Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire - Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry. Nuclear Activities
Saturday, March 13, 2021
Iran Is Starting to Want the Bomb
Iran Is Starting to Want the Bomb: The U.S. maximum pressure campaign accidentally spurred a strategic shift in Tehran.
Russia, Turkey launch third reactor at world’s biggest nuclear power site - News - GCR
Russia, Turkey launch third reactor at world’s biggest nuclear power site - News - GCR: Work began this week on the Russia-funded third reactor at Turkey’s Akkuyu nuclear power plant ......
Are Turkey’s nuclear power ambitions a threat to regional safety? | eKathimerini.com
Are Turkey’s nuclear power ambitions a threat to regional safety? | eKathimerini.com: Approximately three weeks ago, during a 45-minute call with his American counterpart, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias broached a subject that often flies under the radar of international diplomacy.
Nuclear Power Losing Out In The UK- Implications For Nuclear Industry | Seeking Alpha
Nuclear Power Losing Out In The UK- Implications For Nuclear Industry | Seeking Alpha: Renewable energy, especially offshore wind, is growing rapidly. All around the world the same conclusion is being reached: nuclear is too slow, too expensive, too risky.
Fukushima at Ten: Aftershocks, Lies, and Failed Decontamination - CounterPunch.org
Fukushima at Ten: Aftershocks, Lies, and Failed Decontamination - CounterPunch.org: It’s now 10 years since the catastrophic triple meltdowns of reactors at Fukushima in Japan. As Joseph Mangano of the Radiation and Public Health project put it three years ago, “Enormous amounts of radioactive chemicals, including cesium, strontium, plutonium, and iodine were emitted into the air, and releases of the same toxins into the Pacific have never stopped, as workers struggle to contain over 100 cancer-causing chemicals.” More
New reactor fuel mission floated for Savannah River Site, DOE documents show | Savannah River Site | postandcourier.com
New reactor fuel mission floated for Savannah River Site, DOE documents show | Savannah River Site | postandcourier.com: The Department of Energy is eyeing the Savannah River Site as a potential location at which reactor fuel could be produced, a long-term nuclear venture that would prop up hundreds
US could operate a fusion plant by 2040, Academy says : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
US could operate a fusion plant by 2040, Academy says : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: The US National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has called for urgent investment by the government and private sector to enable a pilot fusion plant to be operational in the 2035-2040 timeframe.
BWXT wins uranium processing and HALEU fuel contracts : Uranium & Fuel - World Nuclear News
BWXT wins uranium processing and HALEU fuel contracts : Uranium & Fuel - World Nuclear News: The US Department of Energy has awarded BWXT Nuclear Operations Group two contracts worth a total of USD35 million. The first is for the recovery and conversion of uranium, while the second is for the completion of a new research reactor fuel line at its Lynchburg, Virginia facility.
After Fukushima, Germany Shows We Need Safe Nuclear to Fight Climate Change - Bloomberg
After Fukushima, Germany Shows We Need Safe Nuclear to Fight Climate Change - Bloomberg: No country can afford to rule out fission reactors in the struggle against global warming.
California wildfire victims to get millions in PG&E payments | The Sacramento Bee
California wildfire victims to get millions in PG&E payments | The Sacramento Bee: The Fire Victim Trust said it will make begin making payments on each verified claim. Here are the details.
Why Saudi Arabia won't hit back at Iran - Asia Times
Why Saudi Arabia won't hit back at Iran - Asia Times: Tensions are rising again in the Middle East after an explosives-laden drone and ballistic missile fired by the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen
Friday, March 12, 2021
Aging Electronics May Limit Nuke Reliability – Federation Of American Scientists
Aging Electronics May Limit Nuke Reliability – Federation Of American Scientists: Science for a safer, more informed world.
FAS Presses for Release of Nuclear Stockpile Data – Federation Of American Scientists
FAS Presses for Release of Nuclear Stockpile Data – Federation Of American Scientists: Science for a safer, more informed world.
Fukushima Update March 12, 2021
Fukushima Update March 12, 2021 -
Yesterday marked ten years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami that caused the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Here’s a sampling of the Japanese Press reports...
Two districts in Okuma ease entry restrictions.... The U.N. says radiation health problems from F. Daiichi are unlikely... Commander of the USS Ronald Reagan during Operation Tomodachi in March, 2011 says lawsuits claiming severe effects of radiation exposure to his crew are all wrong... Former American Ambassador John Roos recalls the terror he felt on March 11, 2011... The NRA’s latest official report on the F. Daiichi accident... The reason water level fluctuated in unit #3 containment building last week... and much, much more!
https://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-accident-updates.html
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates review: self-serving instructions for avoiding climate catastrophe
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates review: self-serving instructions for avoiding climate catastrophe: When I first began to use computers in the 1980s, my techie friends in the open-source community were dismissive of Microsoft’s “clunky”, vulnerable
Rosatom’s development plans - Nuclear Engineering International
Rosatom’s development plans - Nuclear Engineering International: Rosatom’s publication, Strana Roastom, said on 9 March that by 2045, the share of nuclear energy in Russia’s energy balance should reach 25%. “We understand that the coronavirus epidemic has changed the world, but...
Army to Remove Rubble from Demolished Nuclear Power Plant by Truck, Rail and Barge | KUAC
Army to Remove Rubble from Demolished Nuclear Power Plant by Truck, Rail and Barge | KUAC: The Army Corps of Engineers intends to haul radioactive and hazardous materials from Fort Greely’s mothballed nuclear power plant to Fairbanks by truck,
Army to Remove Rubble from Demolished Nuclear Power Plant by Truck, Rail and Barge | KUAC
Army to Remove Rubble from Demolished Nuclear Power Plant by Truck, Rail and Barge | KUAC: The Army Corps of Engineers intends to haul radioactive and hazardous materials from Fort Greely’s mothballed nuclear power plant to Fairbanks by truck,
Pure promethium: ORNL extracts in-demand isotope from plutonium leftovers | Scienmag: Latest Science and Health News
Pure promethium: ORNL extracts in-demand isotope from plutonium leftovers | Scienmag: Latest Science and Health News: Credit: Richard Mayes/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy A new method developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory proves one effort's trash is another's valuable isotope. One of the byproducts of the Department of Energy lab's national plutonium-238 production program is promethium-147, a rare isotope used in nuclear batteries and to measure…
WHO/IAEA tackle investigational radiopharmaceutical GMP in draft guidance | RAPS
WHO/IAEA tackle investigational radiopharmaceutical GMP in draft guidance | RAPS: The revisions are coming as the use of radiopharmaceuticals to diagnose and treat cancers and other diseases is expanding rapidly; this growth “is accompanied by a set of challenges due to the complexity and unique nature of these agents.”
BWXT and GMS set up joint venture to supply radioisotopes to Asia-Pacific region - Nuclear Engineering International
BWXT and GMS set up joint venture to supply radioisotopes to Asia-Pacific region - Nuclear Engineering International: US-based BWXT Medical Ltd (a subsidiary of BWX Technologies) and Global Medical Solutions Ltd (GMS) have entered into a joint venture (JV) to manufacture and distribute radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals in the Asia-Pacific (Asia),...
Dem, GOP lawmakers push Blinken to pursue North Korea diplomacy – Responsible Statecraft
Dem, GOP lawmakers push Blinken to pursue North Korea diplomacy – Responsible Statecraft: Reps. Andy Kim and Young Kim urged the secretary of state to move forward on humanitarian issues and formally ending the war.
IAEA Study on Severely Damaged Spent Nuclear Fuel Provides Global Lessons 10 Years after Fukushima Accident | IAEA
IAEA Study on Severely Damaged Spent Nuclear Fuel Provides Global Lessons 10 Years after Fukushima Accident | IAEA: IAEA-led international research on the management of severely damaged spent nuclear fuel is providing key lessons learned from sites such as Fukushima Daiichi, Chornobyl and Three Mile Island and demonstrating the value of global scientific collaboration.
Nuclear power sector 'in crisis' 10 years after Fukushima disaster, Energy News, ET EnergyWorld
Nuclear power sector 'in crisis' 10 years after Fukushima disaster, Energy News, ET EnergyWorld: The number of nuclear reactors has receded in the past decade, from 429 in 2010 to 412 at the end of last year, according to Schneider, author of an a..
After Fukushima, Germany Shows We Need Safe Nuclear to Fight Climate Change - Bloomberg
After Fukushima, Germany Shows We Need Safe Nuclear to Fight Climate Change - Bloomberg: No country can afford to rule out fission reactors in the struggle against global warming.
Nuclear Power 10 Years After Fukushima: The Long Road Back | IAEA
Nuclear Power 10 Years After Fukushima: The Long Road Back | IAEA: At the beginning of the new millennium, amid growing awareness of the link between energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, the notion of a ‘nuclear renaissance’ became popular. Scientists and policy makers identified low carbon nuclear power as a potential protagonist in the transition to clean energy.
Thursday, March 11, 2021
On Shedding an Obsolete Past - TomDispatch.com
On Shedding an Obsolete Past - TomDispatch.com: You may have noticed: the Blob is back. Beneath a veneer of gender and racial diversity, the Biden national security team consists of seasoned operatives who earned their spurs in Washington long before Donald Trump
Aging Electronics May Limit Nuke Reliability – Federation Of American Scientists
Aging Electronics May Limit Nuke Reliability – Federation Of American Scientists: Science for a safer, more informed world.
FAS Presses for Release of Nuclear Stockpile Data – Federation Of American Scientists
FAS Presses for Release of Nuclear Stockpile Data – Federation Of American Scientists: Science for a safer, more informed world.
GEH and Fermi Energia strengthen collaboration on SMR development - Nuclear Engineering International
GEH and Fermi Energia strengthen collaboration on SMR development - Nuclear Engineering International: US-based GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and Estonia’s Fermi Energia have advanced their technology collaboration by entering into a teaming agreement to support the potential deployment of a BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR)...
Ohio House passes its version of bill rescinding nuclear subsidies - cleveland.com
Ohio House passes its version of bill rescinding nuclear subsidies - cleveland.com: The Ohio Senate previously has passed two bills removing pieces of House Bill 6, which is at the center of a federal corruption probe.
Fukushima Update March 11, 2021
Fukushima Update March 11, 2021 -
Today commemorates 10 years since the Fukushima nuke accident. A representative number of Japan's numerous Press articles are posted today. We will post many more tomorrow.
https://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-accident-updates.html
Blinken: U.S. won't make concessions to Iran to help resume nuclear talks - U.S. News - Haaretz.com
Blinken: U.S. won't make concessions to Iran to help resume nuclear talks - U.S. News - Haaretz.com: Statement comes ahead of a strategic meeting between Israel and the United States, with U.S. lawmakers putting pressure on the Biden administration to be tough on Iran
Better nuclear fuel could reduce the likelihood and severity of nuclear power plant accidents - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Better nuclear fuel could reduce the likelihood and severity of nuclear power plant accidents - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: The Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents shared an important attribute: Each of the power plants experienced a fire involving the zircaloy (zirconium alloy) cladding of nuclear fuel assemblies
Global nuclear power share to rise 15% by 2030
Global nuclear power share to rise 15% by 2030: Nuclear power currently meets 10% of global electricity generation - Anadolu Agency
Westinghouse AP1000 Nuclear Plant Breaks A First Refueling Outage Record
Westinghouse AP1000 Nuclear Plant Breaks A First Refueling Outage Record: /PRNewswire/ -- Westinghouse Electric Company today announced that Sanmen Unit 2, one of the world's first AP1000® nuclear power plants, has set a new...
Nuclear power: A question of risk and balance - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Nuclear power: A question of risk and balance - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Abandoning nuclear power would unbalance the risk equation, increasing societal risks while decreasing societal benefits.
Russia, Turkey collaborate on nuclear reactor construction project | Power Engineering
Russia, Turkey collaborate on nuclear reactor construction project | Power Engineering: ISTANBUL (AP) — The presidents of Turkey and Russia remotely inaugurated the construction of a third nuclear reactor at the Akkuyu power plant in southern Turkey
California utility PG&E says batteries will help it meet renewable energy and reliability goals | Energy Storage News
California utility PG&E says batteries will help it meet renewable energy and reliability goals | Energy Storage News: Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), one of California’s three main investor-owned utilities, has said that 1,400MW of battery storage is to be deployed in its service area by the end of 2023 will keep the company on-track to meet statewide renewable energy goals “while ensuring grid reliability”.
Texas storms spark conversation about reliability of Central Coast alternative energy sources | NewsChannel 3-12
Texas storms spark conversation about reliability of Central Coast alternative energy sources | NewsChannel 3-12: Local, renewable energy generation and storage is seen as key to protecting the power grid during events like wildfire, earthquakes and extreme weather.
Fukushima 10 years later: It still could happen here - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Fukushima 10 years later: It still could happen here - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Last summer, an aging nuclear reactor several miles outside of Cedar Rapids, Iowa came uncomfortably close to experiencing a similar fate to Fukushima.
Why Japan’s Radioactive Water May End Up In the Ocean - The Washington Post
Why Japan’s Radioactive Water May End Up In the Ocean - The Washington Post: The Japanese utility giant Tepco is considering a plan to dump more than 1 million cubic meters of treated radioactive water -- enough to fill 400 Olympic-size swimming pools -- from the wrecked Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, part of its nearly $200 billion effort to clean up the worst atomic accident since Chernobyl. Storage tanks at the site are forecast to be full by mid-2022, and space for building more is scarce. Scary as it sounds, discharges are common prac
The Fukushima accident: Do we have the wisdom to move forward? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
The Fukushima accident: Do we have the wisdom to move forward? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Nuclear power is not free of risk—obviously. But these risks must be weighed against risks in the larger energy context. And possible accidents at nuclear reactors must be measured against the coming calamity of climate change brought on by our reliance on fossil fuels.
SNC-Lavalin Joins Nuclear Innovation Institute - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers
SNC-Lavalin Joins Nuclear Innovation Institute - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.
Test Assemblies Loaded Into Belarus Unit 2 - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers
Test Assemblies Loaded Into Belarus Unit 2 - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.
Akkuyu NPP Unit 3 Construction Starts - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers
Akkuyu NPP Unit 3 Construction Starts - News - Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Street - Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers: The latest nuclear news in Nuclear Power Industry about utilities, companies, suppliers in the nuclear energy market.
After 75 years, it’s time to clean Bikini - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
After 75 years, it’s time to clean Bikini - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: 75 years ago, the US displaced citizens of Bikini Atoll for nuclear testing that was supposed to be temporary and “for the good of all mankind and to end all wars.” Bikinians have yet to return home due to radioactive materials from US detonations.
A Fukushima lesson: Victim compensation schemes need updating - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
A Fukushima lesson: Victim compensation schemes need updating - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: The potential for nuclear power plant accidents remains. Rather than assume they can be prevented, we must prepare for them—not only with emergency plans and safety protocols, but also with laws that protect and compensate the victims.
10 years after Fukushima: Are Japanese nuclear power plants safe? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
10 years after Fukushima: Are Japanese nuclear power plants safe? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident in 2011, the Nuclear Regulation Authority set stricter and more rational standards. However, in practice, Japanese regulators have often compromised their reviews. It’s worth asking: Are the restarted Japanese nuclear power plants safe?
Fukushima today: “I’m glad that I realized my mistake before I died.” - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Fukushima today: “I’m glad that I realized my mistake before I died.” - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: In two weeks, Japan will be lighting the Olympic torch for what officals are calling the "Recovery Olympics." But considering the evidence for widespread disregard for radiation and public safety, is it really safe to send athletes into a nuclear exclusion zone full of radioactive hotpots?
Ten years after Fukushima: The experts examine lessons learned and forgotten - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Ten years after Fukushima: The experts examine lessons learned and forgotten - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: This commentary series is more than just a distillate of the views that were presented during a conference by some of the world’s leading thinkers, scholars and practitioners on the 10th anniversary of Fukushima. It is a call for action, for change, and for a genuine collective engagement.
Top Senate Dem accused of helping hawks sabotage Biden on Iran – Responsible Statecraft
Top Senate Dem accused of helping hawks sabotage Biden on Iran – Responsible Statecraft: Sen. Bob Menendez joined Sen. Lindsey Graham on a letter that diplomacy advocates say is meant to scuttle efforts to rejoin the JCPOA.
How Fukushima triggered Germany′s nuclear phaseout | Germany| News and in-depth reporting from Berlin and beyond | DW | 10.03.2021
How Fukushima triggered Germany′s nuclear phaseout | Germany| News and in-depth reporting from Berlin and beyond | DW | 10.03.2021: The Fukushima disaster shook the belief in safe nuclear power to its core. For Germany, it marked a historic turning point for environmentalism.
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
South Korean Ministry sets up support system for nuclear exports - Nuclear Engineering International
South Korean Ministry sets up support system for nuclear exports - Nuclear Engineering International: South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has established a support system for overseas nuclear power plant orders and is actively supporting the export of equipment by Korean small and medium-sized nuclear power...
10 years after Fukushima, Nuclear energy sees tailwind from climate change
10 years after Fukushima, Nuclear energy sees tailwind from climate change: In the race to decarbonize, and mitigate disruptions brought on by climate change, many climate activists have reluctantly come to see nuclear energy as a necessity to a low-carbon future.
The Nuclear industry is in a renaissance: UNC Berkeley Prof. of Energy
The Nuclear industry is in a renaissance: UNC Berkeley Prof. of Energy: Dan Kammen, University of California, Berkeley Professor of Energy joins the Yahoo Finance panel to discuss the Nuclear energy outlook.
PSEG says $300M nuclear subsidy is crucial | NJ Spotlight News
PSEG says $300M nuclear subsidy is crucial | NJ Spotlight News: PSEG told state officials that without $300 million in ratepayer subsidy, it will be forced to close its three South Jersey nuclear plants.
Environmental cleanup projects at SRS among Energy Department's 2021 priorities | Savannah River Site | postandcourier.com
Environmental cleanup projects at SRS among Energy Department's 2021 priorities | Savannah River Site | postandcourier.com: The Department of Energy's nuclear cleanup office this week unveiled its goals and priorities for 2021, a formal list of construction projects and remediation tasks including several at the Savannah
NRC: Nearly all of nation's 94 nuclear facilities rate in the top performance level | Power Engineering
NRC: Nearly all of nation's 94 nuclear facilities rate in the top performance level | Power Engineering: The Nuclear Regulatory Commissions has sent out letters to each of the power plants and its operating utilities, indicating their marks under the NRC’s inspection regimen.
License Issued for Barakah Nuclear Unit 2
License Issued for Barakah Nuclear Unit 2: The Arab world's first nuclear power plant has received an operating license for its second unit, and the facility's timeline still calls for commercial
Erdogan, Putin remotely start nuclear reactor construction - StarTribune.com
Erdogan, Putin remotely start nuclear reactor construction - StarTribune.com: The presidents of Turkey and Russia remotely inaugurated the construction of a third nuclear reactor at the Akkuyu power plant in southern Turkey Wednesday, vowing to continue their close cooperation.
France's love affair with nuclear power will continue, but change is afoot
France's love affair with nuclear power will continue, but change is afoot: The country is a world leader in nuclear power, but its relationship is set to alter in the years ahead.
UAE nuclear regulator issues operating licence for Unit 2 of Barakah power plant | ZAWYA MENA Edition
UAE nuclear regulator issues operating licence for Unit 2 of Barakah power plant | ZAWYA MENA Edition: Barakah plant, located in the Al Dhafra region, is the cornerstone of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme - ZAWYA MENA Edition
Small modular nuclear reactors and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050? The math doesn’t add up - The Hill Times
Small modular nuclear reactors and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050? The math doesn’t add up - The Hill Times: SMR advocates claim that costs would come down rapidly through repeated manufacture in factories and learning. But the evidence for these effects is slim to non-existent.
UAE licenses second unit of Barakah nuclear power plant - Saudi Gazette
UAE licenses second unit of Barakah nuclear power plant - Saudi Gazette: The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), the UAE’s independent nuclear regulator, has today issued the operating license for unit 2 of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant to Nawah Energy Company (Nawah), the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation’s (ENEC) subsidiary, responsible for the operation of the nuclear power plant located in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.
10 years after Fukushima: Are Japanese nuclear power plants safe? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
10 years after Fukushima: Are Japanese nuclear power plants safe? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident in 2011, the Nuclear Regulation Authority set stricter and more rational standards. However, in practice, Japanese regulators have often compromised their reviews. It’s worth asking: Are the restarted Japanese nuclear power plants safe?
Japan's Fukushima disaster could have been avoided - Asia Times
Japan's Fukushima disaster could have been avoided - Asia Times: The 10th anniversary of Japan’s March 11, 2011, Richter scale 9.1 mega-earthquake and subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster is bringing the
NRC chairman sets out vision for US nuclear regulation : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News
NRC chairman sets out vision for US nuclear regulation : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News: Becoming a more modern, risk-informed regulator remains a key goal of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, its chairman Christopher Hanson said during his opening address to the regulator's 33rd Regulatory Information Conference. Hanson, who was sworn in as a commissioner in June 2020, was designated chairman of the NRC by President Joe Biden in January this year.
Rosatom targets 24 new reactor units in Russia by 2045 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
Rosatom targets 24 new reactor units in Russia by 2045 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: Rosatom has announced that implementation of Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to increase the share of nuclear power in the country's energy mix to 25% by 2045 will require, according to preliminary estimates, the construction of 24 new reactor units, including in new regions.
First concrete poured for Akkuyu unit 3 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
First concrete poured for Akkuyu unit 3 : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: Rosatom announced today that first concrete has been poured for the third unit of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant under construction in the Mersin province of Turkey. The Russian and Turkish heads of state joined the ceremony held to mark the event by video link. The Akkuyu nuclear power plant project is based on an intergovernmental agreement the two countries signed in 2010.
Nuclear safety bolstered since Fukushima accident, says Grossi : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News
Nuclear safety bolstered since Fukushima accident, says Grossi : Regulation & Safety - World Nuclear News: The March 2011 accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant "galvanised the international community," International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today. He outlined the work the IAEA and its Member States have done to strengthen nuclear safety in the ten years since the accident.
How High Are Federal Interest Payments? | Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
How High Are Federal Interest Payments? | Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget: This year, the federal government will spend $300 billion on interest payments on the national debt. This is the equivalent of nearly 9 percent of all federal revenue collection and over $2,400 per household. The federal government spends more on interest than on transportation, education, and research and development combined. The household share of federal interest is larger
When Imagination Failed: Revisiting Intelligence Failures - CounterPunch.org
When Imagination Failed: Revisiting Intelligence Failures - CounterPunch.org: Yogi Berra opined that “it’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future,” but over the past 80 years there has been more than enough intelligence collected to prevent costly failures. From Pearl Harbor in 1941 to this year’s invasion of the Capitol, there were strong intelligence indicators of the tumultuous events that were to More
China Is Buying Record Amounts of Iranian Oil – The Diplomat
China Is Buying Record Amounts of Iranian Oil – The Diplomat: China is moving closer to Iran than ever before, but the partnership still has limits.
Economic growth in Africa will not be achieved by a blanket ban on fossil fuels | TheHill
Economic growth in Africa will not be achieved by a blanket ban on fossil fuels | TheHill: Shifting U.S. development aid to low- and zero-carbon energy infrastructure projects over time is a worthy goal. But a blanket ban today on the financing of fossil fuels in the poorest countries will not only obstruct economic growth.
Our Ecomodernist Politics | The Well News | Pragmatic, Governance, Fiscally Responsible, News & Analysis
Our Ecomodernist Politics | The Well News | Pragmatic, Governance, Fiscally Responsible, News & Analysis: Our Ecomodernist Politics Opinions | The Well News | Pragmatic, Governance, Fiscally Responsible, News & Analysis
GE Hitachi, Fermi Energia extend SMR cooperation : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
GE Hitachi, Fermi Energia extend SMR cooperation : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News: GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy has entered into a teaming agreement with Fermi Energia to support the potential deployment of its BWRX-300 small modular reactor in Estonia. This follows their signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in late 2019.
Nuclear Power Looks to Regain Its Footing 10 Years after Fukushima - Scientific American
Nuclear Power Looks to Regain Its Footing 10 Years after Fukushima - Scientific American: Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.
Measure would give Nevadans defense against Yucca Mountain - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper
Measure would give Nevadans defense against Yucca Mountain - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper: Maybe, finally, it’s time for Nevada to obtain a right of refusal on efforts to dump the nation’s nuclear waste in our state. Southern Nevada’s congressional delegates have ...
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
DOE Awards New Contract for Environmental Remediation Services at the DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration Naval Reactors Kesselring Site | Department of Energy
DOE Awards New Contract for Environmental Remediation Services at the DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration Naval Reactors Kesselring Site | Department of Energy: DOE Awards New Contract for Environmental Remediation Services at the DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration Naval Reactors Kesselring Site
EM Update | Vol. 13, Issue 9 | March 9, 2021
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EM Update | Vol. 13, Issue 9 | March 9, 2021
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EM Poised to Build on Success, White Says in Address
Crews Finish Demolishing Brookhaven Reactor Exhaust Stack
EM Enters New Era with Release of 2021 Priorities to Advance Cleanup Mission
Walls Going Up for Newest Saltstone Disposal Unit at Savannah River Site
Project Manager Comes Full Circle in Idaho Site Career Spanning Six Decades
EM Prepares to Test Hanford Tank Waste Treatment System
Oak Ridge Enters Homestretch of ETTP Cleanup, Transformation
WIPP Makes Steady Progress in Annual Maintenance Outage
DOE Recognizes EM Nevada Program Experts for Contributions to Waste Management Assessment
EM Poised to Build on Success, White Says in Address
EM is poised to build on recent achievements and launch a new era of progress, Acting Assistant Secretary William “Ike” White said Monday at the Waste Management Symposia 2021.
Speaking at the event held virtually this year, White said EM delivered on key priorities during 2020 while adhering to precautions and worker safety protections during the COVID-19 pandemic. EM now is taking the next step.
“Today, EM is at the start of a new era, with a new Administration, and a new set of ambitious priorities for the year. And, hopefully, the start of a post-pandemic world,” he said.
White was a plenary speaker at the symposia, one of the nation’s leading gatherings of government, international, and industry experts on waste management. Other EM speakers are participating in sessions throughout the weeklong conference.
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Acting Assistant Secretary William "Ike" White
White said EM will build on the transformational progress achieved in 2020 in tank waste capabilities, successful demolitions that resulted in skyline changes, a shrinking cleanup footprint, and the award of contracts that accelerate safe progress.
In the key field of tank waste treatment — one of EM’s biggest challenges — White said the Salt Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site now is operational and is expected to process 6 million gallons of waste this year.
Further, the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit at the Idaho National Laboratory Site is expected to start up in 2021. The Hanford Site will complete construction of the Tank Side Cesium Removal system, a pretreatment system critical to the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) approach to treating tank waste.
Among other priorities, White said a number of sites will enter new phases in addressing contaminated excess facilities. Oak Ridge is focusing on building demolition at the Y-12 National Security Complex and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory after successfully taking down the entire uranium enrichment complex at the East Tennessee Technology Park.
Other notable demolition goals for 2021 include the West Valley Demonstration Project in New York beginning to pull down its last major facility, and the completion of demolition of DOE-owned buildings at the Energy Technology Engineering Center in Ventura County, California.
Most importantly, White said, EM will continue to shrink its footprint by continuing to make land and resources available this year to communities near EM sites.
White said new DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm understands the importance of the EM mission and DOE’s responsibility to deliver on commitments.
“She and the new DOE team know the vital role the communities near our sites played in U.S. history,” he said. “They also know how important the EM mission is to help those communities have a strong future.
“The cleanup progress we make doesn’t just support national security, energy, and research missions,” he said. “It also helps us to create opportunities for economic development, conservation, and recreation for the communities EM sites call home.”
White applauded the performance of the EM workforce and others who supported the program during the pandemic over the past year.
“I have been extremely proud of the way the entire cleanup program and all of the companies that support the program have coordinated and worked together to ensure the safety and health of our workforce,” White said. “In the nuclear industry, we have always been clear that the safety of the public and the workforce is our top priority. And in the current circumstances, all of you have worked to demonstrate that this truly is a core value for the cleanup program.
“Our ability to move forward on the public safety mission in the past year has been due, in large part, to the effectiveness of the actions we’ve taken to ensure the safety of the workforce, and we don’t want to lose sight of that as we get closer to an end point on this pandemic,” he said.
Crews Finish Demolishing Brookhaven Reactor Exhaust Stack
UPTON, N.Y. – Work crews have demolished the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) exhaust stack at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, achieving an EM program priority.
Brought to ground level on Feb. 24, the 320-foot-tall stack at the former reactor site at the national laboratory on Long Island, New York was decommissioned and demolished under the direction of DOE, with oversight by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.
The distinctive red-and-white stack was used for a small research reactor that DOE shut down more than 20 years ago. The HFBR provided a source of neutrons for multidisciplinary scientific research in materials science, chemistry, biology, and physics.
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The Brookhaven National Laboratory’s High Flux Beam Reactor exhaust stack before demolition.
Midway through demolition of the Brookhaven National Laboratory’s High Flux Beam Reactor exhaust stack.
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The site of the Brookhaven National Laboratory’s High Flux Beam Reactor exhaust stack after crews demolished it.
Sustained demolition of the stack started in early January using a patented concrete chimney demolition system called the MANTIS. EM crews dismantled the stack down to the base, approximately 36 feet above ground, before fully demolishing it last month.
“Our crews worked through pandemic hurdles and intense weather delays to complete the HFBR stack demolition with zero safety incidents and zero vibration disturbances to ongoing laboratory operations. Using innovative systems like the MANTIS to safely control debris and minimize personnel on the demolition platform, we’ve made huge strides in EM’s cleanup scope at Brookhaven,” said Paul Lucas, the project manager.
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Sixty-five waste containers loaded onto railcars await shipment away from Brookhaven National Laboratory. It is the first of two expected shipments of debris from the exhaust stack demolition.
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EM Crews use the MANTIS system to safely demolish the High Flux Beam Reactor exhaust stack, a prominent part of the Brookhaven National Laboratory. The MANTIS is a remotely operated demolition system for concrete chimneys.
The project’s next steps are cleanup of soils and the below-ground stack infrastructure, and verification that cleanup goals have been met. The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education will conduct independent verification of the stack cleanup.
The first rail shipment of exhaust stack debris to off-site disposal will involve 65 intermodal waste containers loaded onto a 10-railcar train. Approximately 45 additional containers are expected to be shipped as part of the second and final waste shipment.
Removal of the HFBR stack will mark the completion of the EM cleanup scope at Brookhaven required by a 2009 record of decision.
-Contributor: Stephanie Shewmon
EM Enters New Era with Release of 2021 Priorities to Advance Cleanup Mission
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EM's Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities lists specific planned accomplishments across the cleanup complex for the coming year.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – EM has released its Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities, a key marker to the program’s continuing success in addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons production and government-sponsored nuclear energy research.
The Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities outlines a new list of specific planned accomplishments across the cleanup complex for the coming year. Built on significant achievements in 2020, the Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities marks a new era for EM that will continue progress in addressing environmental risks and financial liabilities, while advancing EM’s obligations to the communities that played such an important role in U.S. security and prosperity.
“EM is protecting the environment today and helping to prepare the communities near our sites for the economy of tomorrow. By successfully tackling our past environmental legacy, EM progress means safer, cleaner sites and new economic opportunities for the future,” said William “Ike” White, acting assistant secretary for EM.
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Crews demolish Building 9210 at the 1940s-era Biology Complex at Oak Ridge.
The Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities sets goals at EM sites, including:
Completing construction of the Tank Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system at the Hanford Site. TSCR is a pre-treatment system critical to the site’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) approach to treating tank waste.
Completing the processing of 6 million gallons of tank waste at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, a goal made possible by the 2020 startup of the major Salt Waste Processing Facility.
Transitioning from deactivation to demolition at Building X-326, one of three former uranium enrichment process buildings at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Ohio.
Completing demolition of the 1940s-era Biology Complex at the Oak Ridge site in Tennessee.
Beginning demolition of the Main Plant Process Building at the West Valley Demonstration Project in New York, the last major facility at the former commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing center.
Completing demolition of all 18 DOE-owned buildings at the Energy Technology Engineering Center in Ventura County, California.
Awarding contracts that continue to enable safe and efficient cleanup progress across the EM enterprise.
The Calendar Year 2021 Mission and Priorities is available here.
Walls Going Up for Newest Saltstone Disposal Unit at Savannah River Site
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The first wall section of Saltstone Disposal Unit 8 is being constructed at the Savannah River Site.
AIKEN, S.C. – The first wall section is now rising from the ground on the newest mega-sized disposal unit being constructed at EM’s Savannah River Site (SRS).
Savannah River Remediation (SRR), EM’s liquid waste contractor at SRS, continues to make progress on Saltstone Disposal Unit (SDU) 8 with the recent wall and flooring installation. SDU 8 will stand at 43 feet tall and 375 feet in diameter, and have a 33-million-gallon capacity, just like two mega-sized SDUs built at SRS before it. The disposal units are built to safely and permanently contain decontaminated salt solution processed at SRS.
The 25 wall sections of SDU 8 will be constructed using high-strength, reinforced concrete and will be wrapped with seven layers of more than 300 miles of steel cable for added strength. The flooring of SDU 8 is more than halfway complete. The concrete floor sits on top of a multilayer foundation: a geosynthetic clay liner and high-density plastic liner sandwiched between two concrete layers called “mud mats.” The floor is being completed in 14 sections.
SRR is building SDU 9 in parallel with SDU 8. At SDU 9, the lower mud mat is complete with the liner now being installed on top of it. Site prep design is ongoing for SDUs 10-12, the final three units to be built. The site prep design and excavation work for SDUs 7-12 were completed safely by BK All American Company, a locally owned small business.
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Savannah River Remediation, EM’s liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site, continues to make progress on the next Saltstone Disposal Units being constructed to support the Salt Waste Processing Facility.
DOE-Savannah River SDU Federal Project Director Shayne Farrell said waste tank cleanup is a priority for EM, and the SDUs play a key role in that mission, along with the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) that is now operational and processing waste.
“The Salt Waste Processing Facility will greatly increase waste tank cleanup at the Savannah River Site,” Farrell said. “The liquid waste system relies on the capability to safely dispose of the saltstone onsite, and the Saltstone Disposal Units are required to fulfill this mission need.”
SRR President and Project Manager Phil Breidenbach said the SDU program is quite a phenomenal construction project, and it is easy to feel awe by the size, the materials, and the magnitude.
“However, it is important to remember that these structures, the Saltstone Disposal Units, are engineered and constructed by people,” Breidenbach said. “It takes construction workers, subcontractors, engineers, safety professionals, planners, and more to get the job done. We have a great team at Savannah River Remediation getting this work done the right way — safely.”
SRR is building the SDUs to support the increased decontaminated salt solution from the SWPF. Salt waste at SRS is decontaminated through processes that remove radioactive isotopes, such as cesium, at SWPF.
The treated solution is then sent to the Saltstone Production Facility, where it is mixed with dry materials to form a grout. The grout is pumped to the above-ground SDUs where it hardens to a form called saltstone. The first mega-volume unit, SDU 6, is already operational and receiving treated waste. SDU 7 is nearing completion and undergoing testing.
-Contributor: Colleen Hart
Project Manager Comes Full Circle in Idaho Site Career Spanning Six Decades
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Fluor Idaho Calcine Retrieval Project Manager Howard Forsythe, right, and Chief Engineer Tim O’Connor monitor robotic testing for EM's calcine retrieval project at the Idaho National Laboratory Site.
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – It’s rare for employees supporting EM’s cleanup to come full circle in their careers, but Howard Forsythe has done just that.
Forsythe, a manager with Fluor Idaho, EM’s cleanup contractor at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site, accepted an engineering job at the site in 1978 after graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in chemical engineering.
His first job was running the Waste Calcining Facility, which was known as the calciner. It used a closed-loop thermal heat source to convert a high-level liquid waste generated through spent nuclear fuel reprocessing to a granular solid called calcine.
The waste he helped transform was transferred to concrete storage vaults called bin sets, which stand out like sentinels over the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center. The New Waste Calcining Facility, which replaced the original plant in 1982, permanently shut down in 2000 after both facilities had generated a total of 4,400 cubic meters of calcine transferred to six bin sets.
How ironic it would be for Forsythe to manage the calcine retrieval project that is tasked with transferring calcine from one bin set to another and closing the first bin set under federal regulations. It’s the first step to prepare the material for out-of-state disposal.
“The big difference between when I came here to create calcine and now is the technology already existed to run the calciner,” Forsythe said. “For the calcine retrieval project, we are having to create high-tech equipment and robotics from scratch to enter a bin set that was never designed to be opened.”
Forsythe manages a small team of mechanical and design engineers who have developed technologies to enter the bin set, recover the calcine from the storage vaults, transfer the granulated material 600 feet to another bin set, and monitor all activities with state-of-the-art, remotely operated cameras that can withstand extremely high radiation fields.
“What draws engineers to this project is the fact that they are creating innovative technologies, testing their designs, and modifying the equipment to ensure its long-term reliability,” he said. “They are pioneers.”
In just over a month, Forsythe will retire after a 42-year career at the INL Site. He will not get to finish seeing the calcine — that he helped to create — retrieved, but he feels he is turning the task over to a talented group of engineers who can carry the baton to the finish line.
“It’s important for those in the nuclear industry to bring up the next generation to lead the industry into the future,” he said. “I’m proud to have mentored these talented engineers who will take over this project. It’s in good hands.”
-Contributor: Erik Simpson
EM Prepares to Test Hanford Tank Waste Treatment System
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To support testing of the Tank-Side Cesium Removal system, EM Office of River Protection tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions recently installed ion exchange columns and filters that will treat tank waste.
RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Office of River Protection (ORP) tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions has begun testing a critical piece of equipment needed to treat Hanford Site tank waste.
Since delivering the Tank-Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system enclosures in September, workers have installed and tested additional equipment, including electrical, test tanks, interconnecting piping, hoses, pumps, and associated insulation. That equipment is required for operational acceptance testing, which will provide validation of operations and maintenance procedures and training.
“We’ve made tremendous progress in just a few short months,” said Janet Diediker, ORP federal project director. “We are well on our way to beginning TSCR operations this calendar year.”
The TSCR system will remove radioactive cesium and solids from tank waste and is critical to Hanford’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) approach, which will send treated waste directly from Hanford’s tank farms to the Low-Activity Waste Facility at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant to be vitrified, or immobilized in glass.
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Nuclear chemical operator Brian Ennen is training to support 24/7 operations of Hanford’s Tank-Side Cesium Removal system.
Significant training has already occurred, including for the operators who are conducting the testing. In addition, several weeks of hands-on operator training are planned for four shifts, necessary for the safe, 24/7 operation to ensure a steady supply of treated tank waste.
Workers are also practicing switching out the TSCR system’s 24,000-pound ion exchange columns that will absorb the cesium from the tank waste after solids have been filtered out. It is estimated that two columns will reach capacity and need to be replaced about every 26 days during DFLAW operations.
View the TSCR system on a self-guided Hanford virtual tour.
-Contributor: Hal McCune
Oak Ridge Enters Homestretch of ETTP Cleanup, Transformation
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Oak Ridge workers with heavy equipment tear up a concrete slab where the former 235,000-square-foot Centrifuge Complex stood.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Oak Ridge crews are removing building foundations and remaining contaminated soil areas at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) to achieve EM’s ultimate vision for the site: a multi-use industrial center, national park, and conservation area.
All building removals and many major soil remediation projects at ETTP, which is the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, were completed last year. The latest work is not as pronounced as the massive demolition projects that took place there over the past two decades, but it’s just as critical as EM transforms the former Manhattan Project and Cold War-era enrichment complex into new uses.
“Completing building demolition at ETTP significantly altered the site, eliminated numerous risks, and enabled new economic development at the site,” said Acting ETTP Portfolio Federal Project Director James Daffron. “However, there are some remaining building slabs and soil and groundwater remediation projects to complete. These efforts are enhancing safety and making more land available to the community for reuse in the future."
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A view of the site where crews removed the building slab for the Centrifuge Complex. The project, scheduled for completion this spring, will result in a grassy field available for transfer from government ownership for economic development.
The former Centrifuge Complex area, which had a footprint of 235,000 square feet, is the largest slab removal taking place at ETTP. Crews are breaking up and removing the concrete slab, sampling soil to identify potential contamination, and backfilling excavated areas with clean soil.
The project, scheduled to wrap up this spring, will convert the site into a grassy field available for transfer from government ownership for economic development.
Crews with Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) cleanup contractor UCOR are also removing contaminated soil and backfilling sites in other ETTP areas. At the location of the former K-1401 facility, workers have removed thousands of cubic yards of contaminated soil and backfilled the area with clean soil. K-1401, one of the site’s early facilities, was used as a cleaning and decontamination facility, generating a variety of contaminants.
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Employees collect samples to identify areas of soil that require removal. They also conduct confirmatory sampling to ensure the removal of all contamination following completion of the project.
In another area where tanks associated with the site’s former power infrastructure stood, crews placed a 2-foot protective soil cover over a 9-acre tract that contained asbestos-contaminated soil. They are also placing a 2-foot cover on an adjacent 21-acre site and contouring it to ensure proper stormwater drainage.
OREM is also working with regulators on an interim record of decision to address groundwater cleanup at the site. It will accompany two existing records of decision addressing soil remediation of the site’s main plant and the area surrounding it.
Cleanup at ETTP is paying dividends for the region. More than 20 business are already located there. Future industrial development projects include a medical radioisotope pharmaceutical company and a nuclear test reactor facility.
-Contributor: Wayne McKinney
WIPP Makes Steady Progress in Annual Maintenance Outage
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Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) personnel perform maintenance on an overhead crane in the site’s Waste Handling Building. The crane is used to remove transuranic waste containers from transportation casks. This work is part of the nearly 100 activities being performed during the annual WIPP maintenance outage.
CARLSBAD, N.M. – They are three weeks into an eight-week maintenance outage, and crews are making steady progress to help keep the vital national mission of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) moving forward.
This year’s annual long maintenance break at the nation's only deep geologic repository for nuclear waste spans Feb. 15 to April 14, with 97 planned work activities using personnel from six departments, including mine operations, waste handling, hoisting, work control, safety, and engineering. The break includes site-wide power outages to accommodate electrical work.
“We are making great progress to complete the almost 100 activities planned for the annual long maintenance break,” said WIPP outage manager Andy Cooper. “All the work is critical to ensure all systems are working properly to support WIPP’s important national mission.”
Preventive maintenance checks are made on a schedule that can range from daily to annually. Quarterly efforts generally take about a week to tackle. Once a year, a multi-week outage is scheduled to handle projects needing the greatest effort that cannot be performed while normal transuranic waste operations are ongoing.
One of the largest outage projects began when crews started removing approximately 170 feet of railroad-like rails used to transfer waste pallets. The rails and metal plates will be removed, and the salt floor will be leveled. Gravel ballast will be added as a base layer, and the rails will be reinstalled.
Crews also began replacing a battery exhaust fan in the site’s waste handling building, a project expected to take two weeks. They also started testing and repair of a 13.8-kilovolt feeder cable between two onsite electrical substations, and replacement of air pressure instrumentation.
As of March 1, workers completed mechanical and electrical inspections on four contact-handled waste bay dock cranes; calibrations of dock instrumentation; a filter changeout on two ventilation fans; mechanical inspections on the supplemental ventilation system fan; mechanical and electrical inspections of two fans known as the 860-series fans; and inspections of eight bulkheads in the WIPP underground used to direct airflow.
-Contributor: Roy Neese
DOE Recognizes EM Nevada Program Experts for Contributions to Waste Management Assessment
LAS VEGAS – Two experts associated with the EM Nevada Program have been honored with the Secretary of Energy’s Achievement Award in recognition of their service to a DOE complex-wide assessment team.
The prestigious honor — a subset of the annual Secretary's Honor Awards and based on accomplishments from 2019 — was awarded to Marilew Bartling, Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program manager for Navarro Research and Engineering, the environmental program services contractor to the EM Nevada Program; and Andrew Worker, a general engineer specializing in waste disposition, who recently joined the EM Nevada Program.
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Marilew Bartling, Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program manager for Navarro Research and Engineering, the environmental program services contractor to the EM Nevada Program.
Andrew Worker, a general engineer specializing in waste disposition, who recently joined the EM Nevada Program.
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The Achievement Award honors a group or team of DOE employees and contractors who accomplish significant achievements on behalf of the Department, demonstrating cooperation and teamwork in attaining their goals.
Bartling and Worker were recognized for their contributions to a 36-person assessment team, formed at the direction of the Deputy Secretary of Energy. The team extensively investigated and analyzed radioactive waste packaging and shipping practices across the DOE complex. Bartling and Worker possess nearly 50 years of combined experience in radioactive waste management.
In an explanation of the award, the Secretary of Energy emphasized that Bartling and Worker had “applied their extensive technical expertise and knowledge of DOE policies, procedures, and practices toward independently assessing a critical system within the Department, thereby enhancing the confidence of senior DOE leadership in the safe conduct of radioactive waste packaging and shipping operations.”
With the support of Bartling and Worker, the work of the assessment team ultimately led to the issuance of a DOE report titled “Enterprise-wide Assessment of the Department of Energy’s Packaging and Shipping of Radioactive Waste.” The Secretary noted that the report had succeeded in “extensively documenting recommendations and best practices found across the Department” and provided “a road map to further strengthen the management of radioactive waste packaging and shipping operations.”
The final assessment report found that, overall, DOE site contractors have developed and implemented effective procedures and practices for the proper characterization, waste stream control, packaging, and shipping of radioactive waste for disposal.
For more information on EM Nevada’s safe, secure, and successful radioactive waste management program, click here.
-Contributor: Michelle French
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