TRU SHIPMENTS TO WIPP COULD RESUME NEXT MONTH
After a pause of more than two years, Oak Ridge could begin resuming transuranic waste shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant next month, though that schedule could be impacted by a fire that occurred this week at WIPP (see related story). The last Oak Ridge shipments of transuranic waste to WIPP took place in November 2011, after which the Central Characterization Project team was pulled out of Oak Ridge because of budget issues and redirection of resources. Since then, the contractor at DOE’s Transuranic Waste Processing Center has continued to process waste and prepare it for eventual disposal, and the CCP team returned to Oak Ridge in October to once again get the certification process going.
Mike Koentop, executive officer of DOE’s Environmental Management Office in Oak Ridge, said the plan is to restart shipments to WIPP in mid-March. “CCP mobilized to the TWPC on October 1st 2013. Since then, they have been working to recertify the Oak Ridge characterization program,” Koentop said in an email response to questions. “This involves procedure development, personnel training and initial certification activities. It is anticipated that shipments will begin in mid-March after the annual WIPP maintenance outage.”
Over the past year, Wastren Advantage Inc. (WAI) has struggled in the its management of the Transuranic Waste Processing Center and received a stern notice from DOE to get the safety and other issues under control. When asked for an update on that situation, Koentop said there had been significant progress. “WAI performed a thorough analysis to determine the root causes of the operational events referenced in DOE’s September letter,” he said. “WAI developed a management plan that included corrective actions to mitigate related risks and to improve the rigor of operations and safety processes.” Koentop added, “WAI has implemented approximately 85 percent of the corrective actions. To date, we are encouraged by WAI’s improvement and their response to our concerns. We will continue to closely monitor their progress as they continue implementing their corrective actions.”
