K-31 Demolition Moving Forward
WC Monitor
10/10/2014
URS-CH2M Oak Ridge, LLC, the cleanup contractor at the Oak Ridge site, reached a new demolition milestone this week as the contractor began taking down the skeleton of the former K-31 uranium enrichment facility. The equipment inside the 750,000-square-foot building was removed a decade ago, along with most of the radioactive contamination, so the K-31 demolition is not expected to be nearly as difficult or as hazardous as the massive K-25 project completed earlier this year. The K-31 demolition, depending on weather and other issues, is expected to take about a year to complete. After that, there’ll only be one gaseous diffusion facility—K-27—left at the sprawling Oak Ridge site that once was world’s largest uranium enrichment complex.
About 50 people were on hand for the ceremonial start of demolition at K-31. Sue Cange, the Department of Energy’s acting environmental manager in Oak Ridge, and Ken Rueter, president of UCOR, made brief remarks before the heavy machinery was unleashed on the northeast corner of the two-story, 17-acre building. Cange praised the workers for their commitment to the project and attention to safety. Rueter said the K-31 project is months ahead of schedule because of an accelerated work plan.
DOE’s cleanup contractor was able to move quickly on the project by shifting hundreds of experienced workers – with security clearances – from the K-25 project to the pre-demolition activities at K-31 earlier this year. Over the past few months, workers removed hazardous materials and stripped away the siding — leaving mostly the bare bones of a Cold War workhorse that provided fuel for the nuclear industry. UCOR plans to employ that same strategy again next year after the K-31 job is complete and work begins on the K-27 enrichment facility. Rueter said the plan – known as Vision 2016 – is to complete the demolition and cleanup of all gaseous diffusion facilities at the Oak Ridge site by the end of calendar year 2016.
The uranium converters and processors and miles of processing pipelines were removed K-31 years ago as part of the Three-Building Project conducted by BNFL Inc. Most of the residual uranium contamination was also cleaned up. “Achieving this vision will mark the first-ever complete cleanup of a gaseous diffusion plant and facilities,” Rueter said in a statement. “Removal of K-31 — and, afterward, K-27 — will eliminate a nuclear hazard and open up more ETTP property for reindustrialization and regional economic development.”
Decision Expected Next Month on How to Address Leaking Reactor Pool
WC Monitor
10/10/2014
URS-CH2M Oak Ridge President, LLC, Ken Rueter acknowledged this week that removing the radioactive components from the reactor pool at the Oak Ridge Research Reactor is a likely option at this point in the effort to resolve the water leak at the 50-year-old research reactor. However, he said an independent study is underway to assess the potential for fixing the leak and other possibilities, and a decision on how to proceed probably won’t take place until November. If the irradiated components in the reactor pool were removed and stored elsewhere, the pool could be drained of the 125,000 gallons of water that has provided shielding for the radioactive material and essentially eliminate the leak concerns. “Absolutely, no doubt about that,” Rueter said.
But Rueter and Sue Cange, the Department of Energy’s acting environmental manager in Oak Ridge, both said they want to complete the evaluation before making a decision on whether to try to plug the leak or proceed in another direction. “We are evaluating that option while we are also looking for the source of the seep,” Cange said. “What it will come down to is a determination as to whether it would be better to continue to look for the source of the seep and address that versus removing the components from the pool and thereby eliminating that as a potential future risk.”
Significant Decrease Seen in Rad. Levels of Stored Components
Mike Koentop, executive officer of DOE’s Office of Environmental Management at Oak Ridge, said a recent survey of the components stored in the pool found that the radioactivity had declined by 95 percent since the last survey was conducted in 1999. The dose-meter survey was performed as part of the project to locate and repair a leak in the reactor’s storage pool or take other actions to deal with the radiological equipment that’s stored there. UCOR is heading the investigation at the reactor, which has been shut down since the 1980s and is awaiting decommissioning and demolition. Despite the reduced radioactivity – due to the natural decay process — the components stored in the pool are too hot to leave unshielded, Koentop said. “The irradiated components still require shielding to protect workers in the facility,” he said.
Koentop said a video camera was also lowered into the pool to look for deterioration and other concerns, but it apparently didn’t reveal much new information. “The pool poses no new or unexpected hazard,” he said. The DOE spokesman said a technical assistance team will use the radiation measurements to better assess the hazards of the pool’s contents. “The resulting characterization data will be used to help determine if the most suitable remedy is to locate and repair the water seepage or remove and dispose of the irradiated components,” he said.
Leak Remains Stable, Officials Say
The problem was discovered in early September, and the leak rate — estimated at about 100 drops per minute — has remained stable, according to Oak Ridge officials. Rueter indicated that locating the leak is a complicated matter, with hundreds of penetrations into the reactor pool. So far, he said, “we haven’t found anything.” At this point, he said it’s fair to say the evaluation team is leaning toward draining the pool and removing the radioactive components, but Rueter said the team wants to make sure it’s looking at evaluation on technical issues that go beyond simply the cost effectiveness.
DOE Still Reviewing Pu-Bearing Containers
WC Monitor
10/10/2014
The Department of Energy is still reviewing plutonium-bearing containers with a potential risk of detonation at Oak Ridge, but a preliminary assessment indicates that even if a gas buildup did cause one of the containers to explode, it would not disperse the plutonium stored inside, Sue Cange, DOE’s acting environmental manager in Oak Ridge, said this week. According to DOE, the plutonium contents – either in an oxide or metal form – are housed inside a “pipe nipple” that is located at the protective center of multiple containment layers inside each drum. The Department has acknowledged the plutonium was shipped to Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1980s from Savannah River, but it has declined to confirm specifics regarding the isotope of plutonium, the quantities of nuclear material or the number of containers that house plutonium with a detonation risk.
Cange said she did not believe there were any security concerns, and she said the reason DOE has been unable to provide some specifics regarding the plutonium is due to classification issues, not because of security. The investigation of risks is continuing. Mike Koentop, executive officer at DOE’s Office of Environmental Management in Oak Ridge, earlier characterized the amount of plutonium as “small amounts” and referred to the number of drums as a “small population.” He added: “I’m not able to be more specific.”
Several months ago, a review indicated there was possible risk of detonation–albeit slight—because of uncertainties about whether there was moisture inside the drums that have been in storage for more than 30 years. Some studies reportedly confirmed that some drums are not at risk of a buildup of oxygen and hydrogen, but other drums are still being evaluated.
The issue was first identified in May by URS-CH2M Oak Ridge (UCOR), the DOE environmental cleanup manager in Oak Ridge. The contractor, based on some new information, cited a “potential inadequacy” in the safety analysis for the containers stored at the Melton Valley Solid Waste Storage Facility. The storage facility is located on the back side of Oak Ridge National Laboratory not far from the Molten Salt Reactor and other nuclear facilities. After the detonation risks have been studied and mitigated as needed, contractor workers will open the containers at DOE’s Transuranic Waste Processing Center in Oak Ridge and repackage the plutonium for eventual disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico.
UCOR Undergoes Reorganization
WC Monitor
10/10/2014
URS-CH2M Oak Ridge (UCOR), the Department of Energy’s cleanup manager at Oak Ridge since mid-2011, is heading down the home stretch of major demolition projects, and the contractor has instituted a major reorganization of its management to deal with some near-term projects and prepare for a shift in DOE priorities—and possible added scope—in the years to come. Ken Rueter, the president and project manager who replaced Leo Sain earlier this year, announced the changes internally in a late-September message to employees.
One of the near-term challenges is leaking reactor pool at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s 50-year-old Oak Ridge Research Reactor. In his reorganization plan, Rueter named Jeff Selvey as Recovery Manager for the reactor project. Selvey quickly mobilized the team that responded to the reactor leak at Building 3042 (the number of the reactor), and he’s now going to head the assignment for the indefinite future. Because his assignment is expected to be a full-time task — at least for a while — Rueter said Michelle McNutt has named acting manager of the high hazard nuclear operations group. “While the long-term fixes are not yet known, it is expected that the evaluation of alternatives, selection of the preferred option, estimating, contract changes, funding, design, procurement, mobilization, execution, demobilization, and closeout will require Jeff’s undivided attention for the foreseeable future,” Rueter wrote.
UCOR Anticipates ‘Future Growth’ in General Plant and Capital Assets Projects
Dan Macias will become manager of General Plant and Capital Assets Projects. The move was made as recognition of the importance of current projects and “anticipated future growth in this area of our business,” Rueter said. “Current scopes in this product line include the design of the Y-12 Outfall 200 Mercury Treatment Facility and several GPPs associated with K-25 Historic Preservation,” Rueter said. “The position of Project Integration Manager will be posted. Pat Timbes will fill this role on an acting basis until a permanent replacement is selected.”
Rueter said the position of nuclear services and engineering manager has been posted and will be a direct report to Matt Marston, the chief operating officer. “This position will have responsibility for Engineering, Nuclear Facility Safety, and Nuclear Criticality Safety programs and personnel,” Rueter said. Jeff Harvey will fill this role on an acting basis until a permanent replacement is selected, he said.
Changes to D&D Organization
Now that the K-25 demolition has been completed and the transition under way to work on K-31 and K-27, “along with ETTP site reindustrialization rapidly advancing,” Rueter said the ETTP Surveillance and Maintenance and D&D organizations will merge into one: D&D, Environmental Remediation and Closure group that reports to Steve Dahlgren. The transition is to take place over the next four to six weeks.
Two new managers have been added to the UCOR team. Ron Slottke from the CH2M HILL corporate office will become the Project Services and Support Manager. Tim Melberg is transferring from the Idaho Closure Project to become UCOR’s Supply Chain Manager. Jeff Bradford, the vice president for D&D and waste management, is leaving UCOR to become chief operating officer at Washington Closure Hanford.
Other Changes
Allen Schubert, who has served as the contractor’s communications chief, will return to a previous role to focus on strategic planning and mission excellence. The position of communications and community programs manager has been posted, and Wayne McKinney will fill the position on an acting basis until a permanent replacement has been chosen.
The Remedial Actions/Regulatory Support group has been moved from the ESH&QA organization to the Operations side of the UCOR management organization. Curt Walker is to head the day-to-day operations of the group, and Betsy Child will remain as the regulatory officer. In addition, Child will serve as UCOR’s chief of staff, and she will be charged with building and maintaining regulatory relationships and interactions with the community and Congress — plus providing “strategic advice” to the president.
