The decommissioning of a research reactor in the USA: A case study from planning to site release

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has completed the D&D of the Experimental Boiling Water Reactor (EBWR). The project consisted of the decontamination and/or packaging as radioactive waste the reactor vessel and internals, contaminated piping systems, miscellaneous tanks, pumps, and associated equipment. The dismantling process involved the removal and size reduction of equipment and associated plumbing, ductwork, drain lines, etc. Size reduction of reactor vessel internals was performed in the fuel pool. All radioactive and mixed waste was packaged and manifested. A thorough survey of the facility was performed after the removal of contaminated and activated material. Non-radioactive waste was disposed of in the ANL landfill or recycled as appropriate. The EBWR D&D project was divided into four phases. Phases I and II were completed by ANL personnel, while Phases III and IV were done by a contractor under ANL management. The final survey was performed by the contractor, while the verification survey was performed by ANL. The project lasted 118 months. Phase I was initiated in April 1986 and the final report was issued February 1996. The duration of the project was driven by the availability of funding for decommissioning. Total exposure to project personnel was 208.7 person-mSv (20.87 person-rem), with no personnel exceeding the EBWR project dose limit of 15 mSv (1.5 rem)