Inel Allowed To Start Experiment In Stabilizing Spent N-Fuel

Energy Secretary Hazel O’Leary has given Argonne National Laboratory-West approval to start an experiment aimed at stabilizing spent nuclear fuel for disposal outside Idaho.

O’Leary has told Sen. Dirk Kempthorne, R-Idaho, that U.S. Department of Energy officials determined an environmental assessment shows the proposed work will not significantly affect the environment.

O’Leary’s decision fends off about 250 layoffs at the site.

By June, about 750 employees will start the experiment at Argonne’s lab on the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory’s east end.

They will use an electrorefiner to stabilize 1.6 metric tons of sodium-bonded spent fuel.

Project foes, including the INEL watchdog group Snake River Alliance, contend the Electrometallurgical Treatment Research and Demonstration project is a bad idea.

That is because one step in the process involves extracting highly enriched uranium they say is usable in nuclear weapons.

They argue that violates U.S. policy aimed at discouraging proliferation of weapons-related technologies. Energy’s decision rejects their argument.

“Developing a technology that can separate bomb material is not supporting a policy not to separate bomb material,” said Beatrice Brailsford, of the Snake River Alliance.

The sodium must be removed for the experimental quantity of spent fuel and another 25.5 metric tons of sodium-bearing spent fuel now stored at INEL to qualify for permanent disposal outside Idaho someday.

“If the fuel is not treated, there is no chance it will ever leave Idaho,” Argonne spokesman Paul Pugmire said.