Rockwell to Close Nuclear ‘Hot Lab’

Rockwell International has announced plans to close its nuclear “hot lab” at the Santa Susana field laboratory west of Chatsworth, which had become a lightning rod for protests by neighborhood and anti-nuclear activists.

Rockwell, which has been seeking a 10-year extension of a special nuclear materials license to operate the hot lab, said it will instead request renewal of the license only through next October to complete current work and will file a decontamination plan with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

In a prepared statement, Rockwell reiterated its contention--backed by state and federal environmental agencies--that the lab poses no immediate risk to the health of neighbors. But the company hopes “closure of the facility will allay concerns and will assure the public of our commitment to the community,” Rocketdyne President Bob Paster said.

The hot lab is a heavily shielded workshop where nuclear fuel and other radioactive materials are handled by remote control. The bulk of its work has been decladding--taking apart--nuclear fuel to remove the plutonium and uranium for recycling. The last decladding work was done in 1986.