Idaho Cleanup Project Set to Demolish Third Naval Reactor Prototype

Federal and state agencies have agreed to the final end state for the Submarine 5th Generation General Electric Prototype Facility, which is to remove the prototype, including the defueled reactor vessel and associated equipment.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — The Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) is moving forward with plans to demolish a third defueled naval reactor prototype vessel at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site’s Naval Reactors Facility (NRF).

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM), Office of Naval Reactors Idaho Branch Office, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Idaho Department of Environmental Quality have signed an action memorandum to outline the end-state plan for decommissioning and demolishing (D&D) the Submarine 5th Generation General Electric (S5G) Prototype Facility.

Together, those four parties considered four alternatives, including no action, continued monitoring, targeted removal of radiological or other hazardous substances, and complete removal of the S5G prototype.

After considering public comments, and input from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and the ICP Citizens Advisory Board, EM opted for complete prototype removal, which includes removal of the defueled reactor vessel and associated equipment. The other parties concurred with the decision.

ICP and contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC) are currently managing the D&D of two other legacy naval reactor prototype vessels at NRF: the Submarine 1st Generation Westinghouse (S1W) and the Aircraft Carrier 1st Generation Westinghouse (A1W).

Nick Balsmeier, acting ICP manager, recognizes the importance of this project and the workforce tasked with completing it.

“The Idaho Cleanup Project is able to begin work at the S5G because of our contractor and the highly skilled and experienced workforce they employ,” said Balsmeier. “I am thrilled by progress already made to date and look forward to seeing that progress continue.”

The Submarine 5th Generation General Electric is located at the Naval Reactors Facility on the Idaho National Laboratory Site. It operated for 30 years between 1965 and 1995 as a critical training and research facility for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.

Unlike plans at the S1W and A1W D&D projects, which call for complete demolition of the prototypes and their associated buildings, the final end state of the S5G will allow for continued use of the prototype building. As outlined by the chosen alternative, crews will remove hazardous materials and the S5G prototype before backfilling and closing the basin, wherein the S5G is located. This approach enables use of the building to support future work.

“We are excited by this development,” said Dan Coyne, IEC president and program manager. “I am confident in our workforce and their ability to safely demolish these legacy prototype vessels at the Naval Reactors Facility.”

The S5G operated for nearly 30 years from 1965 to 1995. It was used by the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program for U.S. Navy personnel training and research and development. The S5G is defueled and remains in an inactive state. Nearly 40,000 Navy personnel trained at the three NRF propulsion prototypes to be nuclear operators between 1953 and 1995.

D&D of the S5G will be conducted in accordance with Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act requirements. Successful removal of the prototype is expected to eliminate the cost of long term maintenance and remove the risk that leaving the defueled prototype in place might present to the workforce, public and the environment.

-Contributor: Carter Harrison