EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a regular summary
of operations at DOE’s Idaho Site. It has been compiled
in response to a request from stakeholders for more
information on health, safety and environmental
incidents at DOE facilities in Idaho. It also includes a
brief summary of accomplishments at the laboratory. The
report is broken down by contractor:
Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP),
Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP)
and
Idaho National Laboratory (INL). This summary will
be sent to everyone on INL’s regular news release
distribution list every other week. To be added to this
distribution list, please call Brad Bugger at (208)
526-0833.
Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project
Sept. 3: During interior painting at WMF-1604 at the
Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project, it was
determined that a technician removed electrical
receptacle covers and switch plates without proper
safeguards. The plates were reinstalled and a
fact-finding meeting held. (EM-ID-BBWI-AMWTF-2009-0013).
Operational Summary
Waste shipments: Sixteen shipments of contact-handled
transuranic waste were made from Idaho to the Waste
Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico the week ending
Sept. 12, 2009. Through Sept. 6, 2009, a cumulative
total of 718 cubic meters of mixed low-level waste has
been shipped to licensed disposal sites in Tennessee and
Utah. In addition, the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment
Project, using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
funds, shipped over 503 cubic meters of low-level waste
offsite for disposal, completing the campaign
approximately seven weeks ahead of schedule.
Idaho Cleanup Project
Sept. 14: While doing decontamination and
dismantlement work at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and
Engineering Center, it was determined that boxes of
waste material generated during this process contained
significant amounts of “accountable material”
(potentially fissionable nuclear material). However, it
was later determined that the amount of material present
in the waste boxes was covered by the existing safety
analysis for the facility, and there were no criticality
(nuclear reaction) concerns associated with this
activity. (EM-ID—CWI-BIC-2009-0005).
Operational Summary
Buried Waste Remediation: The U.S. Department of
Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the
state of Idaho have jointly released a planning document
that specifies how DOE and its contractor will continue
to clean up buried waste at DOE’s Idaho Site. The plan
discusses ongoing retrieval of targeted waste in three
existing pits, and how a fourth area will be added to
the remediation work. People interested in the work plan
can access it at http://ar.inel.gov/ or by visiting the
DOE Reading Room of the INL Technical Library in Idaho
Falls, or at Albertsons Library on the Boise State
University campus.
Idaho National Laboratory
Sept. 1: An employee at the Specific Manufacturing
Capability project temporarily modified a piece of
equipment that was still electrically charged without
following the appropriate work control processes. All
activity on the equipment was stopped and the equipment
was placed in a safe condition. A critique was held.
(NE-ID—BEA-SMC-2009-0010).
Sept. 3: During nuclear fuel processing activities at
the Materials and Fuels Complex, it was determined that
a required safety surveillance was performed on the
wrong fuel assembly. Technicians recognized the error
and performed the surveillance after the fuel processing
had already begun. The results of the second survey
showed the material being processed was within the
safety limits for the operation.
(NE-ID—BEA-FCF-2009-0002).
Sept. 3: During a quality inspection at the Materials
and Fuels Complex, a number of suspected
counterfeit/suspect fasteners were discovered in a piece
of equipment and in storage. The fasteners in the
equipment were removed and replaced with the correct
fasteners. All other suspect fasteners were segregated
for disposal. (NE-ID—BEA-MFC-2009-0003).
Operational Summary
Non-Proliferation Work: The Idaho National Laboratory
has provided leadership and technical assistance to
convert all United States university research reactors
for which there is a qualified low-enriched uranium
fuel, from using highly-enriched uranium fuel, which
could theoretically be diverted for weapons use, to
low-enriched fuel. The most recent successful conversion
occurred at the University of Wisconsin, which was the
culmination of a nearly two-year process. |
