PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON THE 105-K EAST REACTOR DECOMMISSIONING ENGINEERING EVALUATION/COST ANALYSIS. 

The Tri-Party Agreement (TPA) Agencies – the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Washington State Department of Ecology – are seeking public comment on an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) that evaluates alternatives for demolishing the 105-K East Reactor at the Hanford Site.   A 30-day public comment period runs from October 18 through November 17, 2010.  The TPA agencies would like feedback on the alternatives and the recommended approach and will consider all comments before issuing an Action Memorandum.

The 105-K East Reactor is located in Hanford’s 100 Area. The reactor was built in 1952 and operations stopped in 1971.  A decision was made in the 1993 Record of Decision for Decommissioning of Eight Surplus Production Reactors at the Hanford Site, Richland, WA to place Hanford’s eight reactors in interim safe storage for up to 75 years. Following interim storage, each of the reactors would be removed in one piece.  With this EE/CA, the agencies want to broaden a previously selected decommissioning approach to include dismantling the reactor on an accelerated schedule and removing and disposing of it by 2014. This would reduce the potential threat to the Columbia River (located 400 yards away) and groundwater by allowing workers access  to clean up radioactive and hazardous contaminants in the soils adjacent to and possibly underneath the reactor building.

This EE/CA evaluated four alternatives for removing the reactor:

Alternative 1: No Action
Alternative 2: Safe Storage Followed by One-Piece Removal
Alternative 3: Safe Storage Followed by  Dismantlement
Alternative 4: Accelerated Dismantlement

Alternative 4 is preferred because it minimizes short-and long-term risk for workers, the public, and the environment. It is protective of human health and the environment and can be implemented through use of new, proven technology. Besides meeting EPA removal action criteria, this alternative allows cleanup actions that can’t be completed at nearby soil remediation sites while the reactor structure remains because of structural stability issues

Comments should be submitted by November 17 to:   Paula Call, U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, P.O. Box 550, A7-75, Richland. WA 99352, Email: 105KE.EECA@rl.gov

Fact Sheet

Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis for 105-KE Reactor Decommissioning