Experiences in Decontamination & Decommissioning (D & D) of former plutonium production reactors at the Hanford reservation
Nine nuclear reactors were built at the Hanford reservation for plutonium production from 1943 to 1964. Eight of the reactors were shutdown by 1971, and the last in early 1987. Since then, disposition of the reactors has been incorporated into the Hanford cleanup program. The objective is to transition the reactors from their existing state of minimal maintenance and upkeep into a safe condition that can be maintained for several decades. This paper describes the decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) work performed on five of the nine reactors Reactor systems and structures, including subgrade systems such as piping were removed. An enclosure was built over the defueled reactor block. The resulting structure is called the Safe Storage Enclosure and is intended to safely house the core for at least 75 years. A permanent disposition for the facility will be determined at that time. Numerous hazards have been encountered and safely handled during this work, including the discovery of over a dozen irradiated fuel pins in one storage basin. This paper discusses how this work was integrated into the cleanup program and then moved through the D&D process. The goal is to facilitate site cleanup by quickly removing imminent hazards while not compromising safety standards during a time of reduced budgets and intense emphasis on efficiency. This paper demonstrates excellence in coordination of safety analysis and D&D field work that will soon place the reactors in a safe storage condition for several decades. Safety analysis and field programs, practices, and lessons-learned will be discussed. Efforts to convert B Reactor into a permanent museum will be briefly discussed.
- Research Organization:
- DOE-RL (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-96RL13200
- OSTI ID:
- 811979
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-0303-FP, Rev.0; TRN: US0303294
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Energy Facility Contractors Group, Safety Analysis Working Group 2003, Salt Lake City, UT (US), 06/21/2003--06/26/2003; Other Information: PBD: 16 May 2003
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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