SRS Manager Moody: DOE Discussing Alternative Savannah River Tank Closure Plan

The Department of Energy is discussing an alternative approach with regulators for Savannah River Site tank closure that would involve emptying an entire tank farm before grouting begins, DOE Savannah River Operations Office Manager David Moody said yesterday in an exit interview with WC Monitor. The current agreement with regulators has milestone dates for closing and grouting the Savannah River tanks in small groups before focusing on the next tanks. But the site is now slated to miss many of those milestones, and has considered other options to reduce tank waste risks. “We’ve discussed with them some of the advantages of that approach, and again as we’ve discussed efficiencies,” Moody said. “If one would envision emptying the whole tank farm before starting the grout, and instead of trucking the grout having a grout plant right there, we could have a substantial savings in time and money for not having to truck grout from a nearby grout plant.”