Testing to begin at Idaho nuclear waste treatment plant

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – Testing is set to resume at a federally-managed nuclear waste treatment plant west of Idaho Falls.

The Post Register reported that tests at the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit will begin next week after a nine-month pause. The first test will examine the effectiveness of a grinder that breaks down solid radioactive waste. The component clogged during previous tests.

The treatment facility was built to treat 900,000 gallons of radioactive sodium-bearing waste by 2012, but has been unable to get past the testing phase.

After the upcoming test runs are complete, one final 90-day simulant run is planned, followed by a 30-day outage to inspect the facility for any lingering problems. After that, the plant will be cleared to treat actual radioactive waste.