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IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY

Power Burst Facility (PBF)

The Power Burst Facility (PBF) entered operation in September 1972 to support the work of the Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission in studying nuclear reactor fuel. The facility is located in the south-central part of INL. The PBF reactor, which is situated in a three-story, 19,000-square-foot facility, was designed to test fuel samples under abnormal conditions, which would cause them to fail, in order to learn the limits for the safe operation of commercial reactors. Five reactors were installed in four facilities at the PBF. Four of the five reactors were removed. In 1984 and 1985, three of the facilities underwent D&D and are now used by the Waste Management Operations. The PBF reactor was placed on standby in 1985. In 1998 the PBF was shutdown and later under went defueling. Reactor fuel had been stored in the PBF canal.

In late 1991, the DOE began its review of contamination at the PBF evaporation pond and the ARA chemical pond. The following year a plan for cleanup was in place; in 1993 the work began and was completed in early 1995. In May 1997, DOE investigated the site and signed a Record of Decision in January 2000 for the removal of contaminated soil and waste in the tanks and ponds by June 2004. By January 2002 all contaminated surface soil was removed. All fuel was moved to INTEC in 2003. Tank waste was combined with tank waste from TAN and treated in the summer of 2006. Cleanup at ARA and PBF, grouped under Waste Area Group (WAG) 5, was finalized in 2006; although, decontamination and decommissioning were scheduled to continue until 2009.

The PBF is one the five geographic areas included in the 7-year Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP). The completion of PBF closure is expected for 2012. All auxiliary buildings and structures in the PBF area, excluding the actual reactor, are scheduled to be dispositioned by 2013. Demolition of the reactor is planned to commence in 2019 and be completed in 2020. As of April 2008, the interior of cubicle 13, one of two highly contaminated spaces, both located in the basement was demolished. The other, cubicle 10, had been dismantled.