The Nuclear Regulatory Commission wants more details on how waste generated by the Energy Department's mixed oxide fuel facility will be managed.
Until more information can be gathered and evaluated, a hearing to discuss environmental groups' concerns over the waste stream will be postponed -- possibly until 2010 or later, according to a letter dated Monday from commission staff to the Atomic Safety & Licensing Board.
The $4.86 billion MOX plant under construction at Savannah River Site will dispose of plutonium from dismantled warheads by blending it with other materials to make fuel for commercial nuclear reactors.
Because commercial power plants would use the fuels, the MOX plant will require an NRC license.
In 2007, environmental groups led by Nuclear Watch South requested a hearing on the absence of MOX waste plans in Shaw AREVA MOX Services' application to possess plutonium and operate a plutonium fuel factory at the former nuclear weapons complex in South Carolina.
Energy Department officials note that a $345 million "waste solidification building" is being built nearby to process MOX wastes, which eventually will be sent to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico.
The environmental groups' concern, however, is whether the MOX plant has adequate programs in place to safely store the waste until it is moved to the adjacent building for processing.
Questions also were raised over what sort of contingency is available if a disruption shuts down the waste processing plant.
Clay Ramsey, the National Nuclear Security Administration's MOX federal project director, said those issues will be resolved.
"The question on the table is, if you woke up one morning and the waste building wasn't available, could you safely shut down MOX and put it in safe condition, including the waste that may build up as a result of the shutdown," he said.
"We believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that the facility and its design does adequately address that."
Donna Martin, a spokeswoman for Shaw AREVA MOX Services -- which is building the plant -- said the NRC developments will not affect the plant's projected schedule, which calls for physical completion in 2011, the first fuel production in 2016 and actual delivery to commercial clients in 2018.
"The technology used in the MOX facility is a safe process developed and used in AREVA's French facilities for 20 years," she said.
"The NRC's internal administrative decision to delay review of a MOX licensing document did not indicate any safety concerns or changes in the licensing schedule."
Reach Rob Pavey at (706) 868-1222, ext. 119, or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
OK, let's get this straight, there are no reactors engaged to use the experimental MOX fuel and the NRC has identified big problems in handling plutonium waste inside the plant. But construction continues full speed?! Something doesn't fit with this picture. This whole project should stop until all the problems are worked out. But big money is the driver of this project, right, so that's always hard to put the brakes on once special interests get their hands on our tax payer dollars.
The MOX fuel assembly produced in France by the AREVA "experts" had to be removed from the Catawba reactor because of serious problems with the fuel itself. All studies have shown an accident involving MOX fuel would be much more dangerous than one with just uranium fuel. Why are we going downt this expensive, dangerous and obviously waste producing road, when vitirification technology exists to encase the plutonium in glass and store it? Where will the MOX spent fuel go? Even the French don't recycle MOX spent fuel, so we are right back where we started with no solution to high level radioactive waste. More Government handouts to the nuclear industry for white elephant projects that don't even make sense.
Reindeargirl, this MOX program is part of the nuclear socialism that is the driving philosophy of many hooked on big-government handouts in the Aiken-Augusta area. As government debt grows, those picking the tax payers' pocket for questionable projects like MOX will have to learn to find private money for their schemes. Soon, fiscal conservatives will reset the big-government mentality around SRS.
First of all, if we are going to spend govt $, shouldnt it be on a project like MOX. It gets rid of the nastiest stuff on earth while providing cheaper cleaner energy to residents. And if you are going to give facts, let's get them straight. France, which is powered 80% on nuclear, DOES recycle MOX fuel. That's the whole point of MOX, its recyclable. And "spent MOX fuel" still has 96% energy potential, so is it really spent? Let's just glassify all this crap and spend the billions on that while never really using it's potential or disposing of it for WMDs, now that makes sense. I am not a socialist that says big govt spending is good, but a project like MOX is American in all aspects. I provides jobs for local residents both contractor and employee alike. And it is getting rid of stuff that could harm billions of people. And with regard to reactors, where do get this information? It is completely FALSE and a LIE. It has already been tested in commercial reactors and all design issues being addressed just like any other test module. MOX is a socially and environmentally responsible project. If you are going to down it, at least use logic that is based on facts not myths
AREVA, the socialist government-owned nuclear company, uses reprocessed plutonium only once and then the MOX fuel goes into storage. This means a lot of cost and environmental problems for just one use. But spending tax payer money if the main driver with reprocessing so AREVA has accomplised its goal. MOX with weapons-grade plutonium have never been used on a commercial scale. The test of the experimental WG MOX at Catawba Unit 1 failed as they were only able to get two 18-month irradiation cycles and not 3. Do we want French socialists running things at SRS?! Open you eyes as that's what is happening with the big-government MOX program. Cheaper, safer and quicker to mix the plutonium back into the waste from which it came.