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FEBRUARY 2021 | SRNS TODAY | 3
H Canyon
H Canyon completes waste transfers early
RNS recently began the last transfer of dissolved Sodium
Reactor Experiment (SRE) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from
S H Canyon to the DWPF for processing. This transfer happened “L Basin is nearing storage capacity,
early, freed up space in H Canyon tanks and helped reduce the so freeing up room allows us to process more
current L Basin inventory in order to accelerate DOE missions at SRS. material in H Canyon. This helps accelerate
H Canyon has been storing SRE material since 2012, awaiting the reduction of the current L Basin inventory.”
transfer to DWPF, which was originally planned for 2022. The Jacyln Fitzpatrick
material could not be processed into low enriched uranium like
other SNF processed in H Canyon because it contained high levels
of thorium.
“The need for H Canyon space for future missions allowed
H Canyon to work with the SRS liquid waste contractor, Savannah DWPF converts radioactive liquid waste currently stored at SRS
River Remediation, to manage an early discard of SRE. An into a solid glass form suitable for interim storage and eventual
alternative approach to open a liquid waste receipt window in 2020 off-site disposal.
was successfully pursued due to the effective working relations
between SRNS and Savannah River Remediation,” said SRNS H “We completed 19 transfers of SRE material to the new sludge
Canyon Project Manager Eloy Saldivar. batch in May 2020, removing 47 kilograms (kg) of fissile material
from H Canyon. We have since completed an additional 22
transfers of material to liquid waste, which disposed of another
84 kg of material,” said H Canyon Process Engineer Jaclyn
Fitzpatrick. “This creates more storage in the Canyon and allows
the SRE storage tanks to be re-purposed.”
SNF is received and stored in the L Area Disassembly Basin until
H Canyon is ready to process the material. “L Basin is nearing
storage capacity, so freeing up room allows us to process more
material in H Canyon. This helps accelerate the reduction of the
current L Basin inventory,” Fitzpatrick added.
SRS is home to many different facilities performing a variety
of nuclear material management and environmental cleanup
Defense Waste Processing Facility missions. The integration among these facilities is an important
part of how SRS is helping to make the world safer.