Iowa State University


Inside Iowa State
January 8, 1999

Dismantling plan for reactor completed

by Skip Derra

Iowa State officials submitted a plan to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) this week for decommissioning its 10-kilowatt nuclear teaching reactor.

The plan was developed by Duke Engineering & Services, Bolton, Mass. NRC approval could take six to 12 months, said Scott Wendt, manager of the nuclear reactor.

The plan includes work to remove the reactor and restore the area, Wendt said. "There is a slight chance that we could get the work scheduled and begun by this summer."

Decommissioning work, including worker training time, is expected to take nearly six months. The actual deconstruction of the reactor is expected to take about three weeks, Wendt said. After decommissioning is completed, the NRC will review the work before releasing Iowa State from its license.

Iowa State's teaching reactor was operable from November 1959 to May 1998.

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