U.S. Navy to build $1.6 billion facility at INL
The Director of the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program has approved construction of a new facility at the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF) at the Idaho National Laboratory.
Admiral James F. Caldwell said the facility will support naval spent fuel handling for at least the next 40 years. It will be built in the northeast section of the facility site.
According to a Department of Energy news release, the program will recapitalize the spent nuclear fuel handling infrastructure within the Expended Core Facility at NRF. The new facility will support nuclear reactor defueling and refueling schedules required to meet the operational needs of the U.S. Navy.
Caldwell signed a record of decision November 15 that considered potential environmental impacts.
The new facility will cost an estimated $1.65 billion, including over $500 million in construction costs.
During construction, there will be an increase of approximately 360 on-site construction jobs.
Site preparation is expected to begin in 2017 and construction in 2019. Construction is likely to continue through the early 2020’s. Operations will begin in late 2024.
