ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Mar 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
April 2026
Latest News
NRC approves TerraPower construction permit
Today, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that it has approved TerraPower’s construction permit application for Kemmerer Unit 1, the company’s first deployment of Natrium, its flagship sodium fast reactor.
This approval is a significant milestone on three fronts. For TerraPower, it represents another step forward in demonstrating its technology. For the Department of Energy, it reflects progress (despite delays) for the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). For the NRC, it is the first approval granted to a commercial reactor in nearly a decade—and the first approval of a commercial non–light water reactor in more than 40 years.
Robert L. Louie, Dwayne R. Speer
Nuclear Technology | Volume 86 | Number 2 | August 1989 | Pages 120-127
Technical Paper | Decontamination and Decommissioning / Radioactive Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34262
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The decommissioning of the Strontium Semiworks Complex, located in the 200 East Area of the Hanford Site, is nearing completion. This facility operated as a pilot plant from 1949 to 1967 to develop fuel reprocessing technology and a method for separating strontium from high-level liquid wastes. Contamination of the facility from these operations was extensive. One of the major activities completed was the decommissioning of the plant exhaust stack. Demolition of the stack was accomplished using explosives. This required decontamination of the stack interior to minimize the release of airborne contamination. Radiation levels in the stack prior to cleaning ranged from 2.5 to 90 mGy/h as measured along the stack centerline. Decontamination was accomplished by sandblasting, using equipment specially designed and fabricated to allow the work to be performed remotely. Radiation levels measured after decontamination were in the range of 0.01 mGy/h. No airborne contaminants were detected following the demolition using air samplers stationed along the perimeter of the site.