OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – EM’s cleanup at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) took a major step forward with removal of the Centrifuge Complex in late July.
EM is working to complete significant cleanup at ETTP this year — an EM 2020 priority — and tearing down the sprawling 235,000-foot complex marks one of the final demolition projects at the site.
“Completing this project brings us significantly closer to achieving our ambitious goal at ETTP,” said Jay Mullis, manager of DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM). “Our employees have accomplished so much, and their hard work has resulted in an amazing, visible transformation that will benefit the community for years to come.”
The Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, now called ETTP, was closed permanently in 1987. EM has been conducting large-scale demolition at the site since 2006, resulting in the removal of hundreds of old, contaminated facilities totaling more than 13 million square feet.
The Centrifuge Complex — one of the most recognizable structures in ETTP’s skyline — was built to develop, test, and demonstrate the capability of centrifuge technology for uranium enrichment. The last of these facilities ceased operation in the mid-1980s.
The Centrifuge Complex was one of the most recognizable structures in the East Tennessee Technology Park’s skyline.
A view of the Centrifuge Complex at the East Tennessee Technology Park as the initial stages of demolition began in fall 2019.
A view of the Centrifuge Complex area after demolition was completed at the end of July 2020. Completion of this project brings EM significantly closer to completing its cleanup goal at the East Tennessee Technology Park, an EM 2020 priority.
OREM and its cleanup contractor UCOR began tearing down the Centrifuge Complex in October 2019. This task presented challenges due to the structures’ size and height. Some buildings stood at 180 feet in height, which is too tall to be knocked down by conventional demolition equipment.
The Centrifuge Complex contained four major sections. The K-1004-J lab section was an original Manhattan Project facility built for research and development in 1944. The K-1200 section, known as the Advanced Machine Development Laboratory and Component Preparation Laboratory, was used from 1975 to 1985 to develop machines and manufacturing processes for centrifuges.
The K-1210 section was referred to as Component Test Facility and Advanced Equipment Test Facility. It operated from 1975 to 1985 to test the reliability and operability of centrifuge machines. The facility also served as a pilot plant for testing feed, withdrawal, and depleted uranium hexafluoride transfer systems.
The fourth section — the K-1220 Complex Centrifuge Plant Demonstration Facility — was used from 1981 to 1985 primarily to test production centrifuges to be used in the Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant.
OREM and UCOR are working together to transform ETTP into a multi-use industrial park, national park, and conservation area for the community. That vision has already started to become a reality. OREM has transferred almost 1,300 acres at ETTP for economic development, with another 600 acres slated for transfer in the years ahead. OREM has also set aside more than 100 acres for historic preservation and placed more than 3,000 acres in conservation for community recreational use.
-Contributor: Wayne McKinney
Hanford Tank Waste Pretreatment System on Schedule
Hanford Site federal, state, and contractor officials recently broke ground to place a 1,600-foot waste-transfer pipeline that will feed waste pretreated by the Tank-Side Cesium Removal System from the site’s tank farms to the nearby Low-Activity Waste Facility at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant for vitrification. Pictured from left are Alex Smith, manager of the Department of Ecology’s Nuclear Waste Program; Brian Vance, manager of the EM field offices at Hanford; and John Eschenberg, president and CEO of Hanford tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions.
RICHLAND, Wash. – Observing COVID-19 safety protocols, workers recently started construction of concrete pads that will hold a waste pretreatment system vital to the Hanford Site cleanup mission.
The concrete pads are located next to the underground tank storage area called AP Tank Farm and will hold the Tank-Side Cesium Removal system. The system will pretreat tank waste for vitrification at the nearby Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility.
Hanford tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions worked with subcontractor AVANTech to design and fabricate the cesium removal system at an offsite facility. Testing this spring confirmed mechanical, electrical, and instrument systems work properly, and the system removes radioactive cesium and solids as intended.
“Completing acceptance testing was the culminating achievement of 18 months of design and fabrication,” said Janet Diediker, acting federal project director for the EM Office of River Protection. “Kudos to the tank operations contractor and its subcontractor on achieving this major success while observing pandemic safety requirements.”
The pretreatment system is a key component of the treatment of tank waste using the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) approach, which will send the pretreated waste directly from the tank farms to the Low-Activity Waste Facility for vitrification. Progress on the project supports EM’s 2020 priority of completing DFLAW construction and turnover for commissioning.
“The cesium removal system is a critical part of the approach to treat low-activity tank waste,” said Kim Smith, the contractor’s project manager for demonstration of the cesium removal system. “The teams put in a lot of hard work to take this from concept to design to reality, and we’re confident of the result.”
Workers have successfully tested a new pretreatment system for tank waste at the Hanford Site and will move the Tank-Side Cesium Removal system to concrete pads next to underground waste tanks in the AP Tank Farm later this summer.
The system process enclosure holds two filters for straining out solids and three ion exchange columns for removing cesium from tank waste. During acceptance testing, the team ran simulated waste through the system to test operating conditions. Workers will move the system components from the AVANTech facility to the new concrete pads later this summer, with additional onsite testing to follow.
During pretreatment operations, tank waste will flow through the columns at about five gallons per minute. A double-shell tank at the AP Tank Farm will store the pretreated waste until it is fed via underground piping to the Low-Activity Waste Facility, where it will be vitrified — heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit, mixed with glass-forming materials, and poured into stainless steel containers for disposal.
During testing of the pretreatment system, the team also demonstrated the removal and installation of the ion exchange columns using a forklift. Forecasted to be full every 25 days, the ion exchange columns will weigh about 26,000 pounds each when replaced by the system operator teams. These “spent” columns will be placed on a nearby concrete pad — also under construction — for interim storage.
Familiarization and training of both maintenance workers and cesium removal system operators has recently begun to prepare for the full activation of the new system.
-Contributor: Hal McCune
ETEC Demolitions On Track After Crews Tear Down Seven Buildings
A crew tears down an equipment storage building at the Radioactive Materials Handling Facility complex at the Energy Technology Engineering Center.
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. – Exceptional progress continues at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC) in Ventura County, California with the successful demolition of seven buildings at the Radioactive Materials Handling Facility (RMHF) complex since July 21.
That was the date crews at the former nuclear and liquid metals research site resumed active cleanup at the site. They safely demolished four buildings in the first week, and knocked down three more structures by the end of the subsequent week, include an oxidation facility, storage yard building, and an equipment storage building.
“I’m proud of our team as they continue to exceed expectations on safety and timing for the RMHF demolition and disposal of materials,” said ETEC Federal Project Director John Jones, who is leading the effort for EM.
Removing the RMHF facilities, a set of 10 buildings constructed in 1959 and used for the processing, packaging, and shipment of radioactive and mixed hazardous wastes during site operations that ended in 1988, will reduce potential risk of release of hazardous substances due to wildfires or erosion from severe storms.
The next phase of work is expected to start in late August and includes demolition of the three remaining buildings at the RMHF complex.
The RMHF complex demolition and removal of debris is on track and scheduled to take approximately six months. Activities are being conducted under a 2020 agreement between the DOE and the State of California, and in adherence to safety practices recommended to protect workers from exposure to the coronavirus. Debris from the cleanup is being transported outside the State of California for disposal at licensed commercial disposal facilities.
ETEC, located in Area IV of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, served as a premier research facility from the 1950s until the end of active operations. Since the 1980s, more than 250 structures on the site have been demolished and removed. After workers finish demolishing the three remaining RMHF complex buildings, only eight DOE structures will remain.
-Contributor: Stephanie Shewmon
SRS Crews Build Second Water Line to Support Salt Waste Processing Facility
WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – EM West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) crews resumed waste disposal shipments in late July as part of cleanup efforts after the site moved into the second phase of its operations plan in response to COVID-19.
The waste being shipped is from the demolition of a former utility building that began in July. The 6,955-square-foot building is an ancillary structure to the Main Plant Process Building, the last remaining major facility at the West Valley site. Teardown of the Main Plant is among EM’s 2020 priorities.
Waste disposition is the final step in the completion of deactivation and decommissioning (D&D) of onsite structures. WVDP stopped shipments in March after D&D activities were put on hold due to COVID-19.
WVDP’s second phase of its operations plan in response to COVID-19 adds high-priority operations and activities to those authorized in the first phase. The additional activities in the second phase call for use of more personal protective equipment and other health and safety precautions while workers continue to follow social distancing guidelines and other controls.
“The protection of our workers, the public, and the environment remains our priority as we resume operations at the site,” EM WVDP Director Bryan Bower said. “The resumption of waste shipments is another accomplishment the WVDP team can be proud of as we safely and compliantly continue with our resumption-of-work plan.”
Debris generated from the demolition of the former utility building is expected to fill about 75 waste containers. The waste is being sent to an out-of-state disposal facility.
“Our team members continue to use their combined knowledge to safely resume work during this challenging time,” said John Rendall, president of WVDP cleanup contractor CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley. “I’m proud of their efforts and accomplishments, and the work they continue to do on this project.”
-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere
EM Joins U.S.-Japan Workshop on Potential Decommissioning Collaborations
DOE officials were among the more than 170 government and industry representatives who explored potential collaborations between the U.S. and Japan in a workshop held virtually last week.
It was the second U.S.-Japan workshop held online this year focusing on decommissioning work in Japan. The latest event was hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry and supported by EM’s Office of Intergovernmental and Stakeholder Programs.
“The information shared by the presenters, for example, on the decommissioning timelines and Japan’s decommissioning implementation plan, should provide a basis for potential meaningful interactions,” DOE Chief Risk Officer James Owendoff said.
Participants discussed possible collaborations in Japan, including decommissioning commercial reactors not affected by the Fukushima Daiichi accident, regulatory aspects of decommissioning in both countries, and stakeholder engagement challenges. The workshop was designed to help participants understand decommissioning models in both countries.
Workshop speakers included officials from Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission as well as representatives from U.S. companies Amentum and EnergySolutions, and Japanese companies Toshiba and Kajima.
Council Honors EM Sites, Contractors for Purchasing Sustainable Products
Several EM sites and contractors across the DOE complex were recognized last week for their efforts to purchase products that protect the environment, conserve energy, and reduce costs.
The Green Electronics Council and managers of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) named 2020 EPEAT Purchaser Award winners representing the Hanford, Portsmouth, Paducah, Oak Ridge, and Moab sites. EPEAT is a ranking system that helps companies compare and select environmentally friendly office equipment. Ranking criteria includes greenhouse gas emissions, hazardous waste production, and total energy usage.
For the fourth straight year, the council awarded Hanford Site contractors CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company, HPMC Occupational Medical Services, Mission Support Alliance (MSA), Washington River Protection Solutions, and Wastren Advantage for their efforts to protect the environment by using sustainable electronics.
“Congratulations to all of the Hanford contractors who were a part of this award,” said Jeff Frey, EM Richland Operations Office assistant manager for mission support. “The continued recognition of the Hanford Site is further validation of our ongoing efforts to reduce our environmental impact.”
As Hanford’s site services provider, MSA tracks the purchase of electronic products for use by all contractors at the site.
“These kind of partnerships with the other contractors are important in accomplishing DOE’s goal of protecting the environment,” said Todd Eckman, MSA vice president for information management. “Congratulations to all of the contractors for their efforts to help Hanford achieve this award.”
In fiscal 2019, 97.5 percent of the electronics purchased by Hanford contractors met the EPEAT standard. Environmental benefits of these purchases include:
- Reduced use of primary materials, including oil, iron, and wood by an estimated 323 metric tons.
- Reduced hazardous waste by 2.6 metric tons.
- Reduced solid waste by 19 metric tons.
- Saved more than 1.4 million kilowatt hours of electricity — enough to power 121 average-sized homes for a year.
The council also honored EM West Valley Demonstration Project cleanup contractor CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley (CHBWV). Among CHBWV’s achievements in 2019:
- Purchased 2,903 EPEAT-registered products, leading to a cost savings of more than $116,000 over the lifetime of the products.
- Reduced greenhouse gases by 702,139 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents, similar to removing 150 average U.S. passenger cars from the roads for a year.
- Saved 1,472 megawatt hours of electricity, comparable to the annual electricity consumption of 121 average U.S. households.
“Sustainability in electronics purchasing is part of our commitment to be good stewards of the environment,” EM WVDP Director Bryan Bower said. “Environmental stewardship is the right thing to do, and it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, and saves money for taxpayers and the government.”
EM WVDP Regulatory Strategy and Environmental Compliance Team Lead Moira Maloney said the site’s regulatory strategy and procurement teams do an excellent job preparing requests for proposals that obtain the best results for WVDP’s electronics sustainability goals.
“They are always finding creative ways to proceduralize these initiatives to ensure the best results from qualified subcontractors and suppliers. It is truly a team effort,” Maloney said.
East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), which is managed by Oak Ridge cleanup contractor UCOR, was recognized for the 508 EPEAT-registered products it purchased in 2019, representing a cost savings of $24,655 over the lifetime of the products. This is the sixth consecutive year ETTP has received the award.
UCOR uses EPEAT in purchasing contracts to require that vendors only provide electronics that meet strict sustainability criteria. These products are more energy efficient, less toxic, longer lasting, and easier to recycle than products that do not meet EPEAT criteria.
“It’s an honor to win this award,” said David Buhl, UCOR pollution prevention and waste minimization coordinator. “While DOE requires us to make sustainable electronics purchases, it’s something that UCOR has done for a number of years already and it’s just the right thing to do.”
The council also honored the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP), which purchased 246 EPEAT-registered products in 2019, resulting in a cost savings of $9,981 across the lifetime of the products. In 2019, the site also:
- Reduced greenhouse gases by 54,149 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents, similar to taking 12 average U.S. passenger cars from the roads for a year.
- Saved 209 megawatt hours of electricity, comparable to the annual electricity consumption of 17 average U.S. households.
"Practicing sustainable purchasing moves us closer to achieving a shared vision of minimizing DOE’s environmental impact," said Jeff Bettinger, EM’s Portsmouth site lead with the Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office. "The Portsmouth Site is proud to have received this recognition and is committed to continued procurement of sustainable electronics."
EPEAT Purchaser Award winner Swift & Staley, a Paducah Site contractor, purchased 1,055 EPEAT-registered products in 2019. That will bring a cost savings of $24,059 over the lifetime of those products. Among Swift & Staley’s achievements in 2019:
- Reduced greenhouse gases by 161,986 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents, similar to removing 35 average U.S. passenger cars from the roads for a year.
- Saved 245 megawatt hours of electricity, comparable to the annual electricity consumption of 20 average U.S. households.
The council also recognized the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project.
Updated Agenda Available for Virtual 2020 National Cleanup Workshop
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EM Update | Vol. 12, Issue 20 | Aug. 4, 2020 |
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Crews Finish Takedown of Centrifuge Complex in Oak Ridge |
The
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions site services division managed the
safe and successful construction of a second water line to support the
Salt Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site.
AIKEN, S.C. – Workers have successfully supplemented the Savannah River Site’s (SRS) only water source as the site prepares to achieve an EM 2020 priority: startup of the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF). Personnel with site services contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) managed the design and installation of miles of water line, providing a critical second water source. “Due to a history of leaks and other issues related to the original line, a second line was connected to the site domestic water loop,” said Randy Keenan, facility manager with SRNS site services. Crews installed several valves, pressure and flow sensors, and more than 4,400 feet of four-inch pipe within excavated trenches. SRNS coordinated these activities with SWPF and Savannah River Remediation (SRR), the site’s liquid waste contractor, to comply with the facility startup testing schedule. “Thanks to the site services personnel, SRNS, and the SRR engineering division, and an experienced subcontractor, the project was successfully completed despite several challenges,” Keenan said. Those hurdles ranged from an unusually high number of delays in the project due to rain to underground obstacles such as cables, pipes, and metal conduits from past construction projects. “When an unknown buried object of some kind that’s not on site drawings is discovered, everything comes to a stop until it can be identified. Then, a careful and thorough investigation begins. Is it active, dead, or contaminated? And that happens frequently in certain areas. We had a lot of those kind of stops,” said Mark Eberl, SRNS site services subcontracts manager. Despite such challenges, all work was completed safely and within budget. Cold War nuclear material production operations at SRS resulted in liquid radioactive waste, which is stored in underground tanks. When operational, SWPF will use technologies piloted by the Actinide Removal Process/Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit to separate highly radioactive cesium and low-level radioactive nuclides from the contaminated salt solution transferred from the waste storage tanks. Once separated, each source of radioactive waste, both high and low level, will be treated separately for safe, long-term storage. “Our goal is to safely and efficiently perform this mission using a proven technology and integrated process specific to significantly minimizing risk at the Savannah River Site,” said Frank Sheppard, senior vice president and SWPF project manager at Parsons, EM’s SWPF contractor. “We are achieving a much higher level of processing, treating, and storage of radioactive waste.” -Contributor: DT Townsend |
West Valley Resumes Shipments of Deactivation and Demolition Waste |
An updated agenda is now available for the 2020 National Cleanup Workshop, which will take place as a virtual half-day event on Sept. 16, 2020. The workshop will feature remarks from Under Secretary for Science Paul Dabbar and senior DOE officials, state and local government officials, and industry leaders. They will discuss key issues facing the DOE complex in the year ahead and celebrate important progress made this year. Last year, workshop participants celebrated 30 years of EM’s cleanup program. This year’s agenda will focus on continuing success and overcoming adversity with moderated discussions about the path forward for EM’s strategic vision, EM hot topics, and contracting updates. Click here to view the updated agenda. For more information, please click here. |
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