Lessons learned in decommissioning the Sodium Reactor Experiment

The Sodium Reactor Experiment was decommissioned, and the objective of permitting the future unrestricted use of the building and site was attained. It was decommissioned using a variety of decontamination and dismantling techniques. This project involved the tasks of management, planning, engineering, tooling development, procedure development, mockup, contracts, personnel, training, sodium removal, nuclear systems dismantlement, remote cutting and handling, explosive cutting, safety and contamination control, exposure control, decontamination, excavation, sampling and survey, and waste management. To accomplish these tasks require making refinements and innovations in the decommissioning technology. Several lessons from the project will be useful to future decommissioning projects. 3 references, 17 figures, 1 table