From safely moving fuel to dismantling key components and using the latest innovative radioactive waste storage equipment, decommissioning activities at Pilgrim and Oyster Creek are moving forward with utmost safety and precision.
“Anyone who has ever visited Oyster Creek or Pilgrim before decommissioning began would now see significant progress,” said Pam Cowan, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Holtec Decommissioning International. “Inside the buildings and throughout the site, the look of these facilities changes every week. Every day, we get a little closer to the time that these properties can be released and made available for future development.”
Pilgrim Moves Used Fuel to its ISFSI
The Pilgrim cask loading team recently successfully completed a three month campaign to move 748 used fuel assemblies from the used fuel pool in the Reactor Building to the on-site Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). Theseassemblies are securely stored in 11 HI-STORM 100 Systems.
Buildings Come Down, Characterization Moves Up at Pilgrim
Two other key activities this summer include demolition of the first buildings and site characterization.
Work is now directed at removal of auxiliary buildings within the site’s Protected Area. This will begin to change the actual face of Pilgrim within its fence line.
An important activity in decommissioning is site characterization – a detailed analysis of the entire ground level of the plant property to determine areas of potential contamination and the scope of any cleanup needed.
So far, the Site Characterization Team has obtained and reviewed historical data and is now readying for the onsite portion of the work. In July, Radiation Protection Manager Mark Lawson explained the process to the Massachusetts NDCAP.
The presentation can be viewed at the link below, with the update beginning at the 10:00 minute mark: NDCAP Video.
Holtec’s High Capacity B/C Waste Containers are in Use at Oyster Creek
When components in Oyster Creek’s Nuclear Steam Supply System are segmented and readied for removal, they must be placed in secure, safe containers that will be transported to a low-level waste disposal area. Thanks to Holtec’s innovation and expertise, newly designed high capacity HI-STAR 330 Class B/C waste containers are the perfect solution for storing the station’s segmented steam separator assembly.
Oyster Creek is the first in the industry to use this pioneering waste container and the results have been 100 percent successful!
“This is a huge milestone for us as it is the culmination of over a year of development, manufacturing, dose analysis and logistics by the Holtec/CDI team,” Jeff Dostal, Oyster Creek Site Vice President explained. “The high capacity containers were designed by team members from engineering, manufacturing, and segmentation groups to ensure that waste loading is carried out safely and efficiently.”
Approximately 16 containers will be required to house the separator and another 15 to 20 for the lower reactor internals. Due to its large size and shielding capability, HI-STAR 330 Class B/C waste containers provide a greatly expanded capacity, requiring fewer total containers while improving the ability to safely handle and store waste. This innovation will benefit other facilities, not only those undergoing decommissioning and dismantlement but also operating sites.
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