West Valley Reprocessing Plant
Encyclopedia
West Valley Reprocessing Plant was a formerly operational plant for the reprocessing
of used nuclear fuel at West Valley, New York, USA. It was operated from 1966-72. During this time period, 600,000 gallons of highly radioactive waste accumulated in an underground waste tank. Escalating regulation required plant modifications which were deemed uneconomic, and the plant was shut down.
acquired 3,345 acres (14 km²) of land in the town of Ashford, New York
, near West Valley, for the Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC, currently managed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority [NYSERDA]). The next year the Davison Chemical Company established Nuclear Fuel Services
, Inc. (NFS) as a reprocessing company, and leased the WNYNSC. Governor Nelson Rockefeller
was responsible for the contract; he was under the impression that the establishment of a nuclear industry in New York would create over 2,000 new jobs.
The operation of the plant was repeatedly criticized and the project ran into insurmountable logistical problems. There were lax security measures and employees were exposed to dangerously high doses of radiation, exceeding federal regulations dictated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which was established in 1970. The cost of reprocessing was orignially estimated to be US$ 15 million, but was later reported to be US$ 600 million. After reprocessing only 640 tons of spent fuel, while accumulating 600,000 gallons of high-level waste, the facility was closed in 1972. It was not until 2002 that the plant was stabilized to the point where it could be safely decommissioned. However, "remaining cleanup was estimated in 2008 to cost an additional US$5 billion and take another 40 years".
Nuclear reprocessing
Nuclear reprocessing technology was developed to chemically separate and recover fissionable plutonium from irradiated nuclear fuel. Reprocessing serves multiple purposes, whose relative importance has changed over time. Originally reprocessing was used solely to extract plutonium for producing...
of used nuclear fuel at West Valley, New York, USA. It was operated from 1966-72. During this time period, 600,000 gallons of highly radioactive waste accumulated in an underground waste tank. Escalating regulation required plant modifications which were deemed uneconomic, and the plant was shut down.
History
In 1961 the state of New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
acquired 3,345 acres (14 km²) of land in the town of Ashford, New York
Ashford, New York
Ashford is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,223 at the 2000 census.The Town of Ashford is on the county's northern border.- History :...
, near West Valley, for the Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC, currently managed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority [NYSERDA]). The next year the Davison Chemical Company established Nuclear Fuel Services
Nuclear Fuel Services
Nuclear Fuel Services Inc. is an American company that has been a major supplier of fuel for the United States Navy's fleet of nuclear-powered vessels since the 1960s. In recent years it has also processed weapons-grade uranium into nuclear reactor fuel...
, Inc. (NFS) as a reprocessing company, and leased the WNYNSC. Governor Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
was responsible for the contract; he was under the impression that the establishment of a nuclear industry in New York would create over 2,000 new jobs.
The operation of the plant was repeatedly criticized and the project ran into insurmountable logistical problems. There were lax security measures and employees were exposed to dangerously high doses of radiation, exceeding federal regulations dictated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which was established in 1970. The cost of reprocessing was orignially estimated to be US$ 15 million, but was later reported to be US$ 600 million. After reprocessing only 640 tons of spent fuel, while accumulating 600,000 gallons of high-level waste, the facility was closed in 1972. It was not until 2002 that the plant was stabilized to the point where it could be safely decommissioned. However, "remaining cleanup was estimated in 2008 to cost an additional US$5 billion and take another 40 years".
External links
- http://www.westvalleyeis.com/final%5CEIS-0226_F-Summary.pdf 2010 Final Environmental Impact Statement for Decommissioning and/or Long-Term Stewardship at the West Valley Demonstration Project and Western New York Nuclear Service Center
- West Valley History and Future N.Y.S.D.E.C 2008 report
- DOE West Valley Demonstration Project July 2011 Progress report
- West Valley Demonstration Project Annual Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2009
- Site History DOE's website
- Citizen's Group summary
- WVDP Brochure
- http://www.digitup.org The Coalition on West Valley Wastes
- Plutonium Recovery from Spent Fuel Reprocessing by Nuclear Fuel Services at West Valley, New York from 1966 to 1972