ML20040D082
| ML20040D082 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Lynchburg Research Center |
| Issue date: | 01/11/1982 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20040D079 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8201300109 | |
| Download: ML20040D082 (32) | |
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4 UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION h
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
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C ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT APPRAISAL
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SUPPORTING ORDER AUTHORIZING DISMANTLING OF FACILITY AND DISPOSITION OF COMPONENT PARTS BABC0CK AND WILCOX COMPANY DOCKET NO. 50-99 Introduction By application dated July 23, 1981 as supplemented September 23, October 16, and November 23, 1981, Babcock and Wilcox Company (B&W) requested authoriz-ation to dismantle the Lynchburg Pool Reactor Facility (LPR) and to dispose of its component parts in accordance with a proposed dismantling plan. This evaluation deals with those features and characteristics of reactor dismantling parts which may affect the environment.
Discussion The LPR is a 1.0 megawatt "swinsing pool" type reactor. Section 2.0 of the concurrently issued Safety Evaluation (SE) describes the LPR and the dis-mantling activities in detail.
Environmental Considerations Radioactive waste material produced during dismantling, such.as resins, reactor components, concrete chips, paper towels, gloves and wipes, will be disposed of at an authori7ed radioactive waste burial site. All reactor fuel has been removed and shipped to the Department of Energy's (DOE's)
Savann3h River Plant for reprocessing. Radioactive sources, such as the startup source, will be transferred to other parts of the Lynchburg Re-i search Center for eventual use, or for storage until disposal in a licensed burial ground. These transferred sources will be licansed under the Center's Special Nuclear materials License No. SNM-778.
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_2-All structures on the site will be left standing with very little change with exception of the nonradioactive redwood cooling tower which will be-removed.
Radioactiv'e material will be removed from the reactor structure and building in order to meet the criteria specified in the dismantling plan for unrestricted access.
If, however, B&W is unable to obtain those levels with reasonable effort, they will request that the residual activity, after dismantiment, be included in the Research Center's Special Nuclear Materials License, SNM-778.
If B&W chooses to request that residual radioactive material be transferred to SNM-778, we will require that such radioactivity be described as to the. isotopes involved, the curie quantity of each isotope and the depth of penetration of radio-activity in the structures. We will also require that the B&W decommiss-ioning plan for the SNM-778 license of December 1978 be modified to include the above information about residual activity from the LPR and a plan for -
its eventual removal. We have informed B&W of these requirements and will terminate. the LPR License No. R-47 if.they are satisfactorily accomplished.
Either alternative for dismantling is adequate in that, if all radioactive material is removed to levels acceptable for unrestricted access, the hazard and the potential environmental effect is removed. Conversly, if the residual activity is left in place after dismantling, it will remain under strict reg-ulatory control under License No. SNM-778, and its ultimate disposition will be stated in the Research Center's decommissioning plan.
If concrete is removed from the LPR pool during dismantling operations, some radioacive particles may be produced. B&W will put a canopy over the pool if concrete is to be chipped in the pool. Air into and out of the canopy will be filtered to removed all signficiant airborne radioactivity. Workers removing concrete will use supplied air or portable breathing apparatus.
All radioactivity contaminated and activated material and scrap will be placed in Department of Transportation (DOT) approved shipping containers and transported in accordance with NRC and DOT regulations to a licensed radioactive waste burial site for disposal.
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Alternatives to Dismantling the LPR The LPR has been shutdown because B&W determined there was no economic justification for its continued operation. Removal of radioactive material, in the dismantling process, will allow the reactor building space to be used in the Research Center's other activities related to the SNM-778 license.
The alternative, not dismantling, would restrict future use of the reactor space. The only major structure that will be removed is the nonradioactive redwood cooling tower. The cooling tower has no further use and its removal will eliminate a fire hazard at the Research Center.
Cost and Benefits B&W estimates the cost of dismantling the facility and the disposal of its components is approximately $125,000. The reactor space cannot be easily used for other activities at the Center if dismantling is not accomplished. Dismantling therefore provides the benefit of putting the reactor building space back into use.
Long-Term Effects of Dismantling Following dismantlement, the LPR building can be put to use in other pro-grams at the Research Center. The reactor fuel will be reprocessed at the DOE Savannah River Plant and will, therefore, be returned to use in other DOE reactors. Nonradioactive components will be put into use at the Research Center for other projects or~ disposed of as scrap. Radioactive sources and reactor parts will be disposad of in an authorized burial ground or retained for use under the SNM-778 license.
Conclusion We conclude that there will be no significant environmental impact associated with the dismantling of the LPR facility and the disposal of its component parts, and that no environmental impact statement is required to be written.
Dated: JAN 11 1982 e
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