The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board last week raised issues with the safety basis with an evaporator at Hanford’s tank farms. In a March review, the DNFSB found several concerns with the safety basis 242-A Evaporator, which is used to concentrate liquid tank waste at Hanford. “Specifically, a number of identified hazards are not properly addressed and several safety-significant controls do not comply with applicable DOE directives,” states a June 18 letter from the Board to the DNFSB. “DOE has begun to address some of the identified inadequacies with the safety control set, but the remaining safety issues require additional action. Given the anticipated need to operate this fac ility for an extended period of time, it is important to develop a compliant safety basis in a timely manner.”
DNFSB Raises Issues With Hanford Evaporator Safety Basis
The DNFSB identified specific issues in an accompanying staff report posted here. It asked DOE to within 90 days identify compensatory measures for a safety-significant steam isolation valve until it is either replaced or qualified for its safety function. It also asks for a DOE plan to remediate deficiencies in a safety control set, as well as actions for the next annual update to the evaporator’s documented safety analysis.
House Energy panel plans to look at DOE’s Nuclear Lifecycle centers
The House Energy and Commerce Committee’’s Energy subcommittee plans a Tuesday hearing on the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses that would co-locate fuel cycle activities with advanced nuclear energy projects. Announced Sept. 8, the hearing, titled: “Nuclear Spent Fuel Policy: Examining Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses”, will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. Eastern […]