February 1, 2024, Physics Today

 As the Biden administration seeks to triple the nation’s nuclear energy capacity in response to climate change, it is edging closer to lifting a more than four-decade-long moratorium that the US has observed on the recovery of plutonium from spent nuclear fuel. Ending the prohibition is critical to the plans of some advanced reactor developers, but it would be a major change in US nonproliferation policy, which opposes separating plutonium that could potentially be stolen or diverted to construct a nuclear explosive device. Current policy also recognizes that reprocessing by the US could encourage other nations with nuclear power to follow suit. 

Department of Energy officials say the moratorium on commercial reprocessing will remain in place for now. But the Biden administration has shown a receptiveness to reprocessing that contrasts sharply with his Democratic predecessors, dating to Jimmy Carter. “The Biden–Harris administration and DOE recognize the importance of developing practical uses for America’s used nuclear fuel,” energy secretary Jennifer Granholm stated in October 2022. “Recycling nuclear waste for clean energy generation can significantly reduce the amount of spent fuel at nuclear sites and increase economic stability for the communities leading this important work.” 

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January 18, 2024, Herald Courier

 Workers at the West Valley Demonstration Project continue to move forward in their efforts to decommission the West Valley Nuclear Service Center and build on the success from last year. New projects and goals have been set for 2024 as crews continue work on the site. 

After starting the demolition of the Main Plant Process Building in the Fall of 2022, the Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management and its prime contractor CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley, LLC at the West Valley Demonstration Project has safely shipped over 9,000 tons of debris from the demolition of the Main Plant Process Building this year. For the calendar year, crews have packaged and shipped by rail over 500 waste containers for safe disposal off site, with each container loaded with an average of 38,000 pounds of debris. 

WVDP crews this past year also safely processed, over-packed and shipped two of seven degraded Chemical Process Cell waste containers off-site for disposal. Both containers had a combined weight of 169,000 pounds. The over 2,000 square-foot cell was designed to dissolve sheared spent nuclear fuel and reduce the volume of high-level waste generated fuel reprocessing and was later used as a storage interim space for vitrified high-level waste canisters. 

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January 12, 2024, EllicotvilleNOW

It’s been a hot minute since you’ve heard anything about the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP). What was once the nation’s sole commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing plant has been working on dismantling the facility and cleaning up the area. It’s a huge project with a lot of moving parts that many in the community are intrigued to learn more about. With so much information and rumors swirling around, how exactly does the average person process it all? 

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January 12, 2024, Springville Journal

Workers at the West Valley Demonstration Project continue to move forward in their efforts to decommission the West Valley Nuclear Service Center and build on the success from last year. New projects and goals have been set for 2024 as crews continue work on the site. 

Read the full article here.

January 12, 2024, GovConWire —

 The Department of Energy has issued a final solicitation for a potential $3 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to carry out cleanup work at the West Valley Demonstration Project site in New York (htps://www.energy.gov/em/articles/doe-issues-final-request-proposal-west-valley-demonstration-project-phase-1b-contract). 

The WVDP Phase 1B contract has an ordering period of 10 years and includes deactivation and demolition, waste disposition and soil remediation activities, DOE said Tuesday. 

Work will include demolishing remaining near-grade and below-grade components; excavating and remediating contaminated soils; demolishing facilities; disposing of legacy waste; and performing environmental monitoring, surveillance and maintenance. 

The Phase 1B procurement effort will replace the existing waste management contract held by a joint venture between CH2M (htps://www.govconwire.com/?s=CH2M+Hill) and BWX Technologies (htps://www.govconwire.com/s/company/bwx-technologies/), which is set to expire on Feb. 28, 2025.