ML20151S773

Forwards Rept,Prepared in Response to Requirement in House Rept 97-177,summarizing Status,Progress & Expenditures of West Valley Demonstration Project for Quarter Ending 871231

ML20151S773
Person / Time
Site:	West Valley Demonstration Project
Issue date:	04/05/1988
From:	Bunch D ENERGY, DEPT. OF
To:	Roe R HOUSE OF REP., SCIENCE, SPACE & TECHNOLOGY (FORMERLY
References
REF-PROJ-M-32 24281, 29246, NUDOCS 8804280454
Download: ML20151S773 (8)

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Washington, DC 20585 5 6, RECENED h 5 888 h[ APh21198

~ u,s.nucuAn atcuxo y Honorable Robert A. Roe ***

Chairman, Committee on Science, Space and Technology

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House of Representatives 6-8 Washington, D.C. 20515 4 uw"37%

Dear Mr. Chairman:

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Public Law 96-368, the West Valley Demonstration Act of 1980, authorize the Department of Energy to carry out a high-level liquid nuclear waste management demonstration project at the Western New York Nuclear Service Center near West Valley, New York. The primary pur ose of this project is to demonstrate solidification and preparation of hi h-level radioactive waste for disposal in a federal repository. The fo lowing report, prepared in respcnse to a recuirement in House Report 97-177, summarizes the status, progress, and expencitures of the West Valley Demonstration Project for the i quarter ending December 31, 1987.

l During the October - December quarter,' the first of four 50-foot mobilization pumps was installed into spare waste tank 8D-1 in support of the process for treating the high-level waste. The design and testing of the solidification facility continued in support of a 1992 start for radioactive operations. Drop testing of the West Valley glass canisters

! was completed at the Pacifi: Northwest Laboratories, and all tests of the l canisters have proven to be successful. The emphasis on the Radwaste l Treatment System startup continued with the processing of 130.000 gallons i of simulated supernate through the Supernate Treatment System.

The dismantling and decontamination of seven vessels from the former Extraction Chemical Room, using the new Contact Size Reduction Facility, worked off part of the backlog of contaminated items now being stored.

! A total rebaselining of the Project was completed by the operating l

contractor. The estimate is under evaluation by the Department.

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2 Should you have any additional questions or require additional information concerning this report, please contact B. Kingsley on 586-2764.

Sincerely, Original signed by Delbert F. Bunch Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Enclosure cc:

Honorable Manuel Lujan, Jr.

Ranking Minority Member bec:

J. P. Hamric, ID T. DeBoer, NYSERDA

- Tv Clark, NRC W. Bixby, WVP0 t

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS WEST VALLEY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR THE QUARTER ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1987 In the preceding quarter, the eleventh test run of the nonradioactive vitrification system was completed. Checking end testing were completed for the supernate treatment system. A batch of simulated supernate was srocessed in the Liquid Waste Treatment Systen. The project received Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval for several new atmospheric discharge points. Construction of the low-level solidified waste storage cell was completed. Decontamination of the main ventilation duct significantly reduced the dose rate to employees working in that area. The annual project Open House attracted over 2,000 people and was favorably reviewed by several local radio and television stations.

During the October - December cuarter, the first 50-foot Zeolite mobilization pump was installec into the spare waste tank 8D-1. This pump, the first of four to be installed, will be used to distribute the cesium-loaded Zeolite in the bottom of the tank during the radioactive operation of the supernate treatment system and to transfer the Zeolite from tank 8D-1 just prior to vitrification.

The completed supernate treatment system, during an integrated test, ran for 360 consecutive hours without interruption or malfunction of any major system component. Over 130,000 gallons of diluted simulated supernate were processed through the system, which operated essentially at 100 percent productivity rate. The volume of supernate treated by one column load surpassed the criginal predicted system capacity. The ion exchange material from the column was successfully transferred into tank 80-1.

I Also, replacement supernate feed and sluice / lift water pumps were irstalled and approved for system use. These pumps were replaced due to 4 previous l pump malfunction.

l l The concentrator feed makeup tank, which will be used to concentrate the glass feed mixture in the vitrification facility, has successfully completed performance testing at the fabricator's shop.

Another nonradioactive melter run was completed as planned. The vitrification system, operating at 100 percent on-line efficiency converted over 3,300 liters of slurry feed into 1,040 kilograms of glass at a rate of 93 liters / hour.

To conf 9m that the canister which will contain the West Valley Demonst: 4 tion Project (WVDP) high level waste glass is able to be safely transported to a federal re)ository, a series of drop tests were carried out by Pacific Northwest La) oratories. All five canisters, dropped from 7 meters, successfully survived the structural integrity tests and passed I the subsequent leak measurement tests.

1 Project low-level liquid waste is to be solidified in cement.

Modifications to the cement solidificatioi system were completed last quarter. Integrated check out testing of the system using simulated supernate identified several areas, both mecaanical and chemical, which wiil require further engineering. At this time, the difficulties appear capable of resolution.

The final decontamination of the Equipment Decontamination Room (EDR) is nearing completion. The vacuuming of the door slot and scarification of the east side floor were completed. In order to reduce the dose rate in

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the EDR, further decontamination of the cement is in progress. An air 1 hammer will be used to remove the top 2 inches of concrete from the floor.  !

Also, the concrete cutter, used to cut a doorway in the EDR wall, has been l reassembled for training and a series of test cuts.

The Supercompactor, which compresses 55-gallon drums that contain low-level l waste, began operations in October. Several mechanical problems were experienced and corrected. Operations schedules were not significantly impacted. To date, 822 drums have been compressed and packaged.

As a result of the agreement with two groups regarding the mode of storage for low-level waste, a low-level waste storage tent has been erected.

Storage tents will be used until an Environmental Impact Statetent for Phase II is completed. A project interface board has been set up to meet with the local groups to resolve ongoing issues at the site.

The Contact Size Reduction Facility was approved for radioactive operation.

'Seven tanks from the former Extraction Chemical Room were successfully cut up. Several pieces from these tanks received further decontamination and cleaning using an abrasive wash.

A comprehensive Total Project Cost Estimate (TPCE) was completed during the past quarter. This effort, entailing full integration of scope, schedule, and budget, delineated remaining work and resources needed to complete Phase I of the Project.

The basis for a revised TPCE is now being reviewed by the Department. This new estimate indicates an increase of approximately $300 million in total cost for the solidification phase of the Project and a 3-year extension in Project schedule. The increase is attributed to a combination of factors:

an increase in the estimated cost for the solidification facility which reflects botter understanding and experience with the existing full-scale melter; schedule extensions due to reduced funding profiles at the time when facility costs were rising; expanded Project scope reflective of operational experience, new Department of Energy (D0E) orders and new regulatory requirements; and higher than planned costs for the systems completed in FY 1987.

As part of the upgrade of the WVDP Emergency Operations Center, sets of emergency maps identifying site neighbors have been developed and a room has been officially designated for the Emergency Operations Center use only.

For the final quarter of calendar year 1987, West Valley Nuclear Services (WVNS) estimated that 20.064 person-rem of radiation exposure would be in:urred in carrying out the work plan. The actual radiation ex30sure received was 7.728 person-rem ( 9 percent of estimated). The WViS As low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA program projected 98.3 person-rem of radiation for calendar year 198 ; actual exposure received by WVNS personnel was 71.607 person-rem (73 percent of projected).

Table 1 provides a financial summary of DOE allocations and costs through this report period. Operating contractor personnel reached 439 in December 1987, down from 473 at the end of last quarter.

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3 Table 1 FINANCIAL REPORT ON THE WEST VALLEY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR QUARTER ENDING DECEM8ER 31, 1987 (Dollars in Millions)

Cumulative Cost Cumulative Costs Through First Quarter Costs Through Sept. 30, 1987 FY 1988 Dec. 31, 1987 Operating Expenses $246.3 $10.9 $257.2 Capital Equipment 1.2 0 1.2 General Plant Projects 1.5 0 1.5 Total $249.0 $10.9 $259.9 l

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( Addressee Address List Copy List

1. Honorable Robert A. Roe cc:

Chairman, Comittee on Science, Honorable Manuel Lujan, Jr.

Space and Technology Ranking Minority Member House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515

2. Honorable Morris K. Udall cc:

Chairman, Comittee on Interior Honorable Don Young and Insular Affairs Ranking Minority Member House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515

3. Honorable Philip Sharp cc:

Chairman Honorable Carlos J. Moorhead Subcomittee on Energy and Power Ranking Minority Men.ber Comittee on Energy and Comerce House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515

4. Honorable Tom Bevill cc:

Chairman, Subcomittee on Energy Honorable John T. Myers and Water Development Ranking Minority Member Comittee on Appropriations House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515

5. Honorable J. Bennett Johnston ec:

Chairman, Comittee on Energy Honorable James A. McClure and Natural Resources Ranking Minority Member United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510

6. Honorable J. Bennett Johnston cc:

Chairman, Subcomittee en Energy Honorable Mark 0. Hatfield and Water Development Ranking Minority Member Comittee on Appropriations United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510

7. Honorable Daniel P. Moynihan N/A United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510

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8. Honorable Alfonse D' Amato N/A United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510

9. Honorable Jack Kemp N/A House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515

10. Honorable Amo Houghton, Jr. N/A House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 1

11. Ms. Heile Miller N/A Office of Management and Budget New Executive Office Building Washington, D.C. 20503 9

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