Fluor Idaho inspects 1970’s era storage vaults

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK)-An inspection of “high risk” fuel canisters stored in underground vaults at the Idaho National Laboratory has determined they continue to be safely stored.  

The canisters were shipped to INL following closure of the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Unit 1, in 1974. 

Due to concerns of corrosion to fuel cannisters in long-term pool storage, the canisters were placed in carbon-steel vaults at INTEC.

A mobile boom crane was used to lift the fuel baskets and capture video footage of the bottom of the baskets, along with fuel package tops, and accessible surfaces, including interior surfaces of the vaults.

“The results were very encouraging,” said Robert Gentry, the INTEC nuclear operations director for Fluor Idaho, DOE’s cleanup contractor at the INL Site. “Our teams were able to gain valuable video information that showed the integrity of the vaults and fuel canisters remains satisfactory.”

Fluor Idaho officials said no water was present, hydrogen levels remain acceptable, and there was minimal canister degradation due to corrosion.

Gentry said long-term plans call for moving all Peach Bottom spent nuclear fuel canisters to new vaults that have welded, drainable steel-plate bottoms unlike the grouted bottoms of the current vault.