Technical basis for the prioritization of needs and technical programs to stabilize and disposition nuclear materials
- Nuclear Materials Focus Area, Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-3750 (United States)
- Department of Energy - DOE-ID (United States)
- Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company - LMITCO (United States)
- Kenley Consulting (United States)
This paper describes the methodology which has been used to establish needs, assess technical and process maturity, and prioritize technology programs identified to stabilize and disposition nuclear materials to achieve the results expected in the Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) plan, Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure. The program has been managed by the Plutonium Stabilization and Disposition Focus Area (PFA), which defines and manages technology development programs to stabilize nuclear materials and assure their subsequent safe storage and final disposition. The Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office, with support from Argonne National Laboratory and Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company manages the Focus Area. Beginning in FY 1999, the Office of Science and Technology (EM-50) became responsible for the PFA, which was formerly managed by the Office of Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization (EM-60). With the transition into EM-50, the expanded Focus Area incorporated technologies and other activities supported by other EM funding sources. Needs identified by Site Technology Coordinating Groups (STCGs) have been incorporated into the assessment and prioritization process. As the DOE plan for remediation and disposition of U-233, in response to DNFSB Recommendation 97-1, is finalized, technology gaps identified in this plan will also be included. On April 21, 1999, the PFA and the Nuclear Materials Stewardship Program Office of DOE-AL merged into the Nuclear Materials Focus Area (NMFA). Transition is expected to be complete, including budget and management controls, by fiscal year 2002. The scope of Focus Area activities includes non-weapons plutonium materials, special isotopes, and other fissile materials. The NMFA provides solutions to site-specific and complex-wide technology issues associated with plutonium remediation, stabilization, and preparation for disposition. Currently, Focus Area technology development projects are derived from both the Plutonium Stabilization and Disposition Focus Area Research and Development Plan, DOE/ID-10561 Revision 3, September 1998 and the STCG-identified needs. The Research and Development plan identifies current gaps in technology that may pose significant worker and public safety risk and/or programmatic risk to timely disposition of nuclear materials. The Focus Area had identified 21 functional need areas that remain to be addressed to reduce the programmatic risk of meeting Department of Energy milestones. Many of the needs are being adequately addressed with End Use Site program-specific technology development funds or by the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Applied Technology Program. Other functional needs are not currently pursued due to Jack of funding. As funding is allocated, these needs will be addressed through calls for proposals. Our paper describes an important programmatic function of the Department of Energy nuclear materials stabilization program, including the tie-in of policy to research needs and funding for nuclear materials stabilization and disposition. The NMFA uses a rigorous systems engineering determination of technology needs and gaps under the guidance of a Technical Advisory Panel consisting of complex-wide experts. The research and development planning provides an example for other waste areas and should be of interest to research and development managers. The materials disposition maps developed by the NMFA provide an evaluation of research needs, data gaps and subsequent guidance for the development of technologies for nuclear materials disposition. This paper also addresses the NMFA prioritization methodology and its ability to forecast actual time to implementation.
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 23142125
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Global'99: International Conference on Future Nuclear Systems - Nuclear Technology - Bridging the Millennia, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 29 Aug - 3 Sep 1999; Other Information: Country of input: France; 8 refs.; available from American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (US)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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