The Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site is delaying roofing repairs at its H Canyon nuclear materials processing facility, after stating at the start of the year that construction would begin around midsummer.
That is because the repairs are not urgent or required by a specific deadline, said Barbara Smoak, spokeswoman for site management contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS). “We’ve had no further leaks in H Canyon, even under deluge of rain during the summer,” she said via email. “Based on no leaks, there was no reason to expedite the repairs and subject workers to the intense heat of summer.”
Repairs on the leaky roof are scheduled to begin “later this year,” Monte Volk, a DOE spokesman at the 310-square-mile facility near Aiken, S.C., said in another email. Personnel are currently analyzing core samples taken in several sections of the roof, to obtain an accurate picture of the roof’s quality and durability.
“The start of the physical repair work is expected to begin later this year after analyzing the core samples,” Volk wrote. “Due to the importance of the canyon roof as a part of our safety envelope as a nuclear operating facility, the preparation and planning for the repair application is critical.”
H Canyon began operations in 1995 and is used to convert materials such as highly enriched uranium (HEU) into diluted forms that can be repurposed as an energy source. In December, workers noticed about 6 ounces of contaminated rainwater on the ground floor of the facility. The water entered H Canyon via a crack in the roof and became contaminated as it passed through the nuclear materials processing area on its way to the first level. Workers barricaded the area until the water was safely wiped up and disposed. There was no contamination to workers or the environment.
Since then, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions has determined the roof is in good shape and will not require a large-scale replacement. “We have not seen any additional issues with rain water seeping through since the issue came up in January,” Volk stated. “For this reason, repairs will only be needed in a few sections of the roof where problems have been identified.”
Repairs will cost in excess of $1 million, and will be paid from the site’s maintenance and repairs budget. Waste processing is expected to continue during repairs.
