Department ‘Hopes’ Actual Waste Processing Can Begin Sooner
Mike Nartker
WC Monitor
4/3/2015
The Idaho Integrated Waste Treatment Unit (IWTU), key to addressing the remaining liquid waste at the Department of Energy’s Idaho site, is now expected to begin full operations by the fall of 2016 under a schedule DOE reached with Idaho environmental regulators last week. The new schedule, which outlines how DOE plans to cease using the remaining active liquid waste tanks at the Idaho site by the end of 2018, was developed as part of an agreement reached with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to resolve violations issued against DOE for missing a previous commitment to have the waste tanks emptied by the end of 2014. Under the new schedule, DOE would initiate waste treatment at the IWTU by Sept. 30, 2016; have 30 percent of the waste treated by Sept. 30, 2017; and 70 percent of the waste treated by June 30, 2018, with the four remaining waste tanks at the Idaho site removed from service by Dec. 31, 2018.
IDEQ Hazardous Waste Compliance Manager Natalie Clough told WC Monitor this week that because of the “negotiated nature” of the new schedule and the progress of the start-up testing for the IWTU to date, Idaho regulators have “a much greater degree of confidence in DOE’s ability to meet the new deadlines.” She added, “We believe the schedule affords them adequate time to treat the waste safely and in compliance with environmental requirements.”
However, DOE’s newest projected operational date for the IWTU, which has experienced numerous challenges during the start-up process, appears to represent a significant delay from the Department’s previous expectations. In an interview with WC Monitor in January, Jack Zimmerman, Deputy Manager for the Idaho Cleanup Project at DOE’s Idaho Operations Office, said he expected the facility to begin processing actual waste sometime this year. DOE “hopes” to be able to start actual waste processing at the IWTU ahead of the agreed-upon schedule, Danielle Miller, a spokeswoman for the DOE Idaho Operations Office, said late this week. “The Department remains committed to the commission and safe operation of IWTU. In protection of the public, workers, and the environment it is prudent that start-up operations be performed in a disciplined fashion,” Miller said in a written response.
Latest Facility Outage to Take Additional Time to Complete
The IWTU is intended to treat approximately 900,000 gallons of liquid waste that remains at the Idaho site through a steam reforming process for disposal and to allow for closure of the site’s remaining waste tanks. DOE previously committed to the state of Idaho to have the waste processed by the end of 2012, but in the summer of that year, startup of the IWTU facility was significantly disrupted by what has been described as a “pressure event” that occurred when the facility’s filters became clogged with carbon material during efforts to get it up to its operating temperature. Since then, DOE and contractor CH2M-WG Idaho have been working at another attempt to start up the facility.
In January, start-up of the IWTU reached a significant milestone with the completion of the first round of testing using a waste simulant. Following the completion of the initial simulant test, the facility entered into an outage period to conduct maintenance, modify equipment as necessary, and inspect the effectiveness of previous equipment upgrades. While the outage was expected to be completed in mid-April, additional time is needed because of the discovery of “unexpected equipment conditions,” DOE Idaho Operations Office spokeswoman Danielle Miller said last week. “During equipment inspection a few unexpected equipment conditions requiring correction were identified. This unexpected scope requires an extension of the outage to correct the conditions. Once the outage is completed, simulant runs will be conducted to ensure safe operational conditions,” she said in a written response.
DOE now expects to complete the outage in May, according to Miller. “The facility is currently being modified to improve operational performance in preparation for the next simulant run. This work has taken additional time to accommodate vendor reviews and updates to facility engineering, safety and operational documentation,” she said this week.
No Talk, Yet, of IWTU Not Being ‘Feasible’ to Operate
The settlement DOE reached with Idaho regulators to resolve delays in emptying the remaining active Idaho waste tanks also calls for a $2 million penalty if DOE ultimately determines that operation of the IWTU is “not feasible.” DOE officials largely declined to comment when asked during this year’s Waste Management conference, held in Phoenix in March, about that possibility. IDEQ’s Clough said this week, though, that there has not yet been talk of shutting the project down. “While there are known issues requiring resolution and additional issues may arise during further testing and operation, there has not been talk of terminating the IWTU at this time,” she said.
Clough also said, “All potential outcomes were considered when negotiating the agreement and schedule. Based on available information from DOE at this time, DEQ is proceeding under the assumption the IWTU will operate. … DOE has an obligation to meet state and federal requirements for treating the waste and closing the tanks. If they fail to do so, we will use our enforcement authorities to seek remedy as provided in the agreement.”
