SRS Watch news, August 21, 2018: SRS report provided to SRS Watch via a Freedom of Information Act request reveals decayed state of H-Canyon reprocessing plant radioactive gas exhaust tunnel
Given operational problems and aging of the facility, the question looms: Is the aging H-Canyon an accident waiting to happen? Why is the media avoiding covering this issue?
Savannah River National Lab report:
“Characterization of Concrete Exposed to the H-Canyon Exhaust”
January 2018, SRNL-TR-2017-00356, Revision 0
FOIA cover letter to SRS Watch: https://www.srswatch.org/uploads/2/7/5/8/27584045/foia_response_letter_july_5_2018_on_exhaust_tunnel_document.pdf
Report: https://www.srswatch.org/uploads/2/7/5/8/27584045/srnl-tr-2017-00356_rev_0.pdf
“The driver for the work is the observation that about 50 mm (2 inches) of wall thickness has been lost (exposed rebar) in the H-Canyon Cross-over Tunnel and the H-Canyon Exhaust Tunnel (CAEX) over more than 60 years of service. Figure ES-1 shows a view into the Cross-over Tunnel as viewed from a core hole in the wall separating the Personnel Tunnel from the Cross-over Tunnel, i.e., north wall. Approximately 2 inches of concrete wall loss has occurred exposing the first layer of the reinforcement bar structure. Thus, it was assumed there is a potential that the remaining concrete wall material may be altered as a function of depth from the surfaces exposed to the nitric acid vapor in the exhaust air stream.”
“Documents on Degraded Status of H-Canyon Exhaust Tunnel” –
SRS Watch compilation of recent H-Canyon exhaust tunnel reports, August 21, 2018 – linked here
DOE news of August 25, 2015: “Savannah River Site’s H Canyon Turns 60 Years Old” – news linked here