Is the scheduled start-up of the far over-budget, far behind-schedule Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) at risk?
The SWPF facility is key to SRS high-level waste management. According to a environmental document from December 2019 – DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE COMMERCIAL DISPOSAL OF DEFENSE WASTE PROCESSING FACILITY RECYCLE WASTEWATER FROM THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE – DOE says: “DOE is currently completing the tie-ins and testing associated with processing salt waste through the SWPF. According to the System Plan (SRR 2019), the SWPF is scheduled to begin hot commissioning in March 2020.” DOE has not formally amended the date in this document, on which SRS commented: https://srswatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Comments-on-DOEs-draft-EA-on-tank-waste-Feb-7-2020.pdf
DOE has just released the February 2020 project management dashboard, which shows the cost of the SWPF has soared from $900 million to $2.3 billion. Start-up has been delayed since at least 2013. We assume that the cost is going even higher given current start-up problems and extended delays. But, as usual, DOE’s policy is silence about the continuous delays and cost increases.
Project Dashboard for February 2020: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2020/02/f72/February%202020%20Project%20Dashboard.pdf