Light Water Breeder Reactor fuel module disassembly at the Shippingport Atomic Power Station (LWBR Development Program)

After successfully operating for 29,047 effective full power hours, the Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) core was defueled prior to total decommissioning of the Shippingport Atomic Power Station. All nuclear fuel and much of the reactor internal hardware was removed from the reactor vessel and prepared for shipment to disposal sites or to the Naval Reactors Expended Core Facility in Idaho for examination, further disassembly, and final disposal. Fuel modules were partially disassembled at Shippingport. Seed module support shafts, reflector module seal blocks, and blanket module support tubes, seal blocks, and guide tube extensions were removed. This partial disassembly was required to enable the fuel modules to fit in M-130 shipping containers. No significant problems occurred during disassembly operations. Radiation and personnel exposure levels were carefully controlled