Re:

[Judd Sills <sillsj@GAT.COM>]

At 09:40 AM 2/24/97 -0600, you wrote:
>I AM TRYING TO ESTIMATE A COST FOR THE DECOMMISSIONING OF A FACILITY.  IF
ANYONE 
>KNOWS HOW TO GET AN ESTIMATE ON APPROXIMATELY HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO 
>DECONTAMINATE 60 LABS OR IF ANYONE KNOWS WHERE I COULD GET THE INFORMATION 
>MYSELF I WOULD APPRECIATE THE HELP.
>
Several people have asked decommissioning cost questions recently
on Radsafe.  I am sorry to say that there isn't a simple answer
to this question.  The cost of releasing your labs will probably
vary greatly depending upon the radioactive materials that were
handled there, how long ago those materials were handled, how
those materials were handled, the extent of process knowledge
available about each laboratory being cleared, the quality
of your laboratory records about spills and work performed, whether
you are an agreement state licensee or NRC materials licensee,
the extent of decontamination that might be necessary for each
lab, whether the State or NRC would be bringing someone in for
comparative measures, etc.  I would recommend that you look at
each laboratory individually and using a document such as NUREG/CR-
5849 as a reference document for release survey methods, etc., begin
to estimate the person-hours required to clear each lab, factor
in regulator inspection hours, comparative measures, etc.  It
would be very wise to begin dialog immediately with whoever
your principal regulator is, determine whether a Decommissioning
Plan will be required, etc.  It would seem likely that for a
license termination of a 60 lab facility that your regulator will
insist on preparation of a Decommissioning Plan.  If you are an
NRC licensee, I would recommend that you look at the appropriate
parts of the CFR for your type of license that summarize the 
requirements for license termination.  NRC licensees are under
specific "timeliness" requirements for submittals of information
regarding the intent to cease principal activities within 12 months
of that decision along with requisite Decommissioning Plans, etc.

In short, this isn't something that is likely to have a quick answer.
It will take a lot of research and discussion/correspondence with
your regulators.  Good luck with this task.

Best regards
Judd M. Sills, CHP           |   Office: (619)455-2049
General Atomics, Room 01-166C|      Fax: (619)455-3181
3550 General Atomics Court   |   E-Mail:  sillsj@gat.com
San Diego, CA  92121         |