An Overview and Pictorial Account of the Decommissioning of the University of Alberta SLOWPOKE-2 Reactor Facility – Parts I and II

The SLOWPOKE-2 nuclear reactor is a 20 kW (thermal), sealed-container, in-pool type research reactor designed by the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL). It was designed for use in universities, hospitals, and research institutes to serve as a safe, reliable, low-cost source of neutrons for elemental analysis, radionuclide production, and for teaching and training purposes. The original SLOWPOKE design utilised HEU fuel (93% ²³⁵U-enrichment). In the early 1980s, AECL redesigned the reactor fuel to use LEU for use when commissioning new SLOWPOKE reactors and, when necessary, for refueling existing SLOWPOKE reactors.

The University of Alberta (UofA) SLOWPOKE-2 reactor (HEU fuelled) was installed in the Dentistry-Pharmacy Building on campus in April 1977 and operated, trouble-free, for over 40 years before being decommissioned in the summer of 2017. Under the Canadian Nuclear Safety Control Act (NSCA) SLOWPOKE is classified as a Class 1A nuclear facility. The decommissioning of Class IA and Class II nuclear facilities share many features in common. However, certain aspects central to  decommissioning a Class IA nuclear facility do not apply to Class II facilities.

This presentation consists of two parts:

Part I provides an overview of the regulatory requirements covering the decommissioning of the University of Alberta SLOWPOKE Facility. Emphasis is placed on the unique considerations involved in decommissioning a Class IA nuclear facility, such as reactor defueling, transportation of used HEU fuel, International Safeguards and IAEA involvement.

Part II of the presentation takes a visual approach, presenting a chronological slideshow documenting the physical stages of the decommissioning of the UofA SLOWPOKE-2 Facility. This section provides a detailed journey from the initial preparatory steps to ready the site, through to the ultimate release of the site from CNSC regulatory control.