Antarctica Radiological Source Removals (Final Report)

• Main Author: Porter, S. J.
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Arctic; Antarctic; Rae; Antarc*; Antarctica; Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
• Online Access: http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1631097; https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1631097; https://doi.org/10.2172/1631097

On 18 May 2015, the research vessel Akademik Fedorov of the Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE) delivered four radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) from Antarctica to the port of St. Petersburg, Russia. The RTGs had been previously used in the work program of the former Soviet Antarctic Expedition (SAE). From the mid-1970s, RTGs have been used to provide autonomous power at geophysical and meteorological stations located in remote regions of Antarctica. The research was completed in the early 1990s, but not all the generators had been removed when the stations were decommissioned. The remaining four unsecured RTGs, with their strontium-90 ( 90 Sr) radiological material and a combined total activity of 80,000 curies (Ci), still posed a potential risk as they could be used for nefarious purposes. Therefore, a plan of action for the removal of the RTGs from Antarctica was developed. This was done within the framework of the international program for the disposal of Russian RTGs. Financial support and technical oversight was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), while logistical support was provided by the Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE) of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) and by subsidiaries of the Russian Federation’s Rosatom State Corporation. Recovering and repatriating the RTGs from the continent of Antarctica to the Russian Federation proved to be a very difficult task, including satisfying all the legal aspects within a very tight timeframe. This involved indemnification issues, adhering to new laws enacted after the Soviet Union era, and obtaining all the necessary permits and certifications for transport of the RTGs by air, sea, and land. It was an international, collaborative effort involving the cooperation of multiple organizations to complete the legal work and preparation of necessary documents. In addition, AARI needed to create a separate structure within its organization to manage the process, including the provision of special medical screenings, training, ...