TA-2 Brief Description

4.2.1 Site Description TA-2 [Table 4-2 and Figure 4-2 (index map for TA-2)] is a relatively small site that encompasses approximately 4 acres (1.62 ha) in Los Alamos Canyon and contains 8 buildings. An 8-MW nuclear research reactor, which is awaiting D&D, is located at this site. 4.2.2 Facilities Description Completed in 1956, the Omega West Reactor (Building 1) operated until 1992, producing radioisotopes for experimental uses at the Laboratory. The reactor is currently in safe-shutdown mode, awaiting final D&D. The decommissioning process will produce contaminated and uncontaminated concrete, steel, and asbestos, as well as contaminated wood and other materials. All of the other structures at TA-2 supported reactor operations. Except for the office, none of the structures is currently in use. Three underground storage tanks were used for storing radioactive liquid waste, which was periodically pumped via pipeline or shipped in trucks to the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility (RLWTF) at TA-50. In 1992, a leak was detected in an underground cooling line, the defective portion of the line was removed, and the ends were sealed.   ©2004 lasg.org