Jeremy L. Dillon
RW Monitor
4/25/2014
The agreement between EnergySolutions and Waste Control Specialists to ship Class B and C low-level radioactive waste from the Zion decommissioning appears to remain intact, but it is unclear when, or if, shipments are likely to occur, according to EnergySolutions spokesman Mark Walker. Previously, the agreement appeared to have fallen apart completely after EnergySolutions contacted WCS and informed the disposal site that it would not be shipping the material. “We have not canceled the contract for B &C waste with WCS,” Walker said. “We did ship waste to WCS late last year and at this time our priority is fuel transfer to the ISFISI pad. Waste will ship from the Zion station to the appropriate facility (WCS, Clive or landfill) at the appropriate time.”
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission granted EnergySolutions a license amendment that enabled the company to use one of its type-B casks currently pulled from service so that it could ship the waste from the Zion site. EnergySolutions claimed that the material was causing a public dose risk while delaying the completion on the time-sensitive project. The NRC granted the request, allowing up to 50 shipments using the cask until the end of 2014. EnergySolutions amended its import petition with the Texas Compact Commission to send 50 activated metal shipments to WCS for disposal.
WCS had been working under the assumption that the Zion waste would be shipping as soon as possible, but the delays in shipments means all of the waste cannot be transferred before the deadline, WCS spokesman Chuck McDonald said. “WCS worked with EnergySolutions to prepare for the shipments based on the NRC authorization letter,” McDonald said. “We are disappointed that the casks were re-routed elsewhere — because of the stated importance of removing the waste from the Zion site. Even though a contract with Zion Solutions remains in place, it is unlikely that all of the waste can be received at WCS prior to its expiration.”
