Materials from Japan containing significant amounts of weapon-grade plutonium and bomb-grade uranium – so-called Fast Critical Assemblies (FCAs) – were shipped by sea to the Savannah River Site, via the port of Charleston, SC, in 2016. Now, SRS inches closer to processing the FCA waste.
The original thought was that the plutonium and highly-enriched uranium could be removed, but now the plan is to process the FCAs though the 70-year-old H-Canyon reprocessing plant at SRS and dump the resultant waste into the high-level waste tanks. That waste would be vitrified in large containers, awaiting unknown disposal in a geologic repository (that doesn’t currently exist), so is stranded at SRS for now.
For more on this issue on the SRS Watch website, search for “FCA” and “Japan.”
News about SRS getting ready to process the FCAs:
preparedness to successfully execute the FCA campaign. The FCA campaign required the
installation of an electrolytic dissolver to dissolve the stainless-steel clad components in addition
to developing new procedures to control receipt, unpackaging, and dissolution of the FCA
material. The resident inspectors observed several portions of the FCA evolution demonstration
and interviews. The readiness assessment team will out-brief the facility on their findings and
opportunities for improvement next week. Once pre-start findings are resolved, DOE-SR will
commence their federal readiness assessment of the FCA campaign.
DNFSB weekly report posted here: https://www.dnfsb.gov/sites/default/files/document/29961/Savannah%20River%20Week%20Ending%20January%2026%202024.pdf
Article, about FCA shipment from japan to SRS, 2016: “Armed Ships Embark on Secretive Plutonium Mission From Japan to the U.S.” – with comment by SRS Watch – https://www.ecowatch.com/armed-ships-embark-on-secretive-plutonium-mission-from-japan-to-the-u-1882156825.html
NNSA image: FCAs packaged for shipment to SRS