Engineering Test Reactor Removal

The last week of September 2007 was the 50th anniversary of the Engineering Test Reactor powering up. It was also a major milestone for the Idaho Cleanup Project when the grout-filled reactor vessel was pulled from the ground, loaded onto a trailer and sent to a radioactive and hazardous waste disposal facility. The reactor ceased operations in the early 1980s and no longer contained fuel.

Removal of the reactor vessel and structures began with the use of controlled charges to blast the high-density concrete and steel shielding that once held the reactor vessel in place. [Video of demolition]

Then the building was pulled down. [Video of building pull]

Finally, this week, the grout-filled reactor vessel was lifted from a three-story deep hole...[Video of pull]

...loaded onto a specialized trailer and transported several miles to a the waste disposal facility...[Video of truck]

...and finally placed in a lined landfill where it will be filled with more grout and will spend the rest of eternity. [Video of reactor in landfill]

While the internal components of the reactor are still radioactive, most of its surroundings were radiologically clean. Before transporting the reactor vessel, the lower part that had been inaccessible during the rest of the cleanup operation was painted to lock down any radioactive materials that might be clinging to it. [Spruill sound bite]

The Engineering Test Reactor was built more than fifty years ago to support early development of nuclear technology. At that time it was the largest and most advanced materials test reactor in the world. It provided valuable research for 25 years. Its work enabled the development of advanced nuclear propulsion for the Navy as well as work supporting the nuclear energy industry. [Coyne bite]

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• nuclear
• reactor
• demolition
• explosives
• transportation
• crane
• Idaho

[MokomaSusi]

Yeah, good that Finland goverment already understands that fact.

EPR in Olkiluoto will be completed 2009.

[jugaloclown]

very cool, someday people will realize that nuclear power is the way to go. 400 modern day reactors, and the USA would be energy independent!

[jackgreaves18]

boom! la vie est belle

[majordbag2]

Apparently, Greenpeace's best argument against shipping waste is in some tunnels (they didn't say how many) fires can exceed the tested temperature.

So for there to be a leak, there must be crash, within a tunnel to create such a fire, which cannot be circumvented, no way to put it out, there must be enough fuel to burn the fire long enough to melt the container and must be close enough to the waste to affect it and enough heat to vaporize the waste.

Yeah, that is real probable (SARCASM!)

[Tarzbloke]

cool, does that energy independance include all the oil you use (and import) to power your cars?

[calver16]

EE...