Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) Closure

摘要

The FFTF is a 400-megawatt (thermal) liquid-metal sodium-cooled fast neutron reactor owned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and located on the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington. On December 19, 2001, the DOE announced the permanent deactivation of the FFTF. The initial decision to shut down the FFTF was made in 1993. Since that point in time the FFTF has been either undergoing deactivation or in standby awaiting results of various restart studies. There are currently ～230 employees at the FFTF. All of the fuel assemblies have been removed from the reactor, fuel is being stored in two onsite spent fuel pools and dry cask storage, 23 of the ～100 operating systems have been shut down, and sodium systems are being maintained at ～400 degrees Fahrenheit.