Consent-Based Siting Process
The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) is implementing a consent-based siting process to establish an integrated waste management system to transport, store, and dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. In a consent-based siting approach, DOE will work with communities, tribal governments and states across the country that express interest in hosting any of the facilities identified as part of an integrated waste management system. As part of this process, the Department is hosting a series of public meetings to engage communities and individuals and discuss the development of a consent-based approach to managing our nation's nuclear waste.
DOE in December formally kicked off planning for phased, adaptive, consent-based storage of spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste, which calls for operation of a pilot storage facility by 2021; one or more larger, interim facilities by 2025; and at least one permanent geologic repository by 2048. DOE held its kick-off meeting in Washington, D.C., in January.
 A public meeting was held in Atlanta, GA on April 11, 2016. The purpose of the consent-based siting public meeting was to hear from the public and interested stakeholders on what matters to them as the Department of Energy moves forward in developing a consent-based process for siting the facilities needed to manage spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.
The agenda included a presentation from the Department of Energy's Acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, John Kotek, which described the Department's vision for an integrated waste management system and the need for a consent-based approach to siting. This presentation was followed by a panel session providing diverse perspectives on the primary issues that need to be resolved in the design and implementation of a consent-based process. Panel members included:
* Michael Elliott, Ph.D., Associate Director Georgia Institute of Technology's Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development
* Mindy Goldstein, Director of the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at Emory University School of Law
* Lauren "Bubba" McDonald, Jr., Georgia Public Service Commission
* Rick McLeod, Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization
Rick McLeod of the Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization voiced the need for research and demonstration (R&D). As the Governor of SC has expressed, there is very little interest in hosting solely an interim storage site. There are already two sites that have expressed interest in just the interim storage portion. However, there are facilities and resources at SRS that the other two sites do not have when it comes to R&D. But, DOE needs to have a functional disposition plan if SC is going to accept additional nuclear materials for R&D, and if the SRS region plans to act as host of such R&D efforts.
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Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) 
A major anniversary within the DOE complex passed last month with very little fanfare. Last month marked the 20th anniversary of turning high-level liquid radioactive waste into more safely storable glass tubes at the SRS Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). DWPF is a vitrification plant that mixes liquid waste with molten glass and is the largest radioactive waste glassification plant in the nation. It started piping in waste on March 12, 1996, and poured the first canister of radioactive glass on April 29 of that year. By the end of last year (2015), DWPF had poured out 4,000 canisters of glassified waste
 Scientists have long considered this glassification process, called "vitrification," as the preferred option for treating liquid nuclear waste. By immobilizing the radioactivity in glass, the DWPF reduces the risks associated with the continued storage of liquid nuclear waste at SRS and prepares the waste for final disposal in a federal repository. About 38 million gallons of liquid nuclear wastes are now stored in 49 underground carbon-steel tanks at SRS. This waste has about 300 million curies of radioactivity, of which the vast majority will be vitrified at DWPF.
Actual construction of DWPF began in 1983, and it was completed at a capital cost of $1.276 billion and start-up operating costs that reached $1.2 billion. . Savannah River Remediation (SRR) operates DWPF, as well as other liquid waste facilities at SRS, as part of its contract with DOE. Operations are expected to continue at DWPF for approximately 20 more years and about 4,000 more canisters are scheduled to be produced.
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SRS Liquid Waste Contract Re-bid
As discussed above, the current Liquid Waste services contract at SRS is held by Savannah River Remediation, LLC but it expires on June 30, 2017. DOE is currently in the acquisition planning stage for the liquid waste requirement at the Savannah River Site (SRS). Savannah River Remediation has held the liquid waste contract since 2009. The contractor is composed of a team of companies led by AECOM with partners Bechtel National, CH2M and BWX Technologies Inc. Critical subcontractors for the contract are AREVA, EnergySolutions and URS Professional Solutions.
The liquid waste services include but are not limited to: operations of existing radioactive liquid waste facilities for storage, treatment, stabilization, and disposal of waste; waste removal from tanks and tank closures; construction of additional saltstone disposal units; operation of the Salt Waste Processing Facility after facility commissioning, startup, and one year of operation; and liquid waste program and regulatory support. The new contract will begin when the Notice to Proceed is issued, and continue through March 31, 2024 for the base period of the contract performance. The option period of performance would continue through March 31, 2027, if exercised.
The Draft Request for Proposal (RFP) has been posted to the website
https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/SEB/SRSLiquidWaste/ for review and comment. DOE is seeking interested parties (organizations and the public) to thoroughly review the Draft RFP and provide comments, questions, suggested changes, and feedback by April 29, 2016.
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2016 Summer Workshops
for Teachers
Southeastern Summer Nuclear Institute
What
: SSNI will feature nuclear science fundamentals, information about career pathways,and tours of:
* Vogtle nuclear energy facility in Burke County, GA including control room visits, simulator exercises, meetings with nuclear power reactor personnel.
* Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, SC including radioactive waste management facilities and the Savannah River National Laboratory.
* Augusta University overview of nuclear medicine facilities and procedures.
When: June 15-16
Where
: USC Aiken
Who
: Middle and high school teachers from Georgia, South Carolina and other states with interest in nuclear technology applications and promoting student interest in STEM related careers are invited to attend.
Purpose: To promote nuclear education and workforce development in the southeast.
Free housing, meals and materials are included!
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2016 TREAT Workshop
25 spaces available
What
:
Teaching Radiation Energy and Technology (TREAT) Workshop sponsored by the Department of Energy, Savannah River Operations Office (SRS), Aiken, SC
When: July 13-15
Where
: USC Aiken
Who
: The workshop is geared for middle school/high school science and math teachers, but other teachers may apply.
Purpose
: Information sharing on environmental radiation, emergency preparedness, community development and fundamentals of grant writing - and more.
Attendees receive a stipend for attending the workshop.
RCNET Summer Institute
What
: 3-day professional development course designed to introduce emerging technologies into your nuclear and STEM curriculum, share best practices in student success, and provide guidance on program expansion and sustainability.
When/Where
: June 9-11 in Asheville, NC or August 1-3 in
Idaho Falls, ID
Who: Secondary and post-secondary STEM and CTE educators, college faculty, guidance counselors, career coaches, and industry SMEs.
Apply online by May 2. To learn more and apply for a stipend, go to
http://bit.ly/1RPsOHo or visit the RCNET website at
GoNuke.org. Spaces are limited and you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Contact RCNET Center Director Jo Ann Balsamo at
[email protected]
or at 772-462-7172.
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DWPF
Fun Facts
1. DWPF contains 71,000 cubic yards of concrete and 10,500 tons of reinforcing steel. The 10-foot-thick concrete foundation mat is reinforced by 2ΒΌ-inch diameter reinforcing steel.
2. DWPF has poured 4,032 (as of March 9) of more than 8,000 total expected canisters.
3. DWPF has removed approximately 58.6 million curies of measure of radioactivity from the liquid waste at SRS.
4. DWPF has poured nearly 16 million pounds of molten glass since 1996.
5. DWPF has seen only two different melters in its lifetime. Melter 2 has poured more than 10 million pounds of glass and is still safely and efficiently operating, exceeding design life by more than 10 years.
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