Hanford

[mark sasser <duke99301@yahoo.com>]

RICHLAND -- After six years of preparation, Hanford
Nuclear Reservation contractors yesterday began moving
spent nuclear fuel out of a pair of old, leaky pools
located just 400 yards from the Columbia River.

Getting the corroded uranium fuel rods out of the K
Basins and ready for storage in the central part of
Hanford has been one of the top priorities at the
560-square-mile Department of Energy site.

"This is roughly one-third of the radiation at
Hanford," said Doug Sherwood, Hanford project manager
for the Environmental Protection Agency.

"Not only is it a huge, significant source of
radioactivity, it's so close to the river. The only
thing that keeps it in the basins is concrete and
water, and concrete and water are prone to leak."

About 2,100 tons of spent fuel, including 4 tons of
plutonium, have been stored underwater in the K
Basins, which are basically big swimming pools built
in the 1950s with a planned use life of 20 years.

Between now and July 31, 2004, the Hanford contractors
plan to move 105,000 fuel assemblies from the pools.

 




=====
mark sasser 
at duke99301@yahoo.com
you can also reach me at duke9930@concentric.net

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