ECA Update: NNSA Timing Decision on Pit Disassembly and Processing; Piketon First to Produce HALEU on American Soil
Published: Mon, 10/16/23
DOE UPDATE
NOTIFICATION OF DECISION ON TIMING OF THE PIT DISASSEMBLY AND PROCESSING LINE-ITEM PROJECTS
ECA Staff | 10/16/2023
NNSA has made a decision on the timing of the pit disassembly and processing
(PDP) project. The project initiation will begin in the mid 2030s rather than the mid 2020s which was anticipated.
Early this year DOE's NNSA prepared a draft environmental impact statement for the Surplus Plutonium Disposition Program
(SPDP) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the disposition of plutonium that is surplus to the defense needs of the U.S. NNSA's need for this action is so they can safely and securely dispose 34 metric tons (MT) of plutonium that is surplus to the Nation's defense needs so that it is not readily usable in nuclear weapons. To meet this purpose, NNSA analyzed two alternatives, the Preferred Alternative and the No Action Alternative.
The Preferred Alternative includes PDP of pit plutonium and non-pit metal processing (NPMP) of non-pit plutonium using a furnace in a glovebox, resulting in plutonium oxide.
The Preferred Alternative for disposition of 34 MT of surplus pit and non-pit plutonium is implementation of the dilute and dispose strategy to safely and securely disposition the surplus plutonium such that it could never again be readily used in a nuclear weapon. The Preferred Alternative would require new, modified, or existing capabilities at the Savannah River Site
(SRS), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Pantex Plant (Pantex), Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12), and Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The dilute and dispose strategy can be accomplished via any of several sub-alternatives, all of which result in permanent disposal of the CH-TRU defense waste at the WIPP facility.
The No Action Alternative includes, (1) continued storage of pits at Pantex, (2) the continued plutonium mission at LANL to process up to 400 kg of actinides (including surplus plutonium) a year, and (3) disposition of up to 7.1 MT of non-pit surplus plutonium for which the disposition decision, using the dilute and dispose strategy, was announced in NNSA’s 2020 Amended Record of Decision (AROD) (85 FR 53350). NPMP could
occur at an existing facility at LANL or a new facility built at SRS. If NPMP occurs at LANL, the resulting plutonium oxide would be shipped to SRS for dilution. In both cases, dilution, characterization, and packaging would occur at SRS followed by shipment to the WIPP facility in the same manner as discussed for the Preferred Alternative as shown in Table 1.
On October 11th, NNSA made a decision on the timing of the Pit Disassembly and Processing (PDP) Line-Item Project. After NNSA analyzed the options for expanding PDP at Savannah River Site (SRS) or Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and considered the current high volume major construction projects across the nuclear security enterprise, they decided to wait
approximately 10 years beyond current plans to initiate the PDP capital line-item project. This means that the project initiation will occur in the mid 2030s rather than mid 2020s. NNSA can potentially re-evaluate this decision as conditions change. However, as of now NNSA will continue to dismantle surplus pits and produce plutonium oxide at LANL and will remain fully committed to disposing of 34 MT of surplus weapon-grade plutonium, consistent with the U.S.' international
obligations.
The SPDP at SRS will continue as planned and NNSA will continue to downblend and ship material to WIPP for permanent disposition. This will allow NNSA to focus on removal of material from South Carolina in alignment with DOE's
Settlement Agreement with South Carolina. NNSA will continue to engage with public stakeholders through the SPDP execution.
This decision from NNSA does not indicate that NNSA is choosing the no action alternative. This decision to re-evaluate
the timing of the PDP line-item project is an acknowledgement that NNSA is nearing capacity for executing projects. The SPDP will continue with the current limited plutonium oxidation capabilities until PDP can be executed without the concern of competing for resources with critical pit-production priorities.
NUCLEAR FUEL
PIKETON IS POISED TO AGAIN BECOME A NUCLEAR HUB WITH THE LAUNCH OF A URANIUM ENRICHMENT PLANT
WOUB | 10/12/2023
With the flip of three switches, 16
giant cylinders lined neatly in a row came to life and began enriching uranium that will fuel the next generation of nuclear power plants.
This was the first launch of a uranium enrichment plant in the United
States in almost 70 years. The last one was on the same site in Piketon.
It was a massive complex launched by the federal government in 1954 that enriched uranium for nuclear weapons and power plants until it
was shuttered in 2001. The old plant is now undergoing a decadeslong cleanup to remove radioactive contamination from buildings, soil and groundwater.
Meanwhile, the United States has since gone from being the
world’s largest exporter of enriched uranium to the largest importer.
The new plant is intended to change that equation.To underscore the national significance of this new facility in southeast Ohio, David Turk, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, attended the opening ceremony Wednesday for the new Piketon plant.
“For the first
time ever an American company is producing HALEU on American soil, providing critical fuel for advanced nuclear reactors,” he said.
The Piketon plant is the only one in the United States licensed by the federal government to produce HALEU. HALEU is an
acronym for high-assay low-enriched uranium. Right now, Russia is the only commercial source of HALEU.
ECA WEBINAR: Cleanup to Clean Energy: How to Develop a Project on Federal
Land
Join ECA on Tuesday, October 31 at 2pm for an engaging discussion on DOE's Cleanup to Clean
Energy Initiative "Cleanup to Clean Energy: How to Develop a Project on Federal Land". Register to learn more from experts, Candice Robertson, Senior Policy Advisor, DOE-EM, Seth Kirshenberg, ECA Executive Director, and Peter Flynn, Bostonia Partners.
Following Secretary Granholm's announcement of the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative this summer. ECA will be hosting a webinar to explain how the development of these projects will unfold. The Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative will increase
clean energy production by leasing DOE-owned land at several of its sites for new carbon emissions-free energy project. This initiative will use 70,000 acres of land at five of DOE's sites for potential large-scale clean energy projects, or storage projects. The five sites include:
Hanford Site, Richland, WA
Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls,
ID
Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, NV
Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Carlsbad, NM
Reach out to Faith Sanchez, ECA Program Manager (faiths@energyca.org) with any
questions.
Adding Nuclear to the Mix: NEI, EPRI, NETL, WVU, AND GAIN
This event serves as a platform to bring together diverse stakeholders including local communities, policymakers, utility companies, and energy innovators to delve into the dynamic landscape of enhancing energy portfolios. Attendees will gain valuable insights into
the evolving energy industry, focusing on the integration of innovative value-added energy solutions. By participating, you'll have the opportunity to learn about the current developments and opportunities in the nuclear and sustainable energy generation space. Whether you're seeking to better understand the future of energy, explore ways to support local economies, or foster resilient energy practices, this conference offers a unique chance to connect, learn, and contribute to the ongoing
transformation of our energy systems.
WA hydrogen production to get a boost from share of $1B in funding
Seattle Times | 10/13/2023
Washington, Oregon and Montana will receive $1 billion from the federal Department of Energy to establish eight hydrogen production sites across the three states.
The money, allocated to the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association, comes from a new program funded by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and makes the Pacific Northwest one of seven hydrogen hubs across the country, according to Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.
Hydrogen is a colorless, flammable gas that does not emit carbon or greenhouse gases when combusted. Currently it is used for producing fertilizer and refining petroleum, though advocates say it could one day be used to replace natural
gas to heat buildings or power long-haul trucks or ships through hydrogen fuel cells.
The proposed production sites include Bellingham,
Centralia, East Wenatchee and Kennewick in Washington; Portland, Boardman and Baker City in Oregon; and St. Regis in Montana.
These “nodes”
were selected so there will be access to hydrogen along transportation corridors, like Interstates 5 and 90 and Interstates 82 and 84 in Central Washington and Oregon, said Chris Green, chairman of the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association.
“If this is really going to be real and the market is going to take hold … you’ll need production near places where there is use,” he said.
Centralia College, Puget Sound Energy, Portland General Electric, Douglas County Public Utility District and 13 companies or organizations, including Amazon, Mitsubishi Power Americas and the Northwest Seaport Alliance, have proposed projects as part of the Pacific Northwest Hub.
The specific details of how the money will be spent is subject to negotiation with the Department of Energy, said Green.
The project’s total funding is projected to be $8.8 billion and will require pipelines, trailers to transport the hydrogen, storage silos and infrastructure for heavy-duty trucks, according to the Department of Energy. The projects aim to reduce
emissions from the equivalent of roughly 220,000 gasoline-powered cars, according to the department. The remaining funding for the project is expected to come from project developers and private entities, Murray’s office said.
DISPOSAL DRIVES CLEANUP: RE-ENERGIZING MOMENTUM FOR DISPOSAL SOLUTIONS FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE
This report calls on the Department of Energy to launch the initiative to develop the actual waste disposition approaches. The Department could potentially
save hundreds of billions of dollars in cleanup costs by using its available tools and implementing the report’s recommendations.
Interactive guide for communities and governments to help navigate nuclear waste cleanup
The Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) recently released the Guide to Successful Environmental Cleanup, an interactive online resource that provides frequently asked questions, case studies, and recommendations regarding nuclear waste cleanup.
To assist local government officials, their communities, and federal agencies in deciphering the complexities of the environmental cleanup process, ECA developed this guide to facilitate future successful cleanups.
Marc Wortman, PhD, is an independent historian and freelance journalist. He is the author of four books on American military and social
history, most recently Admiral Hyman Rickover: Engineer of Power(Yale University Press, 2022), which was named a National ReviewBook of the Year and received an honorable mention for the John Lyman Award in biography from the North American Society for Oceanic History. His other books are 1941: Fighting the Shadow War, A Divided America in a World at War (Atlantic Monthly, 2016); The Bonfire:
The Siege and Burning of Atlanta (PublicAffairs, 2009), and The Millionaires’ Unit: The Aristocratic Flyboys Who Fought the Great War and Invented American Air Power(PublicAffairs, 2006). A multi-prize-winning feature-length documentary based on The Millionaires’ Unitis available on streaming services.
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