IWTU testing suspended

The U.S. Department of Energy has suspended testing at the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit on the Idaho National Laboratory reservation.

A startup test was suspended Saturday after a “system pressure event,” according to a news release.

In a news release, DOE officials said facility startup testing has been under way for the past month, evaluating system and component operation and response during operating conditions.

IWTU was designed and constructed to treat 900,000 gallons of liquid sodium-bearing waste located on the Idaho Nuclear and Technology and Engineering Center’s tank farm. Although treatment was originally scheduled to begin this month, no radioactive or hazardous waste has been introduced into the facility, pending successful completion of startup testing. Treatment will be delayed for several weeks pending a thorough evaluation of system performance.

The waste was generated during spent nuclear fuel reprocessing activities performed at INTEC from the 1950’s until 1992.