DOE seeks disposal of extra plutonium
Jul 20 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Mike Gellatly Aiken Standard,
S.C.
The Department of Energy officially announced Monday that it is looking
for a way to dispose of 13 tons of surplus plutonium, enough for more
than 1,600 nuclear weapons, that was not part of that destined to be
turned into mixed oxide fuel at the MOX project being constructed at the
Savannah River Site.
DOE posted its intent in the federal register Monday, stating it planned
to modify the scope of a previous Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
and to conduct additional public scoping meetings in stakeholder
communities -- including the Central Savannah River Area.
Locally, a scoping meeting will be heldat the North Augusta Municipal
Center from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
The notice proposes to analyze new alternatives including
sealing processed plutonium in cans then placing them in canisters that
would in turn be surrounded with vitrified high-level liquid waste
(meaning turned into glass), as well as simply increasing the amount of
plutonium headed to MOX.
It also looks at varying uses of two major capital projects in the woks
at SRS in the Plutonium Preparation (PuP) Project and the Pit
Disassembly and Conversion Facility (PDCF).
PuP would process nonpit plutonium to make it suitable to be fabricated
into mixed oxide fuel. PDCF will convert the plutonium pits from nuclear
weapons into an oxide form that will be used as a component of a mixed
oxide fuel.
DOE also proposes to evaluate a new alternative to dispose of some
plutonium not suitable for MOX as transuranic waste at the Waste
Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico, provided the plutonium would
meet the criteria for such disposal.
In addition, DOE will analyze the potential environmental impacts of
using MOX fuel in up to five reactors owned by the Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA).
Although TVA has not formally agreed to use the fuel, the authority did
sign a letter of intent in 2009 to test the fuel. MOX fuel will not go
into production until 2016.
Brief descriptions of the alternatives are listed below.
PDCF -- DOE would construct and operate a stand-alone facility in F-Area
at SRS to convert plutonium pits and other plutonium metal to an oxide
form suitable for feeding MOX.
PuP -- DOE would install and operate the plutonium processing equipment
required to store and prepare nonpit plutonium for disposition through
any of the alternative pathways (MOX, Vitrification, Glass
Can-in-Canister and shipment to New Mexico).
Combined PDCF/PuP -- DOE would install and operate these in K-Area. The
analysis will include reconfiguration of ongoing K-Area operations
necessary to accommodate construction and operation of the combined
capability.
Vitrification -- DOE would use the H-Canyon facility to process surplus
nonpit plutonium for vitrification. This may increase the amount of
plutonium in some canisters above historical levels.
Glass Can-in-Canister -- Plutonium would be vitrified within small cans,
which would be placed inside a canister and surrounded with vitrified
high-level waste. This would also increase the amount of plutonium in
those canisters above historical levels.
WIPP in New Mexico -- DOE would prepare and package nonpit plutonium
using PuP or PuP and PDCF and other facilities at SRS for disposal as
transuranic waste at WIPP, provided the material would meet the WIPP
waste acceptance criteria.
MOX Fuel -- PDCF, PuP or the combined PDCF/PuP would prepare some
surplus plutonium as feed for the MOX.
Reactor Operations -- DOE will evaluate the impacts of construction of
any reactor facility modifications necessary to accommodate MOX fuel
operation at five TVA reactors.
Contact Mike Gellatly at
mgellatly@aikenstandard.com.
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