Skip to content
nuclear plant decommissioning

Nuclear plant decontamination and decommissioning

Our groundwater modeling approach and regulatory insight help client decommission nuclear plant

Summary

  • Our client found a release of tritium, a radioactive hydrogen isotope, while decommissioning its water reactor plant. Per state regulatory orders, the client had to partner with an environmental consultant that understood state regulations to investigate.
  • Haley & Aldrich had the expertise to both conduct the investigation and build positive relationships with regulators.
  • From previous work at the site, we knew the levels of tritium in groundwater were below U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards and therefore acceptable with no remediation. We designed a dye-tracing investigation to track impacts and bolster our case that the client could proceed with decommissioning.
  • Data showed that the groundwater traveled as we had predicted, and traditional groundwater samples confirmed tritium levels below state and federal standards — making full plant closure possible.

For more information, contact:

Nadia Glucksberg

Principal Consultant, Hydrogeology