
 Control room operators in the Hanford Site’s Effluent Treatment Facility, left, and Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, right, collaborate to commission a wastewater transfer line.
 WTP contractor Bechtel National Inc. and tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) practiced the steps required to commission the backup transfer line. To be successful, control room operators on both ends of the transfer line must keep lines of communication open to confirm the transfer is occurring.
“Testing our integrated systems as we use them for the first time means we will need to respond appropriately, conservatively and with a questioning attitude,” said Wes Bryan, WRPS president and project manager. “We demonstrated that the transfer system works, and the teams work effectively together.”
Bechtel Senior Vice President and WTP Project Director Brian Hartman echoed the importance of teamwork, saying, “As a One Hanford team, we are working together to integrate our activities as we advance toward treating tank waste.”
View this video to learn more about the EMF-to-LERF transfer.
 This year’s summer intern program provided opportunities to 40 students from 13 school across the country. It included nontraditional students, veterans and participants from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Mentorship for Environmental Scholars and Fellows programs.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management cleanup contractor UCOR continued to expand its summer internship program this year, providing opportunities for 40 students from 13 schools across the country.
This year’s class included nontraditional students, veterans and students from colleges and universities with existing partnerships with UCOR. There were also participants from DOE’s Mentorship for Environmental Scholars and Fellows programs.
The program also saw an increase in the depth of projects and benefits resulting from the success of the company’s university partnerships.
 Haylee Cobb, an information science major from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, discusses risk management initiatives during her closeout presentation for her summer internship. Cobb is one of 20 interns continuing part time during the school year.
Intern projects included support to the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Transuranic Waste Processing Center (TWPC) and Mercury Treatment Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex.
Initiatives included mercury mitigation, a data analysis pilot tracker, earned value management, updates and design change notices to engineering drawings, corporate accounting, contract closeouts and waste profiles.
Following the success of an extended internship option for students last summer, about half of the 2024 class will continue applying the skills learned in the classroom by supporting UCOR part time throughout the upcoming academic year. Five participants are second- and third-year interns who have completed ongoing projects during the school year.
Ronald Randazzo, a Navy veteran and nuclear engineering major at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, returned for a third internship this summer. His extended internship allows him to continue evaluating and incorporating requirements for TWPC into UCOR’s processes and procedures as needed.
 Pictured with mentor Garrett Hester at left, Avery Newman, a chemical engineering major from Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, returned for a second internship at UCOR, supporting the continuous purge system at the Molten Salt Reactor Experient at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Avery Newman, a chemical engineering major from Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, returned for a second internship supporting the continuous purge system at MSRE. She will continue design change notices to MSRE drawings while completing the final year of her master’s degree.
“I’m excited to continue my internship during the school year,” said Newman. “There’s never a shortage of learning opportunities at the MSRE, making this the perfect opportunity to gain more experience and knowledge before I graduate.”
Since the start of UCOR’s contract in 2022, 15 students in the contractor’s summer internship program have joined the workforce full time.
 The 2024 intern class completed a community project that donated supplies to hospitality houses that provide temporary lodging for patients and families who travel to Oak Ridge for extended medical treatment, primarily serving cancer patients and their caregivers.
This year also saw three students from Roane State Community College’s Environmental Health Technology program join the intern class. All three received permanent offers from UCOR, proving community college partnerships can provide successful career development for DOE sites. The Roane State-UCOR collaboration also provides education and career pathways to underserved communities in the area.
The 2024 intern class also completed a community project benefiting hospitality houses at the Methodist Medical Center. The houses provide temporary lodging for patients and families who travel to Oak Ridge for extended medical treatment, primarily serving cancer patients and their caregivers.
By relieving the financial burden of hotel stays, the hospitality houses help guests focus on physical and emotional healing. The interns held a drive with the UCOR workforce, raising cash donations and collecting 1,789 items to support patients and their families.
-Contributor: Shannon Potter
ARLINGTON, Va. — U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) Senior Advisor Candice Robertson are set to headline the 10th annual National Cleanup Workshop being held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Sept. 16-18 in Arlington.
The workshop brings together DOE executives, industry leaders, national and local elected officials, and other stakeholders to discuss EM’s progress on the cleanup of the environmental legacy of the nation's Manhattan Project and Cold War nuclear weapons program.
In October, EM will celebrate 35 years of cleanup progress, which is reflected in this year’s workshop theme, “EM at 35: Partnering for Progress.”
Topics for discussion at the workshop will include EM successes at field sites over the past year; upcoming EM acquisition plans and schedules; lessons learned toward improving project performance; entering a new era for Hanford Site cleanup; and developing the future EM workforce.
This year’s workshop will also include the Early-Career Professionals Session, back by popular demand for a second time. That session will take place on Monday, Sept. 16, from 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is aimed at helping attendees learn more about EM and how to grow and succeed in the DOE cleanup program. Past workshop attendees and first-time attendees who have been involved in the EM program for less than five years are encouraged to attend the early-career session and take advantage of a special rate that includes admission to the full workshop.
The Energy Communities Alliance sponsors the workshop in cooperation with EM and the Energy Facility Contractors Group. For further information on the agenda and conference registration, click here. Read a past EM Update story previewing this year’s workshop here.
-Contributor: Kyle Hendrix
 U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management crews recently sampled heavy water moderator storage tanks at the Savannah River Site to determine a final disposition path for the heavy water moderator.
Results of sampling will provide a disposition path for the material
AIKEN, S.C. — After almost a year of collaboration, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) crews at Savannah River Site (SRS) recently completed sampling of heavy water moderator tanks, which will help determine the eventual disposition of the tritiated moderator.
Since 1984, the Spent Fuel Project at SRS has stored 42,000 gallons of heavy water moderator in tanks located in the facility housing C Reactor, which is no longer in use. The moderator was previously used in SRS production reactors.
Heavy water contains deuterium, also known as heavy hydrogen. In nuclear reactors, heavy water is used as a moderator to slow down neutrons and ensure an effective fission-chain reaction occurs. Tritiated moderator occurs when clean, non-radiated heavy water gets circulated as coolant in nuclear reactors and is irradiated with tritium.
“Sampling the moderator was a huge undertaking, involving coordination and input from 12 different work groups at SRS,” said Inactive Facility Manager Michael Ellis with EM contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS). “The moderator is contaminated due to its previous use, so sampling also required proper planning and hazard mitigation.”
An additional challenge was the lack of personnel experienced in dealing with heavy water, as the tanks were last opened more than 20 years ago.
“Personnel with previous experience working with heavy water have retired or left the site,” Ellis said. “This was an important learning experience for both seasoned personnel as well as the next generation that ensures capability for dealing with this material in the future.”
Samples were sent for laboratory analyses. EM’s Savannah River National Laboratory performed the radiological sample analysis, the results of which will help determine the final disposition path for this material.
“It took a tremendous amount of coordination and collaboration to get the samples shipped from the sampling tanks to the testing labs,” said Alexis Hartwig, SRNS Spent Fuel Project process engineer. “It required continuous contact with the labs to determine what volume of material they would need to meet our requests; timeframe discussion and coordination; and ensuring quality assurance requirements were met to allow for confidence in the results when determining further disposition paths. Knowing lab requirements also helped us gather the proper equipment for the job, another important factor in project completion.”
None of the five original production reactors at SRS are now in use. Of the facilities housing these reactors, two have been filled with grout for permanent deactivation; two have been repurposed for other SRS activities; and one, C Reactor, is one of the storage facilities for the SRS heavy water supply.
-Contributor: Lindsey MonBarren
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