ECA Update: July 27, 2012
Published: Fri, 07/27/12
A Low-Key Debut for a New N.R.C. Leader Matthew L. Wald, The New York Times Green Blog July 24, 2012 Cordial and generally noncommittal, Allison M. Macfarlane, the new chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, gave her first testimony before Congress on Tuesday without reiterating some of the positions she has taken in the past on nuclear waste.
Dr. Macfarlane, a geologist, replaced Gregory B. Jaczko, whose tenure as chairman was punctuated by criticism from his fellow commissioners and others that he was withholding information from them and impeding the commission's work.
Dr. Macfarlane, a geologist with extensive experience in nuclear waste questions but not reactor operations, seemed to strive for a collaborative and inclusive tone on Tuesday. Appearing with three of her fellow commissioners before two House Energy and Commerce subcommittees, she said her colleagues were "all talented professionals.'"
"I look forward to seeking and receiving their advice,'' she said. And at several points in the hearing, she took the unusual step of inviting her fellow commissioners to comment on the issues raised by questions posed to her.
One matter before the commission, which she joined two weeks ago, is the use of dry casks in lieu of pools to store nuclear waste. Utilities have been moving waste into dry casks only as the pools fill up; Dr. Macfarlane, the co-author of a paper written after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has in the past recommended moving the fuel into casks more expeditiously to reduce the risk that something will go wrong with a pool.
She was asked by Lois Capps, a California Democrat whose district includes the Diablo Canyon reactors, about the use of dry casks. "I will be happy to explore this in the future at greater length,'' Dr. Macfarlane said. The commission will "gather more information about this specific issue,'' she added.
Dr. Jaczko had favored moving more spent fuel to casks when he was a member of the commission. But when he became chairman, he accepted the commission staff's position that both casks and pools are adequately safe. Nuclear experts point out that moving the fuel out of the pools involves some radiation exposure to workers.
A former chairman of the full committee, Joe Barton, Republican of Texas, asked Dr. Macfarlane what action should be taken on Yucca Mountain in Nevada, a site chosen by Congress 25 years ago as a burial spot for nuclear waste.
The Obama administration effectively killed the repository, which the law required the commission to evaluate in a licensing hearing. Mr. Barton and other members of the committee favor reviving the plan to use the site.
Dr. Macfarlane, who was a member of a blue-ribbon commission established by the Obama administration to look at alternatives to Yucca, has been vocal in the past about what she views as shortcomings in the process that led to the selection of the site. But she did not rise to the bait. She said she would "wait to see what issues are presented to us at the commission.''
In remarks to reporters after the hearing, she said, "As a commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, I just have to deal with the issues that come before us, and right now, there is not an issue before us" involving Yucca.
Nuclear Regulators Back on Track Olga Belogolova, National Journal July 24, 2012 Things appear to be getting back to normal at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as four out of five commissioners--including the agency's new chairwoman, Allison Macfarlane--testified before two House Energy and Commerce subcommittees in an amiable joint hearing on Tuesday.
Following a year of turmoil at the agency under recently resigned Chairman Gregory Jaczko, Macfarlane's first testimony before Congress as head of the NRC was measured and cordial. She and her fellow commissioners appeared as a unified front, speaking to their newfound collegiality and addressing concerns from lawmakers about how Macfarlane, most recently a professor at George Mason University, can restore the image of the agency.
"The tone she is setting is constructive and is a most welcome opportunity," Republican Commissioner Kristine Svinicki said of Macfarlane, adding later that "there's an optimism moving forward" at the commission.
Svinicki and the other members of the commission clashed with Jaczko over the past year, questioning his management style and accusing him of berating commissioners and agency staff. After months of public turmoil, Jaczko resigned in May pending Senate confirmation of his replacement.
Macfarlane, who has only been on the job for two weeks now, seemed prepared for questions about how her leadership will differ from that of Jaczko, but when it came down to more substantive questions on nuclear safety, she often deferred to her fellow commissioners and explained that she still has much to learn.
Macfarlane called all of her colleagues "talented professionals" and expressed her "commitment to a collaborative work environment."
Environment and the Economy SubcommitteeEnvironment and the Economy Subcommittee House: House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman: Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL 19th District)Read Full Almanac Profile » Chairman John Shimkus rep. John Shimkus Republican Illinois, District 19 Read Full Almanac Profile », R-Ill., at one point even exclaimed that Macfarlane really must be well-prepared since she has all the right answers.
Shimkus set the tone for a calm and at times humorous hearing.
"This is an opportunity, not to dwell on the past, but to look to the future through some of the important lessons of recent commission events and actions," Shimkus said in his opening statement.
Taking that cue, lawmakers for the most part refrained from digging into the controversy surrounding Jaczko's tenure.
Members on both sides of the aisle questioned Macfarlane and her colleagues on state-specific nuclear issues, on decisions regarding the now-closed waste repository at Yucca Mountain in NevadaNevadaPopulation (2008): 2,700,551Registered Voters: 35.5% R, 43.2% D, 21.3% I Governor: Gov. Brian Sandoval (R)Senators: Sen. Harry Reid (D), Sen. Dean Heller (R) Read Full Almanac Profile », and on the commission's work on reforms based on lessons learned from last year's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in Japan. While the agency has begun implementing some of those reforms, they still have a lot of work left.
Despite the general collegiality shown during the hearing, Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said that he "seriously doubt[s]" that the commission will be all smooth sailing moving forward.
Markey, who at one time employed Jaczko and has defended him throughout the turmoil at the agency, warned Macfarlane not to give in to pressures from her fellow commissioners. "You have a very difficult job ahead of you, madam chair. And you need to keep in mind that your duty is not to win a popularity contest at the NRC with commissioners who disagree with the safety agenda," he lectured her.
"Don't be afraid to stick up for your guns and do what is right for the American people," Markey said. "For in the end, madam chair, your term as chairman will be judged on whether you have successfully completed the task of fully implementing the NRC task force recommendations on Fukushima, on ensuring that there is safety in the disposal of nuclear waste, and that will be your legacy."
Citizens Advisory Board hopes Savannah River Site will not become interim spent fuel site
Rob Pavey, The Augusta Chronicle July 25, 2012 Savannah River Site's many roles should not include interim storage of spent nuclear fuel, according to a draft resolution under development by the site's Citizens Advisory Board.
The panel "does not support the use of SRS as a waste storage site for legacy waste or wastes from other non-site programs," said a version of the draft recommendation distributed this week.
The fate of more than 75,000 tons spent fuel stored at the nation's 104 operating commercial power reactors is in limbo because the government's planned nuclear waste repository at Nevada's Yucca Mountain was halted.
Since then, a Blue Ribbon Commission crea
ted by the Department of Energy to evaluate other options has released a report suggesting "interim storage" of spent fuel might be an option until a more permanent disposal solution is found.
The commission also said a system in which the federal government forces nuclear waste on communities where it is not wanted is a "no-win situation," and urged a more cooperative siting process that involves communities who are supportive of spent fuel projects.
The SRS advisory board's draft recommendation, which could be voted on later this year, includes a request that the Department of Energy keep the group - and the public - informed about "any plans or discussions for bringing any new wastes or materials to the site."
The Yucca Mountain repository was also destined to become a disposal site for high-level Cold War nuclear waste that remains stored at SRS and has no clear path to disposition.
Fuel study will not go ahead in Richland Annette Cary, Tri-City Herald July 26, 2012 Energy Northwest will not move forward with a study on using mixed oxide fuel containing plutonium at its nuclear power plant near Richland.
It had been considering the possibility of using the fuel at the Columbia Generating Station, with the first step to be an 18-month feasibility study with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
However, Energy Northwest officials said at a board meeting Wednesday in Richland that they were moving away from consideration of the mixed oxide, or MOX, fuel after making arrangements in May for fuel to supply the plant through 2028, said Energy Northwest spokesman John Dobken. No formal action was taken at the meeting, he said.
In the unusual deal reached in May, depleted uranium stored by DOE is being transferred to Energy Northwest and then being enriched at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky. Even though Energy Northwest already had enough fuel to last until 2020, it believes the depleted uranium deal will provide a stable supply of fuel at below-market cost from then through 2028.
Energy Northwest has not ruled out the possibility of considering MOX fuel for use after 2028, Dobken said."
We will continue to monitor it because we think it's a valuable program," he said. "It takes weapons-grade (material) and turns it into a positive use."
But for now, Energy Northwest resources are better focused on plant performance and reliability, he said.
Energy Northwest had said previously that its first priority is safe operation of the Columbia Generating Station, and it would not make any changes to its fuel program unless they were well-vetted and licensing was in place.
The PNNL study would have answered questions such as whether MOX fuel posed a security or safety risk and the feasibility of using MOX fuel in the Energy Northwest reactor, including how much could be used along with traditional uranium fuel, it said.
The National Nuclear Security Administration is building a plant in Savannah River, S.C., intended to reduce the nation's surplus of weapons-grade plutonium by blending it into mixed oxide fuel for use in commercial plants.
Tennessee Valley Authority and Energy Northwest were evaluating potential use of the fuel.
Although Energy Northwest no longer has an immediate need for the fuel, The Associated Press reported this week that DOE is preparing an environmental study on using the fuel at Tennessee Valley Authority nuclear plants.
The plan to use the fuel has been opposed by Friends of the Earth in South Carolina, which has called it costly and risky.
Heart of America Northwest Research Center filed a Benton County Superior Court lawsuit in 2011 for the release of Energy Northwest records related to MOX fuel and said in court records that MOX fuel can cause a nuclear reaction that is more difficult to control, resulting in more radiation released in the case of a severe accident.
It also was concerned that MOX fuel could be fabricated at Hanford, creating more radiactive waste as environmental cleanup is under way at the nuclear reservation. The lawsuit was dismissed this spring.
Plutonium Fuel (MOX) Draft Environmental Document being Issued by Department of Energy; Meeting to be Held in N. Augusta on September 4 Thomas Clements, The Aiken Leader July 26, 2012 "Even though questions about the cost and direction of the program to dispose of plutonium as nuclear fuel are growing, the document breaks no new ground and poses few new options which are badly needed concerning disposal of the nation's surplus plutonium," said Tom Clements, Nonproliferation Policy Director for the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability (ANA) in Columbia, South Carolina.
"Given the significant obstacles that confront this program as now conceived, DOE must begin a full review of plutonium disposition options and develop new, less costly approaches not tied to use of costly experimental plutonium fuel."
The Draft Surplus Plutonium Disposition Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Draft SPD SEIS), which has been in preparation since May 2007, is to be formally released on via a "notice" in the Federal Register. An advance copy of that notice reveals that plans to test and use plutonium fuel (mixed oxide, MOX) remain speculative.
Construction by an entity called Shaw AREVA MOX Services of a $6-billion plant to fabricate MOX fuel is now underway at the Savannah River Site but it has yet to obtain an operating license, no production schedule has been revealed by DOE and no reactors have been secured to use any MOX fuel the facility might produce.
A public meeting is to be held on the draft document on September 4, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., in the North Augusta Municipal Center, 100 Georgia Avenue, in North Augusta, South Carolina. The public is encouraged to attend and comment on the draft document.
The draft environmental document makes clear that the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) continues to balk at use of MOX in its aging Browns Ferry (GE Mark 1 Fukushima design) and Sequoyah reactors: "TVA does not have a preferred alternative at this time regarding whether to pursue irradiation of MOX fuel in TVA reactors and which reactors might be used for this purpose." (Section S.10, page S-33)
"TVA must discard further consideration of MOX use as it will pose significant safety problems for its reactors and create a financial liability at a time when TVA can ill afford to take on yet another problem-plagued nuclear project," said Clements. "Further, DOE is not a reliable partner when it comes to the MOX program, a factor which caused Duke Energy to abort a MOX test in 2008 and drop out of the program. The history of Duke's experience with MOX should be instructional for TVA."
Use of MOX fuel poses a safety hazard during reactor operation and as the fuel is hotter it is harder to manage after removal from the reactor. As MOX made from weapons-grade plutonium has never been used commercially anywhere in the world, this "new fuel form," will require lengthy testing licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The draft SEIS totally ignores the need for testing, especially in the problem-plagued Browns Ferry reactors, which could be a show-stopper for the program as a 10-year test would only conclude a few years before the reactors are slated to close in 2033, 2034 and 2036, leaving insufficient time to use the MOX in those reactors.
"Ignoring the need for testing of this experimental fuel only serves to reveal that DOE is desperate in its efforts to force TVA or another utility to use MOX, but the NRC will be the judge about need for required testing and DOE's wishful thinking about testing avoidance is irrelevant," said Clements.
In a surprise move, it was reported on July 26 that Energy Northwest, a public utility in the state of Washington, had terminated its interest in the use of MOX fuel in the Columbia Generating Station, a boiling water reactor located on DOE's Hanford site. Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Friends of the Earth had revealed that the company and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory had hoped to keep MOX plans secret.
Soaring costs of the plutonium disposition program and failure to identify reactors to use the MOX product have caused increased congressional oversight, including a cut by the House of Representatives of $169 million of the $888 million Fiscal Year 2013 budget request for plutonium disposition. The Senate is yet to act. While DOE refuses to reveal an overall life-cycle cost for the MOX program, ANA estimates that about $17.5 billion is yet to be spent on the MOX program and that the 34 metric tons of plutonium could be disposed of as waste at a far lower price tag.
A 60-day comment period on the draft document begins on July 27 and the dates for public meetings, which ANA urges citizens to participate in, are as follows:
"Radioactive mixed oxide fuel (MOX) made from weapons-grade plutonium does not meet the criteria proposed by TVA for using such fuel in TVA's aging nuclear reactors and must be rejected," said Sandy Kurtz, a Chattanooga resident who is a cofounder of Bellefonte Efficiency & Sustainability Team/Mothers Against Tennessee River Radiation (BEST/MATRR). "We encourage citizens concerned about the safety problems posed by MOX use and the associated financial risks its use will cause to attend the environmental meetings and express their views."
Notice of Availability of the Draft Surplus Plutonium Disposition Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement NNSA Federal Register Notice July 27, 2012
SUMMARY: The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of the Draft Surplus Plutonium Disposition Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SPD Supplemental EIS; DOE/EIS-0283-S2) for public comment. DOE also is announcing the dates, times and locations for public hearings to receive comments on the Draft SPD Supplemental EIS. The Draft SPD Supplemental EIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of alternatives for disposition of 13.1 metric tons (14.4 tons) of surplus plutonium for which DOE has not made a disposition decision, including 7.1 metric tons (7.8 tons) of plutonium from pits that were declared excess to national defense needs. It also updates previous DOE NEPA analyses on plutonium disposition to consider additional options for pit disassembly and conversion, which entails processing plutonium metal components to produce an oxide form of plutonium suitable for disposition, and the use of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel fabricated from surplus plutonium in domestic commercial nuclear power reactors to generate electricity, including five reactors at two specific Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) reactor plants. DOE is not revisiting the decision to fabricate 34 metric tons (MT) (37.5 tons) of surplus plutonium into MOX fuel in the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) (65 FR 1608, January 11, 2000 and 68 FR 20134, April 24, 2003), now under construction at DOE's Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina, and to irradiate the MOX fuel in commercial nuclear reactors used to generate electricity.
TVA is a cooperating agency on this SPD Supplemental EIS. TVA is considering the use of MOX fuel, produced as part of DOE's Surplus Plutonium Disposition Program, in its nuclear power reactors.
DOE IG Report: Y-12 National Security Complex's Waste Diversion Efforts DOE IG July 27, 2012 The Y 12 National Security Complex (Y-12) Pollution Prevention Program (Program) plays a vital role in the Department of Energy's (Department) overall waste diversion efforts. During Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, Y-12 generated over 16,000 metric tons of non-hazardous solid waste, including debris from construction and demolition projects. In short, we found that Y-12 had an established Program to divert materials from the landfill and contributed to the Department's overall waste diversion efforts through recycling and reusing of materials. Specifically, FY 2011 reports prepared by Y-12 management revealed that Y-12 had met the targets of Executive Order 13514 by diverting 58 percent of its construction and demolition debris and 50 percent of its non-hazardous solid waste from the landfill. While the Program had significant accomplishments, we found that Y-12 was facing challenges that may limit Program expansion. In particular, Program officials told us that several complex-wide activities and initiatives remain on hold due to budget reductions. In addition, we found that Y-12's scrap metal recycling had been impacted by the Department's July 2000 suspension on the release of scrap metal from posted radiological areas. In FY 2011, for example, Y-12 had disposed of rather than recycled over 1,800 metric tons of policy-encumbered scrap metal, according to Program officials. The Department has recognized that disposal of scrap metal as waste is contradictory to Departmental waste minimization and pollution prevention efforts, and is currently working to address the matter. Therefore, no formal recommendations were made. DOE appoints seven new members to [Oak Ridge EM] advisory board John Huotari, Oak Ridge Today July 26, 2012 The U.S. Department of Energy recently appointed seven new members to its Oak Ridge Environmental Management advisory board.
The new members fill vacancies on the Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board, a volunteer citizens' panel that provides advice and recommendations to DOE on its environmental cleanup operations on the Oak Ridge Reservation.
The new members include Alfreda Cook, Chris Hepler, Bruce Hicks, Jennifer Kasten, Jan Lyons, Donald Mei, and Scott Stout, a press release said.
"I'm very impressed with the caliber of the new appointees, and I'm confident they will be valuable additions to the current board with their extensive knowledge and experience," said Susan Cange, the board's deputy designated federal officer and acting manager of the DOE Oak Ridge Environmental Management Site Office.
Here is biographical information on the new board members:
Cook is retired from URS-CH2M Oak Ridge, where she worked as a waste performance integration manager until January 2012. During the past 20 years, she has worked with several Oak Ridge companies as a data and systems analyst, computing analyst, and administrative assistant.
Hepler is the mayor of Oliver Springs and is employed by Impact Services Inc., as a radiation safety officer. He also serves on the Oliver Springs City Council, the Oliver Springs Planning Commission, and Roane Alliance, Roane County's economic development organization.
Hicks is the sole proprietor of MetCorps Inc., which provides environmental consulting services to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Human Services. He retired in 2006 from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where he served as director of the Air Resources Laboratory.
Kasten is a retired nuclear/environmental engineer, most recently working at the Tennessee Valley Authority Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant until 2005. Previously, she worked in the University of Tennessee's (UT) Nuclear Engineering Department.
Lyons is retired from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where she worked as an adjunct professor in the Engineering Management, Information, and Systems Department. Previously, she was employed by Lockheed Martin Energy Systems as a staff systems engineer, cost research manager, training instructor, and information technology manager.
Mei is a retired engineer who was employed from 1986 to 2007 by Duke Energy in Charlotte, N.C. During that time, he was the supervising engineer and technical manager in the Radiation Dosimetry and Records Department and the senior engineer/nuclear production engineer in the Radiation Protection Section.
Stout is the assistant director of the Office of Emergency Services for Roane County. He has a Hazmat Specialist Certification from the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
ORSSAB meets the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. at the DOE Information Center at 1 Science.gov Way in Oak Ridge. Meetings of the board and its committees are open to the public, and notices are posted on the board's website at www.oakridge.doe.gov/em/ssab.
For more information on the new board members, see the press release on the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Office website. |
|
