Electrometallurgical Techniques for DOE Spent Fuel Treatment: Status Report on Argonne National Laboratory's R & D Activity Through Spring 1997 (1997)

specific areas in which ANL should focus its effort in order to maximize R&D progress and achieve successful demonstration of the electrometallurgical process for treatment of EBR-II spent fuel. The committee stated (NRC, 1997a, p. 1):

The EBR-II fuel conditioning work at ANL-W is still in the process evaluation and equipment development phases, as can be expected in the initial stages of such a demonstration and with the new limitations set by the EA [Environmental Assessment].

In 1996 DOE issued an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the electrometallurgical treatment research and demonstration project in the Fuel Conditioning Facility at Argonne National Laboratory-West (DOE, 1996). The EA necessitated a variety of changes in the details and scope of the EBR-II demonstration program. In response to these changes, DOE requested that the committee, as part of its ongoing evaluation, revisit the question in its original charge: “Do pyrometallurgical techniques represent a potentially viable technology for DOE spent fuel treatment that warrants further research and development?” This report provides the committee's evaluation of the ANL's R&D program on the use of electrometallurgical technology for treatment of spent fuel as of the spring of 1997.

The ANL program must be considered in terms of an R&D project that is focused on the treatment of EBR-II spent fuel by the electrometallurgical technology.¹ Within that context, the program is making acceptable progress in providing a sufficient database for DOE to make a technical decision on the application of this technology to treatment of other DOE spent fuels. Thus, the committee reaffirms its overall recommendation of the July 1995 report (NRC, 1995b, p. S-11):

ANL should proceed with its development plan in support of the EBR-II demonstration. . . . If the EBR-II demonstration is not accomplished successfully, the ANL program on electrometallurgical processing should be terminated. On the other hand, if the EBR-II demonstration is successful, the DOE should revisit the ANL program at that time in the context of a larger, “global” waste management plan to make a determination for possible continuance.