Home > Facility Info Finder > Sites Undergoing Decommissioning > Power Reactors

Fermi

1.0 Site Identification

2.0 Site Status Summary

The licensee's initial stage of decommissioning is complete, and bulk sodium has been removed from the site. There is no spent fuel onsite and the facility is currently in SAFSTOR condition. The licensee is currently performing occupational safety enhancement activities; concentrating in non-radioactive areas, such as asbestos removal, and trace sodium cleanup. The trace sodium remedication effort is about 50 percent complete.

The Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant, Unit 1 (Fermi 1) was a fast breeder reactor power plant cooled by sodium and operated at essentially atmospheric pressure. The reactor plant was designed for a maximum capacity of 430 Mwt; however, the maximum reactor power with the first core loading (Core A) was 200 Mwt. The primary system was filled with sodium in December of 1960 and criticality was achieved in August 1963. The reactor was tested at low power in its first couple years of operation. Power ascension testing above 1 Mwt commenced in December 1965, immediately following receipt of the high power operating license. In October 1966, during a power ascension, a zirconium plate at the bottom of the reactor vessel became loose and blocked sodium coolant flow to some fuel subassemblies. Two subassemblies started to melt. Radiation monitors alarmed and the operators manually shut down the reactor. No abnormal releases to the environment occurred. Three years and nine months later, the cause had been determined, cleanup completed, fuel replaced, and Fermi 1 was restarted. In 1972, the core was approaching the burnup limit. In November 1972, the Power Reactor Development Company made the decision to decommission Fermi 1. The fuel and blanket subassemblies were shipped offsite in 1973. The non-radioactive secondary sodium system was drained and the sodium sent to Fike Chemical Company. The radioactive primary sodium was stored in storage tanks and in 55 gallon drums until the sodium was shipped offsite in 1984. Decommissioning of the Fermi 1 plant was originally completed in December 1975. The site has been in a SAFSTOR status, awaiting final decommissioning. The license for Fermi 1 expires in 2025. Background Licensee's initial stage of decommissioning is complete, bulk sodium has been removed from the site. Facility is currently in a SAFSTOR condition. Spent fuel was removed from the site. The licensee is currently performing occupational safety enhancement activities, concentrating in non-radioactive areas, such as asbestos removal. The facility will be dismantled under the provisions of 50.59.

3.0 Major Technical or Regulatory Issues

The licensee is planning to prepare and develop an LTP for submittal to NRC in mid 2009.

4.0 Estimated Date For Closure

10/01/2012

Privacy Policy | Site Disclaimer
Monday, April 14, 2008