A contingent of Canadian nuclear researchers, professionals, and stakeholders attended the annual inspection of the Hallam Decommissioned Reactor Site at the Sheldon Power Station in Hallam, Nebraska on April 4, 2018.

U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management (LM) and LM Support (LMS) staff hosted approximately 25 Canadian representatives associated with the decommissioning of the Whiteshell Nuclear research reactor in Manitoba, Canada for the site inspection. The group included individuals from the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, several representatives from Canada’s First Nations, and residents from the town of Pinawa, Manitoba.

The group was interested in observing LM’s annual site inspection process and gaining insight into monitoring requirements and lessons learned from the buried reactor at Hallam that may be applicable to the decommissioning of the Whiteshell reactor.

LM and LMS staff provided an overview of LM’s stewardship mission and elements of the Long-Term Surveillance Plan for the Hallam site. The group discussed inspection focus items as well as health and safety considerations before touring the site and conducting the inspection. LM staff and representatives from the Nebraska Public Power District responded to a variety of questions from the Canadian group on site monitoring and maintenance, community awareness and involvement, environmental protectiveness, and costs.