SRNS Working to Establish New Capability to Downblend Plutonium for WIPP Disposal
NS&D Monitor
7/3/2014
In order to continue downblending surplus plutonium for disposition, the Department of Energy is establishing a new capability in the Savannah River Site’s K-Area that is slated for completion next year. The new plant would follow an initial round of plutonium that has been downblended in Savannah River’s HB-Line and disposed of at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. “After discussions with DOE-SR, it was concluded that HB-Line was not the preferred option to accomplish the down blending of plutonium,” according to a response from SRS managing contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions. “Per DOE direction, we are proceeding with establishing a capability in K-Area to down blend plutonium beginning in the fourth quarter of 2015.”
The bulk of DOE’s surplus plutonium is still officially slated to be turned into reactor fuel in the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility under construction at Savannah River. The only surplus plutonium disposed of in WIPP so far has been part of a small portion that did not meet MOX fuel specifications. However, numerous questions surround the Department’s current plans for its surplus plutonium, which is largely stored in Savannah River’s K-Area. DOE announced earlier this year that it plans to suspend construction of the MOX plant due to cost increases and seek other options for plutonium disposal. WIPP has emerged as a top alternative due to potential lower costs, according to an initial DOE assessment released in April. But WIPP remains closed following a fire and radiation release in February and there is no timeframe yet as to when it may reopen.
‘WIPP Would Still be a Disposition Path’
Even so, DOE and SRNS are still counting on using WIPP to dispose of at least some surplus plutonium. “Down blending this surplus non-MOXable plutonium and shipment to WIPP would still be a disposition path once WIPP reopens,” the SRNS response states. Additionally, DOE has already “directed SRNS to resume down blending of plutonium in HB-Line later this year and to start down blending in K-Area next year,” according to a recently released May 2 Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board staff report.
HB-Line Preparations Underway Since 2011
Preparations of the plutonium for WIPP have been taking place at the site’s HB Line since September 2011. There the plutonium is divided into 175 gram quantities and mixed with a safeguard agent that reduces the proliferation threat of the material. SRNS subsequently has undertaken numerous shipments of the material to WIPP in the last two years before the repository shut down. Officials have said that around 4.3 metric tons of non-MOXable plutonium would likely be disposed of at WIPP. Additional details on the K-Area capability, such as how it will operate and how much it will cost to build and run remain unclear. DOE and SRNS have so far not responded to requests for more information made over the last month.
