What GAO found
The Department of Energy (DOE) plans to separate and vitrify the most radioactive portion of the waste stored in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford Site, Washington. This highly radioactive waste, which the DOE calls high-level waste (HLW), represents about 72 percent of the estimated radioactivity in the tank, much of which will decay over the next 100 years. (see figure below). DOE’s current plan to process this HLW relies on a vitrification facility that will be part of Hanford’s waste treatment and immobilization plant. The plant is partially completed, but faces ongoing technical challenges.
In 2023, DOE will release an analysis of alternatives considering 24 options for treating HLW at Hanford. The analysis found that the estimated life cycle cost of treating HLW ranges from $135 billion to $5 trillion. The analysis also found that the current plan and several other alternatives would require significant increases in annual funding over the next decade (up to $8 billion annually). The analysis indicates that none of the alternatives will be able to complete HLW processing by 2047, the deadline set in legal agreements with environmental regulators, with the earliest estimated completion date for the alternatives being 2061. Become.
The DOE plans to select alternatives to HLW processing in the near future, but no timeline has been set and it has resumed efforts to complete construction of the HLW processing facility. According to DOE guidance and GAO best practices, an independent agency should review and validate the alternative analysis process before selecting alternatives. However, DOE has not committed to obtaining an independent review to validate any part of the alternative analysis process related to HLW treatment. Given the enormous cost and schedule impact of this decision, the Department of Energy is taking steps now to ensure that all viable alternatives for optimizing tank waste disposal missions are being considered. It is imperative to take
Approximate Radioactivity Time Course in Hanford Tank Waste
Why GAO Conducted This Survey
DOE oversees the processing and disposal of approximately 54 million gallons of radioactive and hazardous waste at the Hanford Site in Washington State. The DOE plans to separate the tank waste into two streams before processing it. (1) Highly Radioactive Part. DOE estimates that this area contains about 5 percent of the volume and more than 70 percent of the radioactivity. (2) a low activity portion containing approximately 95 percent of its volume; Hanford’s highly radioactive tank waste contains toxic components and current legislation requires vitrification (the process of fixing waste in glass) before land disposal. DOE has been exploring alternative methods of processing his HLW portion of the waste.
Senate Report 117-39 includes a provision for the GAO to evaluate the DOE’s approach to analyzing treatment options for HLW at Hanford. This report describes (1) the DOE’s current HLW treatment plan for her, (2) the DOE’s analysis of his HLW treatment alternatives, and (3) the DOE’s decisions in selecting her HLW treatment alternatives. Consider your planned next steps. The GAO reviewed DOE reports and data on Hanford’s waste, DOE’s current disposal plans, and interviewed DOE officials.