IRAQ MAKING ENCOURAGING PROGRESS ON NUCLEAR CLEAN-UP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 000419

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ISN/NESS, DAVID KENAGY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019
TAGS: TPHY SEVN ETRGY TSPL PARM ENRG KGIT KNNP KSCA
ISCI, IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ MAKING ENCOURAGING PROGRESS ON NUCLEAR
CLEAN-UP

REF: A. 08 BAGHDAD 1735

B. 08 BAGHDAD 2769

Classified By: ACTING CETI MICHAEL DODMAN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, C)

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Summary
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1. (SBU) The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) took
EconOffs, MNFI, and two visiting Texas Tech University (TTU)
Professors on a walking tour of the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research
Facility (TNRF) February 9 to assess the progress of MoST's
nuclear facility dismantlement and disposal project. The TTU
Professors, who visited TNRF several times in the past, were
effusive in their assessment of MoST's progress since the
clean-up project began in July 2008. MoST has the necessary
training and equipment to complete the next phase of the
decommissioning project but awaits regulatory go-ahead from
the Iraq Ministry of Environment. Beyond the next phase,
however, which should last approximately 6-8 months, Iraq
will require further technical assistance and training to
tackle the larger and more contaminated structures. Given
the positive momentum of this project and the international
credibility such success can bring to Iraq's government, the
Embassy will work with the NEA/I, ISN/NESS, and international
partners to find ways to continue building GOI capacity to
carry on this program. End summary.

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Background: The Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Facility
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2. (SBU) The Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Facility (TNRF),
located 15 kilometers southeast of Baghdad, was the nexus of
Saddam's nuclear weapons program. TNRF contains
approximately 45 buildings in various states of decay and
contamination, including the Osiraq nuclear reactor,
destroyed by the Israelis in 1981, and a Russian-built
research reactor destroyed during the First Gulf War. Under
Saddam, TNRF was administered by the Iraq Atomic Energy
Agency (now subsumed under the Ministry of Science and
Technology -- MoST). MoST now has responsibility for TNRF,
including administration, security, and decommissioning of
the contaminated structures.


3. (C) Since 2003, Embassy Baghdad and Coalition forces have
undertaken three significant TNRF projects. First, Project
MAXIMUS, conducted in June 2004 under Department of Defense
(DOD) lead, with nuclear work at Tuwaitha executed primarily
by Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Lab (DOE/ORNL).
Project MAXIMUS removed from Iraq about 1000 radioactive
sources of deemed proliferation risk which Iraq was not using
for medical or research purposes plus about 1700 kilograms of
low enriched uranium. The sources had been gathered from all
over the country and temporarily stored at TNRF. (Note:
Approximately 600 unwanted radioactive sources which cannot
be used for medical or research purposes remain in storage at
TNRF. End note.) Second, Project McCall, again under DOD
lead and execution of nuclear work by DOE/ORNL and coalition
forces, removed 550 metric tons of uranium oxide ("yellow
cake") from TNRF in June 2008 for transport and sale to a
Canadian nuclear fuel company (ref A). Finally, in July
2008, with the yellow cake safely removed, MoST commenced the
Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposal Program with
training and technical assistance of numerous international
partners including ISN/NESS, the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA),Department of Energy Sandia National Lab
(DOE/SNL),US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Civilian
Research and Development Foundation (CRDF),and Texas Tech
QResearch and Development Foundation (CRDF),and Texas Tech
University (TTU).


4. (SBU) Through 20 internationally funded and hosted
planning and training events since 2005, MoST, in cooperation
with the Ministry of Environment (MoEnv),has developed a
multi-phased project management plan for dismantlement of the
TNRF Active Metallurgy Testing Laboratory (LAMA),judged to
be a convenient training project for decommissioning workers
since contamination levels are very low (ref B). The four
phases of the LAMA decommissioning project are periphery
clean up of the huge 62,000 square meter facility,
dismantlement of the LAMA building, dismantlement of the
radioisotope handling "hot cells" (one-meter thick reinforced
high-density concrete),and finally, the LAMA basement. MoST
completed phase one in December 2008.

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Phase One of the LAMA Project Complete
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5. (SBU) On February 9, MoST officials took EconOffs, two
visiting TTU professors, and MNF-I Chemical, Biological,
Raiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Team Leader on a
tour of the TNRF to view the status of the LAMA
decommissioning project and review future decommissioning
plans. The TTU Professors, who visited the LAMA facility
several times in the past, were extremely impressed by MoST's
clean-up progress: The grounds had been completely cleared
of almost 500 tons of metal and concrete wreckage, including
separation into contaminated and uncontaminated debris. The
TTU professors confirmed that the uncontaminated debris had
no significant radioactive signature. The contaminated
debris, amounting to two barrels of soil, were packaged,
isolated, and clearly marked.


6. (SBU) MoST has submitted plans for phase two of the LAMA
facility decommissioning but awaits MoEnv approval to
commence the 6-month clean-up process. (Note: In a separate
meeting, MoEnv Radiation Protection Center (RPC) officials
told us that the RPC is awaiting MoST's report from phase one
before granting the go-ahead to commence phase two of the
LAMA clean-up. End note.) MoST envisions running other
nuclear decommissioning projects in parallel with the LAMA
facility, starting with a small undamaged nuclear fuel pilot
plant in Baghdad. MoST will then have enough experience to
commence cleanup of, in priority order, the larger
contaminated debris at TNRF, liquid waste tanks, and the TNRF
radiochemistry lab. MoST officials said that overall, there
are twelve nuclear sites throughout Iraq requiring
decommissioning or clean-up, with TNRF by far the largest.


7. (C) MoST officials took us on a walking tour of several
other areas within TNRF, including the radiochemistry lab.
TTU professors, using a handheld radiation detector, found a
beaker of dried material in an open safe which gave an
indication of a small contamination of 97% enriched uranium.
TTU professors have undertaken to identify a mechanism for
more detailed analysis of the contamination in question. In
past visits, the TTU professors have taken soil samples from
approximately 400 locations in TNRF, allowing them to create
a rough contamination map of the entire 3 square-kilometer
facility. We also visited the only remaining site they had
not previously sampled (the destroyed chemistry lab in the
west corner of TNRF) and took soil samples which in initial
on-site testing showed no contamination.

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The Way Forward?
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8. (SBU) MoST has the necessary training and equipment to
complete phase two of the LAMA decommissioning project as
well as the fuel pilot plant in Baghdad; they only require
regulatory go-ahead from the MoEnv RPC. MoST is providing
all funding for clean-up operations. Beyond those two
projects, when MoST must deal with the reinforced concrete
fuel handling cells in phase three of the LAMA project or the
large contaminated debris in TNRF, they will require further
technical assistance and training. The Iraq Parliament has
not yet approved the new draft law containing regulations and
standards governing waste management developed as part of the
international support program. Given the positive momentum
of this nuclear decommissioning project and the international
credibility such success can bring the GOI, the Embassy will
look for ways to continue building GOI capacity to carry on
this program, perhaps under the Strategic Framework Agreement
Qthis program, perhaps under the Strategic Framework Agreement
or a Science and Technology Agreement. ISN/NESS has a
recommended four-part plan for U.S. assistance, including
training to dismantle reinforced concrete structures
(including the LAMA hot cells),assistance in establishing a
radioanalysis lab (necessary to conduct their own
contamination analysis),waste management training, and
assistance to complete a master plan for nuclear
decommissioning, including waste disposal.


9. (U) Participant list:

Iraq:
- Dr. Faoud Shati -- Deputy Minister
- Dr. Talib Ebrahim -- Director General of Materials Science
- Mr. Adnan Jarjies -- Program Manager, Iraq Decommissioning
Program
- Dr. Mohammed Abbas -- MoST Advisor
- Mr. Dheyaa Hussein -- Deputy Manager, Iraq Decommissioning
Program
- Dr. Dr. Yousif Zaeir -- Deputy Manager, Iraq
Decommissioning Program
- Mr. Hadi Ibraheem Jassim -- LAMA Facility Project Manager

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United States Embassy:
- Prof. Carl Phillips -- TTU Center for Environmental
Radiation Studies
- Prof. Ron Chesser -- TTU Center for Environmental Radiation
Studies
- Michael Uyehara -- Econ Infrastructure and Energy Team
Leader
- LTC Jeff Kyburz -- MNFI CJ3 CBRNE Team Leader
- Roy Therrien -- ESTH Officer
BUTENIS