CX-019464: Advanced Test Reactor Canal Remote Handled Low Level Waste Cleanup Project

The Advanced Test Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory is a light-water moderated and cooled reactor designed for testing advanced nuclear fuel systems and materials. Advanced Test Reactor supplies adjustable high neutron flux environments for irradiating experiments. A water-filled canal is located adjacent to the Advanced Test Reactor, and Idaho National Laboratory uses the canal to handle casks, prepare test objects, perform gamma experiments, and store waste generated from reactor operations. The Advanced Test Reactor mission requires canal storage space for spent fuel and core internal changeout components. Waste items stored in the Advanced Test Reactor canal include reactor core components, waste components from irradiation test experiments, and general canal debris (e.g., filters, hoses, tools, equipment, etc.). Some remote-handled waste items have been in canal storage since the first Advanced Test Reactor core internal changeout conducted in the 1970’s. Highly irradiated metals generated during experiments or core internal changeout operations makes up a large portion of waste stored in the canal. Idaho National Laboratory needs to develop a process for sizing, characterizing, packaging, and removing current and future irradiated hardware from the Advanced Test Reactor canal to optimize use of space. The proposed action develops and implements a method for addressing the accumulation of RH waste in the canal. The project develops the tools, equipment, and processes to package and remove RH low-level waste from the canal and transport loaded waste containers to the Idaho National Laboratory RH low-level waste Disposal Facility for disposition. The proposed action targets RH low-level waste currently staged in the canal.