DOE seeks disposal of extra plutonium

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 held Aug. 17 at 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.