History

The Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC) is comprised of approximately 3,300 acres approximately 35 miles south of Buffalo, New York. The site, which is managed by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on behalf of the State of New York, was the home of the nation's only commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing facility.

Approximately 600 metric tons of radioactive fuel from nuclear reactors was reprocessed at the West Valley facility between 1966 and 1972. In addition to the reusable uranium and plutonium that was extracted from the fuel and shipped off site, approximately 660,000 gallons of highly radioactive liquid waste by-product was produced during the process and placed in underground storage tanks at the West Valley facility.

In 1980, Congress passed and President Jimmy Carter signed The West Valley Demonstration Project Act, Public Law 96-368. Key elements of the Act include solidification of the high-level radioactive waste that resulted from nuclear fuel reprocessing and decontamination and decommissioning of the facilities used in conjunction with the Project.

High-level waste solidification was completed in 2002. Work at the site is now concentrated on decontamination and decommissioning at the West Valley site.