Eric Howes Maine Yankee spokesman (seated at table at right) Eric Howes talks about the Nuclear Policy Act of 1999 at a meeting of the Community Advisory Panel Monday night. (Photo Aaron C. Miller)

If the U.S. Senate bill passes, it would allow the Department of Energy (D.O.E.) to start taking nuclear waste from facilities all over the nation in 2004.

"Throughout the year, because of a variety of interest groups, the bill got watered down," Maine Yankee spokesman Eric Howes said this week.

"It still requires the D.O.E. to take the waste, but it does not set milestones. The legislation lacks teeth. If they don't meet the milestones then they will come back to Congress and tell them why, but nothing forces them to meet the milestones."

At Monday evening's Maine Yankee Community Advisory Panel (C.A.P.) meeting Vice President of Law and Governmental Affairs Mary Ann Lynch said the bill is not likely to pass.

"If it does pass," she said. "It's almost certain that it will get vetoed because of politics."

According to Howes, President Bill Clinton has indicated he will veto the bill.

The bill was not acted on in the last session of Congress; however, it may come up in the next session which begins in January.

Decommissioning Activities

Stone & Webster Project Manager Chuck Lepisto informed members of the C.A.P. that there are a total of 345 staff members working for Stone & Webster along with 132 workers working for Maine Yankee.

Stone & Webster has a $250 million contract with Maine Yankee to decommission the plant and build a dry storage facility.

Lepisto reported the former low-level waste building will become a security maintenance operations facility for the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI).

The ISFSI project, which has not been approved yet, will provide dry storage for the spent fuel currently maintained in Maine Yankee's fuel pool.

Wiscasset Town Planner and C.A.P. member Dan Thompson asked Lepisto what the critical path is, and what the policy constraints are on the potential project.

"They run with the N.R.C.," Lepisto said. "We have limited control as to what the N.R.C. time frame is. There is no flow of a critical path."

In other decommissioning news, Lepisto and Wayne Norton reported:

A 10' x 12' hole will be cut in the containment dome this week to remove large equipment.

The Turbine Hall is planned for demolition this spring (pending re-powering decisions).

The fuel pool inspection report is complete, which is currently in review. A non-fuel clean-up is scheduled for February.

70 percent of 40 inch pipes which are located in the containment dome called "large bore pipes" have been cut.

Phase One modifications started Monday, December 6, for the potential ISFSI project. Fencing has been torn down and excavations will begin next week for a storm drain line for the new security building.

This week Maine Yankee will apply for a permit to build a truck monitor facility.

Decommissioning Schedule 1999-2000

December 1999 Reactor Vessel - submit application to South Carolina. License Termination Plan (LTP) - after submittal to NRC, there will be a public comment period. Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall. Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) - phase one construction.

January 2000 ISFSI - same as above. LTP - same as above. Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall.

February 2000 Pressurize removal Reactor Vessel - container design complete. ISFSI - same as above. LTP-NRC public meeting. Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall.

March 2000 Pressurizer removal. Reactor Vessel - begin container fabrication. ISFSI LTP Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall.

April 2000 Pressurizer removal. Steam generator removal turbine/generator, condenser removal. ISFSI LTP Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall.

May 2000 Pressurizer removal. Steam generator removal turbine/generator, condenser removal. ship steam generators (barge #1). ISFSI - storage cask fabrication. LTP Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall.

June 2000 Pressurizer removal Steam generator removal turbine/generator removal. ship steam generator and pressurizer (barge #2). Reactor Vessel internal segmentation. ISFSI LTP - plan approval (?). Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall.

July 2000 turbine/generator, condenser removal. Reactor Vessel internal segmentation. ISFSI Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall.

August 2000 turbine/generator, condenser removal. Reactor Vessel internal segmentation. ISFSI Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall.

September 2000 turbine/generator, condenser removal. Reactor Vessel internal segmentation. ISFSI - delivery of transfer cask. Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall.

October 2000 Through December 2000 turbine/generator, condenser removal. Reactor Vessel internal segmentation. ISFSI Demolition and decontamination at containment dome, primary auxiliary building (PAB), and turbine hall.