**MOX Program Description Package**

**Expectation:**

A private consortium, DCS, has a contract to design, construct, license,
operate, and deactivate the Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility
(MFFF), as well as use the MOX fuel in commercial reactors. Because DCS
has the contract for the majority of the MFFF activities in the life
cycle of this facility, the contractor primarily has specific support
tasks related to the interface of this facility with SRS operations. The
NRC will regulate the operation of the facility.

**Background/Lifecycle Discussion:**

The Plutonium Disposition Program (PDP) includes design, construction,
and operation of the MFFF and the Pit Disassembly and Conversion
Facility (PDCF). The MFFF will convert plutonium oxide derived from
surplus weapons grade plutonium stocks into MOX fuel suitable for use in
U.S. commercial nuclear reactors.

Site preparation for the MFFF began in October, 2005. Construction of
the MFFF and associated buildings is scheduled to begin in late 2006.
Cold startup of the facility will take approximately 2 years. The
facility's operating life is expected to be approximately 12 years.[^1]
Design of the MFFF is based on MOX processes and facilities currently
being successfully operated in Europe; specifically, the MELOX and La
Hague facilities, but will be modified to meet U.S. conventions, codes,
standards, and regulatory requirements ("Americanization" process) where
necessary. After completing its mission, the facility will be
decontaminated and deactivated over a three-year period.

The MFFF will be an approximately 440,000 ft^2^ facility with
approximately 120,000 ft^2^ of supporting structures adjacent to the
MFFF. The MFFF will: 1) dissolve incoming plutonium dioxide, purify it,
and produce MOX-ready plutonium dioxide; 2) mix the purified plutonium
dioxide with depleted uranium dioxide; 3) form MOX fuel pellets and load
them into fuel rods; 4) fabricate MOX fuel assemblies; and 5) ship
completed fuel assemblies to commercial nuclear power reactors in South
Carolina and North Carolina.

**The Contractor Role**

The PDP facilities are currently in varying stages of design completion,
with their physical location planned for adjacent sites northeast of
F-Area. The contractor will assume a support role in the MFFF by
performing two essential functions. The first is to participate in the
MFFF design review and provide insights relating to site-specific
engineering activities, plutonium handling, and nuclear facility
operations on a DOE site. The second is to provide support to DCS for
the integration of the MFFF with SRS. This entails providing utilities
and support services to the MFFF and incorporating the MFFF into the SRS
operating infrastructure, including emergency planning, emergency
response, site badging, site communications, permitting, other site-wide
functions (including studies relating to the MFFF as directed by NNSA
for the Federal Project Director). Further, as part of landlord duties,
the contractor will be design authority for infrastructure elements that
interface with SRS. Support to DCS will be provided through DOE-SR's
contract with the contractor and will be specifically documented through
the Work Task Authorization Process. The contractor's effort supporting
the MFFF is funded by NNSA through the Annual Operating Plan.

**In summary, the work includes:**

-   providing site services (such as utilities and fire and emergency
    response);

-   maintaining existing infrastructure systems from locations in F-Area
    to specified points at MOX site boundaries; and

-   providing engineering and technical support to NNSA and DCS as
    outlined below.

**Engineering and technical support to NNSA and DCS**

[Support to NNSA includes:]{.underline}

-   Technical review of documents and designs

-   Evaluation of design and management alternatives

-   Technical and scientific studies

-   Links with the contractor organizations and resources

-   Interface to provide SRS infrastructure and utility support

-   Development of interface documents

-   Environmental and regulatory review

[Support to DCS includes:]{.underline}

-   Technical assistance where the contractor has process or regulatory
    related expertise or experience

-   Geotechnical consulting regarding site characteristics and
    site-specific seismic spectra

-   Integration of site specific environmental information into DCS
    design documents and regulatory submittals

-   Interpretation and implementation guidance and review of applicable
    DOE/NNSA requirements, especially Safeguards and Security, Material
    Control and Accountability, and cyber-security

-   Identifying requirements for interconnections and interfaces with
    ongoing operations.

**Contract Period Objective**

**Work Scope for 12-1-06 thru 09-30-11**

> During this period, the MFFF will be constructed and begin start-up
> testing

The contractor will provide support to NNSA that includes:

-   Program management, including value engineering studies, design
    alternative evaluations, and cost estimating or review

-   Increased Safeguards and Security support

-   Design Authority/design review support

-   Technical support, special studies and cost estimating and review

-   Site integration/protocol development

-   Site systems design authority and operations support

-   Project controls & scheduling

-   Technical studies, reviews, position papers, or subject matter
    experts, as required for the MFFF or Russian MOX Program, which
    could include some travel overseas

The contractor will provide support to DCS that includes:

-   Significant site interface with ongoing SRS operations

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-   Range of site services to DCS staff and construction forces

-   Support to the licensing function

-   Provide support to DCS as requested by approved Work Task
    Authorizations (WTAs) and Requests for Information (RFIs)

-   Access and services of the Savannah River Site Operating Center
    (SRSOC) and Emergency Operating Center (EOC) facilities

-   Services and functions requested from the contractor and approved by
    MOUs between NNSA and DOE-SR

-   Support from SRS operating organizations regarding necessary outages
    and coordinated planning

-   Construction support services (debris removal, special equipment
    loans, sanitary services, receiving and warehousing, equipment
    maintenance, fuel delivery)

-   Utility and telecommunication services

-   Direct support in performing construction where advantageous and
    cost effective

-   Expanded site services (training, badging, environmental sampling,
    and Health Physics)

**Work Scope for 10-01-11 thru 09-30-16**

> The work scope during this period includes facility startup and
> routine operation of the MFFF.

The contractor will provide support to NNSA that includes:

-   Program management support

-   Site integration

-   Site systems support

-   Technical studies, reviews, position papers, or subject matter
    experts, as required for the MFFF or Russian MOX Program, which
    could include some travel overseas

> The contractor will provide support to DCS that includes:

-   Routine interface with ongoing SRS operations

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-   Range of site services to DCS staff

-   Provide support to DCS as requested by approved Work Task
    Authorizations (WTAs) and Requests for Information (RFIs)

-   Access and services of the Savannah River Site Operating Center
    (SRSOC) and Emergency Operating Center (EOC) facilities

-   Services and functions requested from the contractor and approved by
    MOUs between NNSA and DOE-SR, including non-radioactive waste
    management services

-   Support from SRS operating organizations regarding necessary outages
    and coordinated planning

-   Utility and telecommunication services

-   Routine site services (training, badging, environmental sampling,
    medical, HP)

**Core Work Scope**

The core work scope consists of engineering, technical, and physical
support to DCS and NNSA.

**Optimized Work Scope**

The contractor's role is for support to DCS and NNSA. It is not expected
that there will be optimized work scope.

**Appendix A - System State at Contract Start 12-01-06**

-   Site preparation and rough grading for site are complete

-   Utility tie-ins for facility are complete and available

-   Construction on main MFFF facility has started with initial concrete
    placement

-   Software development continues

-   Plans for security, cyber-security, and infrastructure management
    are complete

-   Site is supplying temporary site utility services to the MFFF site
    through temporary systems installed in FY05

**Appendix B - Assumptions**

-   Adequate funding will be available to support resource requirements
    and project schedule.

-   Plutonium oxide of the requisite quality is available to satisfy the
    MFFF demand to meet output requirements of 3.5 MT per year,
    primarily from the PDCF.

-   Site services, utilities, and infrastructure will be available to
    support the facility through its life cycle.

-   Low level radioactive, hazardous, and TRU waste disposal
    capabilities will be managed by the PDP program in the Waste
    Solidification Building.

**Appendix C - Risks**

-   Schedule depends on obtaining adequate funding through the Federal
    Budget Process.

-   Design of the MFFF is not complete at this time. Although based on a
    successful French facility design, process changes have changed the
    technical basis for the plant design, making it a one-of-a-kind
    facility.

**Appendix D - Relevant MOX Documents**

**[Orders/SRIDs]{.underline}**

**[SRIPS/Manuals]{.underline}**

**[Regulatory Documents]{.underline}**

DOE NNSA, Amended Record of Decision for the Surplus Plutonium
Disposition Program, 67 FR 76, Office of the Federal Register,
Washington, DC, April 19, 2002

**[Authorization Basis (e.g. SAR/SER)]{.underline}**

**[Program Plans]{.underline}**

White House, Agreement Between the Government of the United States of
America and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning the
Management and Disposition of Plutonium Designated As No Longer Required
for Defense Purposes and Related Cooperation, Office of the Press
Secretary, September 1, 2000.

NNSA Strategic Plan, November 2004.

Nuclear Nonproliferation Programs Annual Operating Plan, FY05-10 Program
Work Scope, August 12, 2004

NNSA Office of Fissile Materials Disposition, MOX Fuel Fabrication
Facility Project Execution Plan, May, 2004.

[^1]: See Appendix C Risks.