Category Archives: Department of Energy

LANL review: Hundreds of other barrels may be like the one that leaked at WIPP

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Robert Singleton

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported today: As investigators keep trying to pinpoint what caused a drum of radioactive waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory to pop open and leak in an underground repository near Carlsbad, the lab’s review of … Continue reading →

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WIPP operater drafts plan for recovery from accident

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Robert Singleton

Nuclear Waste Partnership, the operator of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, is working on a draft recovery plan following the February 14 radiation release and a previous fire. The Albuequerque Journal reported this morning: A recovery is underway at a … Continue reading →

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Another county heard from: West Texas county wants to store high-level nuclear waste

Posted on August 9, 2014 by Robert Singleton

The New York Times reported Thursday: Loving County is big, dry and stretches for miles, and is the perfect place, local officials say, to store high-level radioactive waste. Officials here hope to entice the federal government — with $28 billion … Continue reading →

Posted in Department of Energy, High-level nuclear waste, Spent nuclear fuel, TX, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Federal mine safety inspectors cite WIPP for 52 workplace violations

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Robert Singleton

Reuters reported yesterday: The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) in June inspected the surface facilities at the sprawling (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant) complex near Carlsbad and issued 52 citations, ranging from exposed electrical wiring to housekeeping matters, plant … Continue reading →

Posted in Department of Energy, Fire, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Radioactive waste, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

New theory about WIPP barrel leak: Trace metals + acidic waste + organic kitty litter = Exothermic reaction. And what does this bad chemistry mean for the treatment of low-level waste in Texas?

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Robert Singleton

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported yesterday: A glove used to process nuclear waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory and metallic residue from that process have grabbed the attention of investigators probing the cause of a radiation leak at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Department of Energy, Los Alamos National Lab, Low-level radioactive waste, Waste Control Specialists, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Even before WIPP incident, Los Alamos lab raised criticality concerns, according to DOE report

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Robert Singleton

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported Tuesday: Even before a radiation leak in February halted the flow of nuclear waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, the federal government had identified deficiencies in Los Alamos National Laboratory’s safeguards … Continue reading →

Posted in Department of Energy, Los Alamos National Lab, Radioactive material, Radioactive waste, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Dump Watch: Five potentially defective containers from WIPP site are being stored at West Texas waste dump

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Robert Singleton

(Pictured: The ruptured container that remains at the WIPP site.) The Department of Energy thinks it now knows what caused the radiation leak earlier this year at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. According to the Albuquerque Journal: The Department of … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrews County, Department of Energy, Radioactive waste, Waste Control Specialists, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

With the U.S. still trying to figure out what to do with our own nuclear waste, why would the Department of Energy be looking at a proposal to import foreign waste?

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Robert Singleton

As I told you on Monday, the Department of Energy is considering a proposal to allow the Savannah River Site in South Carolina to accept, process and dispose of spent nuclear fuel from Germany. The fuel contains 900 kilograms of … Continue reading →

Posted in Department of Energy, Depleted uranium, Radioactive waste, Savannah River Site | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

WIPP update: DOE report into underground fire finds safety flaws at Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Robert Singleton

The Albuquerque Journal reported yesterday morning: Federal investigators have uncovered a series of shortcomings in safety training, emergency response and oversight at the troubled southeastern New Mexico nuclear waste dump where a truck caught fire and 17 workers were recently … Continue reading →

Posted in Department of Energy, Fire, Radiation leak, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Worker exposure | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

WIPP leak update: DOE ups number of contaminated workers to 17

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Robert Singleton

The Albuquerque Journal reported today: The Department of Energy announced Sunday that 17 workers at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad have tested positive for radiation contamination, an increase from 13 workers the department previously reported. More details as … Continue reading →

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