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Monday, April 24, 2006

DOE-Idaho Operations Summary - April 24, 2006
By @ 2:42 PM :: 1477 Views :: 0 Comments :: INL Incident Reports

DOE-Idaho Operations Summary
Issued April 24, 2006
DOE-Idaho Bi-Weekly Operations Summary
For the Period of April 3-17, 2006

Environmental Management

Summary of Occurrence Reports

(Note: Date below indicates when notification was made of the incident)

April 13: Based on information received about a drum fire incident that occurred in November 2005 at another DOE-Idaho facility, the contractor at the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project is looking into whether similar conditions exist at the AMWTP. In the 2005 incident, depleted uranium, which is a pyrophoric material (ignites when it comes into contact with air), was identified as the ignition source for the drum fire. AMWTP has restricted waste retrieval activities in areas where waste is known to contain depleted uranium. (EM-ID-AMWTF-2006-0011)

April 13: While conducting an inspection of a ventilation system at Test Area North Building 603, inspectors found a number of suspect mounting bolts and fasteners on a motor and air compressor. The compressor was taken out of service pending an engineering evaluation.
(EM-ID-CWI-TAN-2006-2002)

Operational Status

Waste Shipments: Through April 8, the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project has shipped a total of 6,666 cubic meters of transuranic waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico for disposal. Another 3,100 cubic meters of waste was shipped before AMWTP start-up, bringing the total volume of waste shipped from Idaho to WIPP to 9,766 cubic meters. Meanwhile, INL became the first DOE site in 15 years to ship mixed low-level waste to the Nevada Test Site (NTS) for disposal. The Idaho shipment (9.7 cubic meters) of mixed low-level waste was received at the NTS on April 11. Spent Nuclear Fuel Transfers: The Idaho cleanup contractor resumed transfers of spent
nuclear fuel from wet to dry storage on April 11, with six spent fuel transfers. That brings the total number of transfers to 50 for this fiscal year. DOE is committed to moving all of its spent nuclear fuel stored at its Idaho site from wet to dry storage by 2023.

Nuclear Energy

Summary of Occurrence Reports

April 3: A researcher was in the process of putting an analyzer in service in preparation to begin an experiment when he experienced what he thought was an electrical shock. A technician inspected the analyzer case for voltage and found about 52 volts between it and ground. Qualified electricians have since determined that a plug on a voltage splitter (replaced several years ago) was improperly wired. (NE-ID--BEA-INLLABS-2006-0002)

April 7: A Reactor Technology Center (RTC) cafeteria maintenance worker was performing maintenance on the cafeteria grill hoods. This work was being performed in the attic of the RTC cafeteria. While carrying some ductwork in the attic, the worker inadvertently stepped off a plywood catwalk and partially broke through the Sheetrock
ceiling. The worker did not fall through the ceiling and was not injured.
(NE-ID--BEA- RTC-2006-0001)

Operational Status

Energy Options: INL issued and presented “Idaho Energy Options,” a report requested by the Idaho Legislature’s House Environment, Energy and Technology Committee. The report is an introduction to and an update on the status of technologies for the generation and use of energy. It identifies and evaluates the various technologies available to Idaho as the state develops its energy direction and policies.

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