The Defense Nuclear Safety Board staff says some seismic monitoring equipment at the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is out of service and DOE’s prime contractor plans to replace the gear later this year.
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) seismic equipment on the surface “has failed and is unable to perform its functional requirements, including alarming and collecting ground acceleration data” that help workers know when facilities should be inspected, according to a Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) report dated Feb. 2 and posted last week.
“Site personnel determined that data from nearby U.S. Geological Survey monitoring stations do not adequately describe the impact of seismic activity at WIPP and are considering near-term compensatory measures,” according to the report.
“We’ve determined that the monitoring system has reached its end of operability lifespan and is planned to be replaced later this year,” a DOE spokesperson said by email Wednesday. In the meantime, WIPP is using data from nearby U.S. Geological Survey monitoring stations to provide indications of seismic activity in the region, the spokesperson added.
WIPP has been offline and not receiving shipments of transuranic waste during February while maintenance chores are being carried out, DOE has said.
