The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Environmental Management Office will increase oversight of the Transuranic Waste Processing Center during the transition to a new contractor, according to a Feb. 13 Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board site rep report. DOE Oak Ridge sent a letter in February to incumbent contractor Wastren Advantage, Inc., stating it will be implementing an “enhanced oversight plan” at TWPC. “The plan will provide a structured approach to increase oversight at TWPC due to the impending contract transition,” the DNFSB staff report. “The increased oversight will be accomplished by assigning additional facility representatives, establishing a minimum field oversight presence for safety and health oversight personnel, and maintaining enhanced awareness of TWPC activities by OREM’s subject matter experts and safety system oversight personnel.”
The TWPC is used to prepare contact- and remote-handled transuranic waste at Oak Ridge for off-site disposal. DOE is currently evaluating bids for the new contract to run TWPC, and has extended WAI’s contract for the facility through July 15. DOE’s enhanced oversight plan will remain in effect until July “but may be modified if the date of transition changes,” according to the DNFSB plan.