2024 Summary

Executive Summary

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (EHSS) publishes annual occupational radiation exposure reports to provide DOE Management, Program Offices, workers, health physicists, and other stakeholders an evaluation of DOE-wide performance regarding compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection (10 CFR 835) radiation exposure limits and adherence to as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) principles.

This report presents the results of analyses of occupational radiation exposures at DOE operations, including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), during calendar year (CY) 2024.  The report includes occupational radiation exposure information for over 84,000 DOE Federal employees, contractors, and subcontractors, and members of the public monitored for radiation exposure.  The 97 DOE organizations that submitted radiation exposure reports in CY 2024 have been grouped into 33 sites.  The information has been analyzed to provide a measure of DOE’s performance in protecting workers and individuals who have entered controlled areas.

Individuals who have the potential to be exposed to radiation at a DOE facility are required to be monitored in accordance with 10 CFR 835, Subpart E.  The exposure monitoring data are used to determine the radiation dose received by the individual, which is reported to DOE through the DOE Radiation Exposure Monitoring System (REMS) in accordance with DOE Order 231.1B Admin Chg 1, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting. 

Unless otherwise specified, the term “dose” used in this report refers to the total effective dose (TED) and is measured in units of “rem” (derived from the phrase Roentgen equivalent man).  The sievert (Sv) is the international unit of effective dose, where 1 Sv is equal to 100 rem and 1 rem is, therefore, equal to 10 millisieverts (mSv).  TED is the summation of the effective dose from sources of radiation that are external and internal to the body.  The committed effective dose (CED) is the dose resulting from radioactive material taken into the body and is commonly referred to as internal dose.  The term “collective dose” is the sum of the individual doses received by a group of individuals and is shown in units of “person-rem.”

Analysis of the collected exposure data for CY 2024 indicates that:

  • DOE operations were compliant with regulatory radiation protection requirements, as no exposures were reported to have exceeded the occupational dose limit of 5 rem (50 mSv) TED; and
  • Only 19 percent of the monitored individuals received a measurable dose (a detectable dose greater than zero), and, of those, the average measurable dose received was 1 percent of the 5 rem (50 mSv) TED limit.

In addition, from CY 2023 to CY 2024:

  • The collective TED decreased by 2 percent to 926.8 person-rem (9,268 person-mSv);
  • The number of individuals with measurable dose decreased by 12 percent from 18,473 individuals to 16,308 individuals;
  • Collective CED (internal exposure) increased by 4 percent to 43.2 person-rem (432 person-mSv); and
  • Collective TED for transient individuals decreased by 27 percent to 21.6 person-rem (216 person-mSv).

The collective dose at DOE facilities has decreased by 89 percent since CY 1986.  This coincides with the end of the Cold War era, which shifted the DOE mission from weapons production to stabilization, waste management, and environmental remediation activities, along with the consolidation and remediation of facilities across the complex to meet the new mission. 

In alignment with the change in mission, regulations and requirements have been modified (see Section 2) that reinforce DOE’s focus on ALARA practices and risk reduction to lower occupational radiation dose.

Over the past 5 years, only one monitored individual, at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), received a dose above the 2 rem (20 mSv) TED administrative control level [1].

  • In CY 2020, an individual received a TED of 3.0 rem (30 mSv) after an airborne release of radioactive material. The individual received an internal dose during the incident in which skin contamination and positive nasal smears were detected.  The source of the contamination was determined to be a breach of a protective glove inside a glovebox. 

Details of this incident are available in the occurrence report NA--LASO-LANL-TA55-2020.

This report and other information regarding DOE occupational radiation exposure may be accessed at:

https://www.energy.gov/ehss/occupational-radiation-exposure

DOE Complex Wide

The U.S. Department of Energy Occupational Radiation Exposure Report for Calendar 2024 presents the results of analyses of occupational radiation exposures at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) operations, during calendar year 2024.  This report includes occupational radiation exposure data for over 84,000 DOE Federal employees, contractors, and subcontractors, as well as members of the public who have worked in or entered controlled areas monitored for exposure to radiation.

  • Components of TED

    Components of TED infographic
    • The collective TED decreased by 2 percent from 949.4 person-rem (9,494 person-mSv) in CY 2023 to 926.8 person‑rem (9,268 person-mSv) in CY 2024, with LANL, Savannah River, Oak Ridge, Idaho, and Hanford contributing 86 percent of the total DOE collective TED.
    • The internal dose component of the collective TED increased by 4 percent from 41.6 person‑rem (416 person‑mSv) in CY 2023 to 43.2 person‑rem (432 person‑mSv) in CY 2024 due to an increase at the Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex.
    • The collective photon dose decreased by 6 percent from 686.0 person‑rem (6,860 person‑mSv) in CY 2023 to 648.2 person-rem (6,482 person-mSv) in CY 2024 due to decreases at Savannah River Site and Hanford.
    • The neutron component of the collective TED increased by 6 percent from 221.8 person‑rem (2,218 person‑mSv) in CY 2023 to 235.4 person-rem (2,354 person‑mSv) in CY 2024.  The increase in CY 2024 resulted primarily from an increase in collective neutron dose at Los Alamos National Lab (LANL).
    • Seventeen of the 33 DOE sites reported decreases in the collective TED from the CY 2023 values, and 16 of the 33 DOE sites reported increases in the collective TED from CY 2023 values.
    • The five sites that contributed most (86 percent) of the DOE collective TED in CY 2024 were (in descending order of collective TED):  LANL—35 percent; Savannah River—19 percent (including Savannah River National Laboratory and Savannah River Site [SRS]); Oak Ridge—14 percent (including East Tennessee Technology Park [ETTP], Y-12, ORNL, and Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education [ORISE]); Idaho—13 percent (including Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project [AMWTP], Idaho Cleanup Project [ICP], and Idaho National Laboratory [INL]); and Hanford—5 percent.

    ED-Neutron by Site - 2020

    Site Person-rem Percent
    LANL 113.91 68.98%
    SRS 18.807 11.39%
    Pantex Plant 15.295 9.26%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 8.336 5.05%
    All Other 8.790 5.32%

    ED-Photon by Site - 2020

    Site Person-rem Percent
    LANL 116.186 21.94%
    Pantex Plant 98.614 18.62%
    SRS 93.406 17.64%
    Idaho 78.381 14.80%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 39.330 7.43%
    Hanford: ORP 12.863 2.43%
    SRNL 11.227 2.12%
    All Other 79.619 15.03%

    CED by Site - 2020

    Site Person-rem Percent
    Oak Ridge:Y-12 50.821 90.63%
    LANL 2.640 4.71%
    UMTRA 2.329 4.15%
    All Other 0.288 0.51%

    ED-Neutron by Site - 2021

    Site Person-rem Percent
    LANL 134.723 77.69%
    LLNL 17.68 10.20%
    Pantex 12.62 7.28%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 10.36 5.97%
    SRS 6.11 3.52%
    All Other 3.645 2.10%

    ED-Photon by Site - 2021

    Site Person-rem Percent
    LANL 168.265 27.74%
    SRS 131.704 21.71%
    Idaho 107.696 17.75%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 43.013 7.09%
    Hanford: ORP 27.426 4.52%
    Hanford: PNNL 17.127 2.82%
    SRNL 14.866 2.45%
    Hanford: Hanford Site 13.139 2.17%
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 12.352 2.04%
    WVDP 12.145 2.00%
    All Other 60.957 10.05%

    CED by Site - 2021

    Site Person-rem Percent
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 41.680 95.18%
    UMTRA Project 1.314 3.00%
    All Other 0.795 1.82%

    ED-Photon by Site - 2022

    Site Person-rem Percent
    LANL 189.322 30.82%
    SRS 116.698 19.00%
    Idaho 82.947 13.50%
    ORNL 51.444 8.37%
    PNNL 33.264 5.42%
    ORP 22.539 3.67%
    Hanford Site 15.807 2.57%
    Y-12 13.281 2.16%
    Pantex 13.278 2.11%
    WVDP 12.946 2.11%
    All Other 50.466 8.22%

    ED-Neutron by Site - 2022

    Site Person-rem Percent
    LANL 182.075 78.96%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 13.93 6.04%
    Pantex 12.631 5.48%
    SRS 11.320 4.91%
    LLNL 8.421 3.65%
    All Other 3.652 1.58%

    CED by Site - 2022

    Site Person-rem Percent
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 43.806 95.64%
    UMTRA Project 1.185 2.59%
    All Other 0.814 1.78%

    ED-Photon by Site - 2023

    Site Person-rem Percent
    SRS 200.935 29.29%
    LANL 152.626 22.25%
    Idaho 98.488 14.36%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 55.914 8.15%
    Hanford: Hanford Site 21.878 3.19%
    LLNL 20.801 3.03%
    Hanford: ORP 20.366 2.97%
    Hanford: PNNL 18.488 2.69%
    Pantex 16.541 2.41%
    SRNL 15.313 2.23%
    All Other 64.728 9.43%

    ED-Neutron by Site - 2023

    Site Person-rem Percent
    LANL 158.763 71.59%
    Pantex 23.635 10.66%
    SRS 16.02 7.22%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 10.704 4.83%
    LLNL 7.095 3.20%
    All Other 5.537 2.50%

    CED by Site - 2023

    Site Person-rem Percent
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 38.757 93.25%
    UMTRA Project 2.346 5.64%
    All Other 0.460 1.11%

    ED-Photon by Site - 2024

    Site Person-rem Percent
    SRS 154.216 23.79%
    LANL 144.468 22.29%
    Idaho 122.168 18.85%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 64.104 9.89%
    LLNL 20.565 3.17%
    Hanford: PNNL 16.598 2.56%
    Hanford: ORP 14.492 2.24%
    Pantex 13.789 2.13%
    All Other 97.757 15.08%

    ED-Neutron by Site - 2024

    Site Person-rem Percent
    LANL 183.118 77.78%
    Pantex 20.416 8.67%
    SRS 12.860 5.46%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 8.055 3.42%
    All Other 10.992 4.67%

    CED by Site - 2024

    Site Person-rem Percent
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 41.853 96.78%
    All Other 1.392 3.22%

  • Collective CED by Radionuclide

    Collective CED by Radionuclide infographic
    • Uranium-234 (U‑234) accounted for the largest percentage of the collective CED.
    • Ninety-nine percent of this dose was accrued at Y-12 due to Enriched Uranium Operations.

    Collective CED (person-rem)

    Radionuclide Site 2024 %
    U-234 Oak Ridge: Y-12 41.839 98.5%
    U-234 PGDP 0.119 0.3%

    Collective CED (person-rem)

    Radionuclide Site 2024 %
    H-3 Oak Ridge: ORNL 0.037 0.1%
    H-3 LANL 0.035 0.1%
    H-3 LLNL 0.032 0.1%
    H-3 SRNL 0.021 0.0%
    H-3 Oak Ridge: Y-12 0.002 0.0%

    Collective CED (person-rem)

    Radionuclide Site 2024 %
    U-238 PGDP 0.1 0.2%

    Collective CED (person-rem)

    Radionuclide Site 2024 %
    Am-241 Idaho 0.051 0.1%
    C-14 LANL 0.035 0.1%
    MIX Hanford: Hanford Site 0.003 0.0%
    Np-237 Oak Ridge: Y-12 0.012 0.0%
    Pu-238 Idaho 0.007 0.0%
    Pu-239 SNL 0.034 0.1%
    Pu-239 INL 0.01 0.0%
    U TOTAL LANL 0.003 0.0%
    U-233 Service Center Personnel 0.002 0.0%
    U-235 PGDP 0.004 0.0%

  • Number of Individuals with Measurable CED, Collective CED, and Average Measurable CED

    Number of Individuals with Measurable CED, Collective CED, and Average Measurable CED infographic
    • The number of individuals with measurable CED increased 6 percent from 1,333 in CY 2023 to 1,419 in CY 2024, and the collective CED increased by 4 percent.
    • The average measurable CED per deposition decreased 3 percent from 0.031 rem (0.310 mSv) in CY 2023 to 0.030 rem (0.300 mSv) in CY 2024.  Both the collective CED and the average measurable CED remained below the 5-year averages.
    • Ninety-seven percent of the collective CED in CY 2024 was from uranium intakes at Y-12 during the operation and management of Enriched Uranium Operations facilities at the site.

    Number of Internal Depositions

    Site 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
    Hanford: Hanford Site 0 0 1 5 1
    Hanford: PNNL 1 0 0 0 0
    Idaho 4 1 1 0 1
    LLNL 1 3 2 1 0
    LANL 26 27 32 27 39
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 0 2 1 2 1
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 1,222 1,130 1,201 1,226 1,314
    PGDP 5 14 10 10 9
    PPPL 0 0 14 0 0
    SNL 8 6 9 2 9
    SRNL 0 0 3 0 0
    SRS 9 3 5 2 6
    Service Center Personnel 0 0 1 0 0
    UMTRA 52 54 47 58 38
    WVDP 0 0 0 0 1
    Total 1.328 1,240 1,327 1,333 1,419

    Collective CED (person-rem)

    Site 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
    Hanford: Hanford Site 0.000 0.000 0.004 0.008 0.003
    Hanford: PNNL 0.014 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
    Idaho 0.059 0.012 0.032 0.000 0.069
    LLNL 0.056 0.152 0.062 0.011 0.000
    LANL 2.640 0.198 0.103 0.117 0.150
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 0.000 0.082 0.019 0.070 0.039
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 51.644 41.680 43.806 38.757 41.853
    PGDP 0.096 0.257 0.261 0.212 0.224
    PPPL 0.000 0.000 0.035 0.000 0.000
    SNL 0.051 0.068 0.027 0.024 0.072
    SRNL 0.000 0.000 0.191 0.000 0.000
    SRS 0.034 0.026 0.044 0.018 0.021
    Service Center Personnel 0.000 0.000 0.036 0.000 0.000
    UMTRA 2.929 1.314 1.185 2.346 0.660
    WVDP 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.154
    Total 57.523 43.789 45.805 41.563 43.245

    Average Measurable CED per Deposition (rem)

    Site 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
    Hanford: Hanford Site 0.000 0.000 0.004 0.002 0.003
    Hanford: PNNL 0.014 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
    Idaho 0.015 0.012 0.032 0.000 0.069
    LLNL 0.056 0.051 0.031 0.011 0.000
    LANL 0.102 0.007 0.003 0.004 0.004
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 0.000 0.041 0.019 0.035 0.039
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 0.042 0.037 0.036 0.032 0.032
    PGDP 0.019 0.018 0.026 0.000 0.025
    PPPL 0.000 0.000 0.002 0.000 0.000
    SNL 0.006 0.011 0.003 0.012 0.008
    SRNL 0.000 0.000 0.064 0.000 0.000
    SRS 0.004 0.009 0.009 0.009 0.004
    Service Center Personnel 0.000 0.000 0.036 0.000 0.000
    UMTRA 0.056 0.024 0.025 0.040 0.017
    WVDP 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.154
    Cumulative Average 0.043 0.035 0.035 0.031 0.030

  • Average Measurable TED

    Average Measurable TED infographic
    • The average measurable dose to DOE monitored individuals, a key radiation dose indicator, is calculated by dividing the collective TED by the number of individuals with measurable dose.  
    • The average measurable TED increased by 12 percent from 0.051 rem (0.510 mSv) in CY 2023 to 0.057 rem (0.570 mSv) in CY 2024.

    Average TED by Site for 2020

    Site Rem Site Rem
    UMTRA 0.126 Ames Laboratory 0.026
    LANL 0.092 SRNL 0.026
    Service Center Personnel 0.092 NNSS 0.025
    WVDP 0.079 PGDP 0.023
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 0.078 Hanford: PNNL 0.021
    SLAC 0.073 Hanford: Hanford Site 0.020
    ANL 0.071 WIPP 0.017
    LBNL 0.060 OST 0.012
    LLNL 0.059 BNL 0.010
    Idaho 0.048 NREL 0.008
    Fermilab 0.047 Oak Ridge: ETTP 0.007
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 0.042 ETEC 0.006
    SNL 0.037 KC-NSC 0.005
    Pantex Plant 0.032 PPPL 0.004
    Hanford: ORP 0.029 Grand Junction Site 0.003
    TJNAF 0.028
    PGDP 0.027
    SRS 0.027

    Average TED by Site for 2021

    Site Rem Site Rem
    UMTRA 0.121 SNL 0.029
    WVDP 0.112 PORTS 0.029
    LLNL 0.101 Hanford: Hanford Site 0.028
    Service Center Personnel 0.093 PGDP 0.027
    LANL 0.072 Ames 0.024
    Idaho 0.069 WIPP 0.016
    ANL 0.067 BNL 0.016
    Pantex 0.059 OST 0.014
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 0.055 KC-NSC 0.014
    NNSS 0.048 Oak Ridge: ORISE 0.013
    LBNL 0.045 SPRU 0.012
    TJNAF 0.041 Oak Ridge: ETTP 0.009
    Hanford: ORP 0.039 Grand Junction Site 0.006
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 0.038 PPPL 0.005
    Hanford: PNNL 0.032 NREL 0.000
    Fermi 0.031 SLAC 0.000
    SRNL 0.031
    SRS 0.030

    Average TED by Site for 2022

    Site Rem Site Rem
    WVDP 0.109 PORTS 0.032
    LLNL 0.092 Hanford: Hanford Site 0.031
    LANL 0.083 SRS 0.031
    UMTRA 0.078 Service Center Personnel 0.029
    ANL 0.075 BNL 0.023
    Hanford: PNNL 0.062 Ames 0.022
    Fermi 0.061 SRNL 0.021
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 0.060 WIPP 0.018
    NNSS 0.054 SPRU 0.016
    Pantex 0.054 TJNAF 0.016
    Idaho 0.053 Oak Ridge: ETTP 0.011
    OST 0.052 Oak Ridge: ORISE 0.010
    SNL 0.051 PPPL 0.005
    LBNL 0.041 Grand Junction Site 0.003
    Hanford: ORP 0.040 KC-NSC 0.003
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 0.036 NREL 0.002
    PGDP 0.036

    Average TED by Site for 2023

    Site Rem Site Rem
    LLNL 0.084 BNL 0.033
    LANL 0.083 Oak Ridge: Y-12 0.032
    Pantex 0.071 SRNL 0.029
    SNL 0.071 Hanford: PNNL 0.028
    UMTRA 0.071 Ames 0.023
    Idaho 0.059 SLAC 0.018
    WVDP 0.059 WIPP 0.018
    NNSS 0.055 TJNAF 0.017
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 0.055 Oak Ridge: ORISE 0.016
    Hanford: Hanford Site 0.047 SPRU 0.013
    LBNL 0.043 OST 0.012
    PGDP 0.043 Oak Ridge: ETTP 0.010
    ANL 0.039 PPPL 0.007
    Fermi 0.039 KCNSC 0.005
    Hanford: ORP 0.039 NREL 0.003
    PORTS 0.039 Grand Junction Site 0.002
    Service Center Personnel 0.039
    SRS 0.038

    Average TED by Site for 2024

    Site Rem Site Rem
    Service Center Personnel 0.128 SRS 0.040
    LANL 0.098 PORTS 0.039
    OST 0.098 Hanford: ORP 0.033
    LBNL 0.073 Oak Ridge: Y-12 0.033
    Pantex 0.070 Fermi 0.031
    Idaho 0.067 Hanford: Hanford Site 0.029
    LLNL 0.067 Ames 0.023
    WVDP 0.065 SRNL 0.023
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 0.062 WIPP 0.018
    PGDP 0.061 TJNAF 0.016
    NNSS 0.058 KCNSC 0.015
    UMTRA 0.055 Oak Ridge: ETTP 0.012
    SNL 0.051 SPRU 0.011
    Hanford: PNNL 0.047 Oak Ridge: ORISE 0.008
    BNL 0.045 PPPL 0.005
    SLAC 0.045 Grand Junction Site 0.001
    ANL 0.044 NREL 0.001

  • Air Sampling Measurements

    Air Sampling Measurements infographic
    • “Air Sampling” accounted for 9 percent of the total measurements.
    • Savannah River Site performed the largest number of air sampling measurements, comprising 99 percent of the total air measurements taken in CY 2024.

    Note: The numbers shown are based on the number of measurements taken and not the number of individuals monitored. Measurements reported in "Air Sampling" are used to calculate the amount of airborne radioactive material taken into the body and the resultant internal dose.

    Air Sampling — Number of Measurements for 2020

    Site Number % of Total
    Hanford: Hanford Site 0 0.00%
    Idaho 0 0.00%
    LLNL 0 0.00%
    NNSS - 0.00%
    Pantex Plant 505 91.5%
    SNL 78 1.41%
    SRS 4,907 88.86%
    WIPP 32 0.58%
    Annual Total 5,522 100%

    Air Sampling — Number of Measurements for 2021

    Site Number % of Total
    Hanford: Hanford Site 0 0.00%
    Idaho 0 0.00%
    LLNL 0 0.00%
    NNSS - 0.00%
    Pantex Plant - 0.00%
    SNL 28 0.62%
    SRS 4,494 99.38%
    WIPP 0 0.00%
    Annual Total 4,522 100%

    Air Sampling — Number of Measurements for 2022

    Site Number % of Total
    Hanford: Hanford Site 0 0.00%
    Idaho 0 0.00%
    LLNL 0 0.00%
    NNSS - 0.00%
    Pantex Plant - 0.00%
    SNL 78 1.56%
    SRS 4,910 98.44%
    WIPP 0 0.00%
    Annual Total 4,988 100%

    Air Sampling — Number of Measurements for 2023

    Site Number % of Total
    Hanford: Hanford Site 0 0.00%
    Idaho 0 0.00%
    LLNL 0 0.00%
    NNSS - 0.00%
    Pantex Plant - 0.00%
    SNL 49 0.82%
    SRS 5,935 99.18%
    WIPP 0 0.00%
    Annual Total 5,984 100%

    Air Sampling — Number of Measurements for 2024

    Site Number % of Total
    Hanford: Hanford Site 0 0.00%
    Idaho 0 0.00%
    LLNL 0 0.00%
    NNSS 0 0.00%
    Pantex Plant 0 0.00%
    SNL 60 0.96%
    SRS 6,218 99.04%
    WIPP 0 0.00%
    Annual Total 6,278 100%

  • Bioassay Measurements

    Bioassay Measurements infographic
    • Four sites—Hanford Site, Office of River Protection (ORP), ORNL, and Savannah River Site—accounted for 85 percent of the “In Vivo” measurements.
    • Seventy-seven percent of the “Urinalysis” measurements in CY 2024 were performed at four sites: Y-12, LANL, Pantex Plant and Savannah River Site.
    • Y-12 and LANL had the largest percentage increases in the number of “Urinalysis” measurements in CY 2024.
    • Y-12 performed the largest number of bioassay and air sampling measurements combined, comprising 30 percent of the total measurements taken.

    Note: The numbers shown are based on the number of measurements taken and not the number of individuals monitored. The measurements reported as “In Vivo” include direct measurements of the radioactive material in the body of the monitored person. Examples of “In Vivo” measurements include whole body counts and lung or thyroid counts.

    Urinalysis — Number of Measurements

    Site 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
    Number % of Total Number % of Total Number % of Total Number % of Total Number % of Total
    ANL 301 1.1% 268 0.8% 283 0.8%

    241

    		 0.8% 280 0.8%
    BNL 10 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
    Hanford: Hanford Site 1,717 6.2% 2,309 7.2% 2,681 8.0% 3,122 10.9% 2,140 10.9%
    Hanford: ORP 1,556 5.6% 1,973 6.2% 1,821 5.4% 2,109 7.4% 1,798 7.4%
    Hanford: PNNL 935 3.4% 1,001 3.1% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 1,247 0.0%
    Idaho 480 1.7% 558 1.7% 358 1.1% 476 1.7% 569 1.7%
    LBNL - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 0.0%
    LLNL 1,109 4.0% 1,109 3.5% 1,278 3.8% 1,404 4.9% 0 4.9%
    LANL 6,251 22.5% 6,861 21.5% 7,471 22.3% 9,267 32.3% 10,308 32.3%
    NNSS - 0.0% 437 1.4% 154 0.5% 219 0.8% 56 0.8%
    Oak Ridge: ETTP 48 0.2% 17 0.1% 51 0.2% 68 0.2% 76 0.2%
    Oak Ridge: ORISE 34 0.1% 29 0.1% 81 0.2% 27 0.1% 27 0.1%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 698 2.5% 754 2.4% 976 2.9% 1,283 4.5% 2,026 4.5%
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 8,228 29.6% 9,500 29.7% 10,698 32.0% 2,123 7.4% 13,193 7.4%
    PGDP 1,053 3.8% 1,602 5.0% 1,882 5.6% 2,160 7.5% 2,107 7.5%
    Pantex Plant 4,309 13.4% 5,021 13.6% 5,779 14.8%

    7,514

    		 20.8% 7,592 20.8%
    PPPL - 0.0% - 0.0% 64 0.2% - 0.0% 0 0.0%
    PORTS - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% 0 0.0%
    SNL 370 1.3% 395 1.2% 367 1.1% 366 1.3% 314 1.3%
    SRS 4,377 15.7% 4,926 15.4% 4,882 14.6% 4,101 14.3% 6,121 14.3%
    SPRU - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% 0 0.0%
    Service Center Personnel 538 1.9% 120 0.4% 88 0.3% 1,459 5.1% 109 5.1%
    WIPP - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% 0 0.0%
    WVDP 108 0.4% 102 0.3% 125 0.4% 161 0.6% 164 0.6%
    Annual Total 27,813 100% 31,961 100% 33,428 100% 28,673 100% 47,360 100%

    In Vivo — Number of Measurements

    Site 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
    Number % of Total Number % of Total Number % of Total Number % of Total Number % of Total
    ANL - 0.0% 3 0.0% 4 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0%
    BNL 95 1.2% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0%
    Hanford: Hanford Site 2,423 30.3% 2,843 32.4% 2,860 29.9% 2,722 26.6% 2,550 24.3%
    Hanford: ORP 2,033 25.4% 2,164 24.7% 2,166 22.6% 2,182 21.3% 2,183 20.8%
    Hanford: PNNL - 0.0% 1 0.0% 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0%
    Idaho 258 3.2% 342 3.9% 340 3.6% 388 3.8% 311 3.0%
    LBNL - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0%
    LLNL 214 2.7% 214 2.4% 270 2.8% 274 2.7% 0.0%
    LANL 293 3.7% 282 3.2% 271 2.8% 267 2.6% 151 1.4%
    NNSS 0 0.0% 8 0.1% 6 0.1% - 0.0% 5 0.0%
    Oak Ridge: ETTP 7 0.1% - 0.0% 7 0.1% 3 0.0% 6 0.1%
    Oak Ridge: ORISE 0 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 519 6.5% 816 9.3% 987 10.3% 1,362 13.3% 2,345 22.3%
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 110 1.4% 75 0.9% 252 2.6% 560 5.5% 589 5.6%
    PGDP 0 0.0% - 0.0%
    Pantex Plant 0 0.0% - 0.0%
    PPPL 0 0.0% - 0.0% 5 0.1% - 0.0% - 0.0%
    PORTS 0 0.0% - 0.0%
    SNL 37 0.5% 19 0.2% 57 0.6% 48 0.5% 51 0.5%
    SRS 1,727 21.6% 1,801 20.5% 1,909 19.9% 1,946 19.0% 1,839 17.5%
    SPRU 0 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0%
    Service Center Personnel 11 0.1% 8 0.1% - 0.0% 9 0.1% - 0.0%
    WIPP 0 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0% - 0.0%
    WVDP 282 3.5% 193 2.2% 438 0.0% 481 4.7% 479 4.6%
    Annual Total 8,009 100% 8,.769 100% 9,575 100% 10,242 100% 10,509 100%

    Fecal — Number of Measurements

    Site 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
    Number % of Total Number % of Total Number % of Total Number % of Total Number % of Total
    ANL 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
    Hanford: Hanford Site 7 0.2% 12 0.4% 30 1.1% 63 2.2% 21 0.7%
    Hanford: ORP 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
    Hanford: PNNL 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 3 0.1%
    Idaho 150 4.5% 111 3.7% 155 5.5% 144 5.1% 114 3.5%
    LLNL 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
    LANL 4 0.1% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
    NNSS 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
    Oak Ridge: ORNL 0.0% 1 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
    Oak Ridge: Y-12 2,654 79.9% 2,876 95.9% 2,649 93.2% 2,622 92.7% 3,067 95.1%
    Pantex Plant 10 0.3% 22 0.7% 24 0.8% 49 1.7% 22 0.7%
    PPPL - 0.0% - 0.0% 5 0.2% - 0.0% - 0.0%
    SNL - 0.0% - 0.0% 4 0.1% - 0.0% - 0.0%
    SRS 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
    WIPP 507 15.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
    WVDP 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
    Annual Total 3,332 100% 3,000 100% 2,843 100% 2,829 100% 3,224 100%

Site Data

Changes that have the most impact on the overall values at DOE typically occur at sites with large collective TED.  For example, the collective TED at LANL increased from 311.506 person-rem (3,115 person-mSv) in CY 2023 to 327.736 person‑rem (3,277 person-mSv) in CY 2024. 

Seventeen of the 33 DOE sites reported decreases in the collective TED from the CY 2023 values, and 16 of the 33 DOE sites reported increases in the collective TED from the CY 2023 values.

Seventeen of the 33 reporting sites experienced decreases in the number of workers with a measurable TED from CY 2023 to 2024.  The largest decrease in total number of individuals with a measurable TED occurred at Savannah River Site, with a decrease of 1,482 individuals or 26 percent.  The second largest decrease in the total number of individuals with a measurable TED occurred at LANL, with a decrease of 404 individuals, or 11 percent. 

Sixteen of the 33 reporting sites experienced increases in the number of individuals with a measurable TED from CY 2023 to 2024.  The largest increase in the number of individuals receiving a measurable TED occurred at Idaho, with an increase of 138 individuals, or 8 percent.  

  • Collective TED by Site

    Collective TED by Site infographic
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    Ames 0.565 0.778 0.704
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    ANL 8.651 10.225 9.676
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    BNL 1.976 1.611 4.531
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    Fermilab 8.780 3.360 3.040
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    Grand Junction 0.013 0.003 0.004
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    Hanford Site 17.308 23.745 12.631
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    ORP 22.637 20.427 14.672
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    PNNL 33.264 18.488 16.598
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    Idaho 83.730 100.316 122.729
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    KC-NSC 0.110 0.312 0.845
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    LBNL 0.497 0.434 1.020
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    LLNL 22.621 27.907 24.999
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    LANL 371.500 311.506 327.736
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    NREL 0.005 0.003 0.001
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    NNSS 2.876 2.351 4.081
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    ETTP 0.701 0.577 0.829
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    ORISE 0.129 0.098 0.063
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    ORNL 65.393 66.688 72.198
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    Y-12 57.144 50.006 52.164
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    OST 0.157 0.048 0.786
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    PGDP 2.983 4.172 5.088
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    Pantex 25.909 40.176 34.205
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    PORTS 4.259 5.993 4.436
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    PPPL 0.255 0.336 0.280
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    SNL 6.477 7.959 9.181
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    SRNL 7.665 15.793 11.665
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    SRS 128.062 216.973 167.097
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    SPRU 0.016 0.013 0.011
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    SLAC 0.000 0.036 0.045
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    TJNAF 0.854 0.612 0.451
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    UMTRA 4.765 8.905 7.482
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    WIPP 0.449 0.163 0.268
    Site 2021 2022 2023
    WVDP 12.145 12.946 7.734
    Site 2022 2023 2024
    Site Totals 893.125 949.385 926.843

  • Site Dose Data Comparison

    Site Dose Data Comparison infographic
    2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
    Site Collective Ted
    (person-rem)    		 Percent Change from 2019 Collective Ted
    (person-rem)    		 Percent Change from 2020 Collective Ted
    (person-rem)    		 Percent Change from 2021 Collective Ted
    (person-rem)    		 Percent Change from 2022 Collective Ted
    (person-rem)    		 Percent Change from 2023
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		-47%
    		39%
    		35%
    		18%
    		-5%
    		-64%
    		◊
    		◊
    		-18%
    		181%
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊ — ◊
    		◊
    		11%
    		-22%
    		44%
    		-62%
    		-10%
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    Hanford:
    		-70%
    		54%
    		14%
    		37%
    		-47%
    		-45%
    		107%
    		-18%
    		-10%
    		-28%
    		-12%
    		101%
    		94%
    		-44%
    		-10%
    		5%
    		35%
    		-23%
    		20%
    		22%
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		-11%
    		99%
    		28%
    		23%
    		-10%
    		4%
    		30%
    		23%
    		-16%
    		5%
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		-7%
    		1%
    		58%
    		-18%
    		74%
    Oak Ridge:
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		-32%
    		12%
    		22%
    		2%
    		8%
    		-3%
    		-9%
    		5%
    		-12%
    		4%
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		-52%
    		-7%
    		21%
    		40%
    		22%
    		370%
    		-79%
    		9%
    		55%
    		-15%
    		-74%
    		83%
    		110%
    		43%
    		-7%
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		-38%
    		-6%
    		109%
    		23%
    		15%
    Savannah River:
    		-30%
    		27%
    		-49%
    		106%
    		-26%
    		-11%
    		23%
    		-7%
    		69%
    		-23%
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    3.116 ◊ 3.719 19% 0.428 ◊ 1.637 ◊ 7.432 354%
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		9%
    		-26%
    		-39%
    		87%
    		-12%
    		2%
    		14%
    		◊
    		◊
    		◊
    		-57%
    		37%
    		7%
    		-40%
    		12%
    Totals 750.096 0% 826.474 10% 893.125 8% 949.385 6% 926.843 -2%
    • Note: Bold and boxed values indicate the greatest value in each column.
    • ◊ The percentage change from the previous year is not shown because it is not meaningful when the site collective dose is less than 1 person-rem (10 person-mSv).
    • * Includes service center personnel from smaller facilities not associated with a DOE site.

Observations

During 2024

Increases in the dose and number of individuals with measurable dose were the result of increased activities involving radioactive materials, particularly at the DOE sites that comprise the majority of DOE collective dose.

  • DOE facilities continued to comply with DOE dose limits and ACL and worked to minimize exposure to individuals.
  • Although the number of monitored individuals continued to increase post-COVID, the percentage of individuals with measurable dose decreased slightly from 22 percent in CY 2023 to 19 percent in CY 2024.
  • The collective TED for transients decreased by 27 percent from 29.61 person-rem (296.1 mSv) in CY 2023 to 21.6 person-rem (216 person-mSv) in CY 2024.
  • The number of individuals with measurable dose decreased by 12 percent from a value of 18,473 in CY 2023 to a value of 16,308 in CY 2024.
  • The collective TED decreased at DOE by 2 percent from 949.4 person‑rem (9,494 person‑mSv) in CY 2023 to 926.8 person-rem (9,268 person-mSv) in CY 2024.
Over the past 5 years

In CY 2020, the collective TED for DOE decreased by less than 1 percent or 4 person-rem (40 person-mSv). Additionally, the majority (62 percent) of DOE facilities cited the COVID-19 pandemic as limiting operational activities in CY 2020. In CY 2021, the number of facilities citing the COVID-19 pandemic as limiting operational activities decreased from 62 percent to 53 percent. With the increase in the number of monitored individuals post-COVID, the percentage of individuals with measurable dose decreased to 22 percent in CY 2022 from 25 percent in CY 2021. In CY 2023, the collective TED increased by 6 percent from CY 2022, as 17 of the 33 sites reported increases in collective TED.

  • For 3 of the past 5 years, the collective dose was above the 5-year average of 869.2 person-rem.
  • For CY 2024, 52 percent of the DOE workforce was monitored for radiation dose, and 19 percent of monitored individuals received a measurable dose.
  • The number of individuals with measurable dose decreased 6 percent (decreased by 950 individuals) over the past 5 years.
  • The collective TED increased by 24 percent (increased by 123.4 person-rem) from CY 2020 to CY 2024.
Historical perspective

The average and collective dose at DOE facilities has experienced a dramatic (89 percent) decrease coinciding with the end of the Cold War era, due to:

  • The DOE mission shifts from weapons production to stabilization, waste management, and environmental remediation activities;
  • Consolidation and remediation of facilities across the complex to meet the new mission; and
  • Improved regulations with an increased focus on ALARA practices and risk reduction.

Historical perspective

infographic

1974

Policy

  • The Federal Administration Act of 1974 is signed, replacing the Federal Energy Office with the Federal Agency Administration.
  • Energy Research and Development Agency (ERDA) and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) created by Energy Reorganization Act of 1974.

1975

Sites

  • ERDA replaces AEC to manage the Hanford site. Expansion of the gaseous diffusion plant capability at Oak Ridge Operations Office.
  • Major reactor plant modification for installation of the Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) core at the Shippingport Atomic Power Station.

Geopolitical

  • Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Formally Split into Energy Research and Development Agency (ERDA) and NRC.
  • NRC Assumes AEC functions.

1976

Geopolitical

  • China conducts an atmospheric test (impacting the United States with environmental contamination issues).

1977

Sites

  • DOE assumes control of the Hanford site from ERDA.

Policy

  • The Department of Energy Organization Act is signed, abolishing the Federal Energy Administration and ERDA.
  • ERDA becomes the Department of Energy.
  • James R. Schlesinger sworn in as first Secretary of Energy.

Geopolitical

  • Publication of International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Report No. 26, Recommendations of the ICRP.

1979

Sites

  • Three DOE contractor employees at three separate facilities received whole-body dose equivalents greater than 5 rems during 1979.

Geopolitical

  • Three Mile Island {TMI) Reactor Accident.
  • Publication of ICRP Report 30, Limits for Intakes of Radionuclides by Workers.

1981

Policy

  • Reagan Administration announces a nuclear energy policy that anticipates the establishment of a facility for the storage of high-level radioactive waste and lifts the ban on commercial reprocessing of nuclear fuel.

1982

Policy

  • Congress passes the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA).

1984

Geopolitical

  • Radon gas problem identified in Pennsylvania (Reading Prong).

1986

Sites

  • Gaseous Diffusion Plant Shut Down (K-25).
  • Construction of Saltstone at SRS begins.

Policy

  • DOE Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) begins.
  • DOE Policy Change from Statistical Summary Reporting to Individual Dose Records for Each Worker — 1986-1987.
  • DOE Order 5480.11, Radiation Protection for Occupational Workers, in effect — 1985-1989.
  • Internal radionuclide intakes are converted to internal doses and results reported using Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE) methodology — 1985-1989.

Geopolitical

  • Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor Meltdown Occurred.

1987

Sites

  • N-Reactor Shut Down (RL).
  • C-Reactor Shut Down (SRS).
  • PUREX & UO3 Plants Shut Down (RL).

Policy

  • DOE Policy Change from Statistical Summary Reporting to Individual Dose Records for Each Worker — 1986-1987.
  • Issue of EPA Federal Guidance Policy Recommendations, Radiation Protection Guidance to Federal Agencies for Occupational Exposure.
  • Publication of National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements 91, Recommendations on Limits for Exposure to Ionizing Radiation.
  • DOE Order 5480.11, Radiation Protection for Occupational Workers, in effect — 1985-1989.
  • Internal radionuclide intakes are converted to internal doses and results reported using Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE) methodology — 1985-1989.

Geopolitical

  • Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty - December

1988

Sites

  • K-, L-, & P-Reactors Shut Down (SRS).
  • Bulk Shielding Reactor Shut Down (ORNL).

Policy

  • DOE promulgates DOE Order 5480.11, Radiation Protection for Occupational Workers.
  • EPA publishes Federal Guidance Report No. 11 (Environmental Protection Agency 520/1-88-020), Limiting Values of Radionuclide Intake and Air Concentration and Dose Conversion Factors for Inhalation, Submersion, and Ingestion.
  • DOE Order 5480.11, Radiation Protection for Occupational Workers, in effect — 1985-1989.
  • Internal radionuclide intakes are converted to internal doses and results reported using Annual Effective Dose Equivalent {AEDE) methodology — 1985-1989.

Geopolitical

  • DOE reports no DOE reactor is producing Tritium for nuclear weapons.

1989

Sites

  • Plutonium Fabrication Plant (PFP) Shut Down (RFETS).

Policy

  • DOE Implements both 1987 Federal Guidance and NCRP 91 in Order 5480.11.
  • November — Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Established.
  • DOE Order 5480.11, Radiation Protection for Occupational Workers, in effect — 1985-1989.
  • Internal radionuclide intakes are converted to internal doses and results reported using Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE) methodology — 1985-1989.

1990

Sites

  • High Pressure Tritium Facility Shut Down (LANL).

Geopolitical

  • Publication of ICRP 60, 1990 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

1991

Sites

  • Saltstone Waste Processing Begins (SRS).

Geopolitical

  • Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Signed.

1993

Sites

  • Idaho Chem. Processing Plant (ICPP) Work Scope Reduced (INEL).
  • Tower Shielding Reactor Shut Down (ORNL).

Policy

  • DOE RadCon Manual (DOE/EH-0256T) introduced.
  • Implementation of RadCon Manual — 1992-1993.

Geopolitical

  • DOE Secretary of Energy Testifies that the U.S. is Not Building Any Nuclear Weapons.

1993

Policy

  • Implementation of RadCon Manual — 1992-1993.
  • Publication of NCRP Report 116, Limitation of Exposure to Ionizing Radiation.
  • EPA publishes Federal Guidance Report No. 12 (EPA 402-R-93-001), External Exposure to Radionuclides in Air, Water, and Soil.

Geopolitical

  • Congress terminates the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) project.

1994

Policy

  • 10 CFR Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection, becomes effective.

1995

Sites

  • Increased dose due to increased work in the production of power sources for NASA at LANL.
  • Dose increased due to increased days of operation and intensity of AGS accelerator; and maintenance surveys conducted on aging equipment at BNL.
  • Two key ICPP facilities were deactivated at Idaho.
  • Increased dose due to increased activities involved with decontamination and decommissioning; and the processing of potentially unstable residues for safe storage at Rocky Flats.
  • Increased dose due to elimination of spent nuclear fuel storage at K Basins and operation of the mixed low-level waste evaporator associated with tank farms at Hanford.
  • Defense Waste Processing Facility was restarted near the end of 1995 at Savannah River.

Policy

  • International Atomic Energy Agency publishes "International Basic Safety Standards for Protection Against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources" (known as BSS Safety Standards, Safety Series 115-1).

1996

Sites

  • Vitrification in glass canisters of highly radioactive liquid wastes begins at the West Valley Demonstration Project.
  • Collective dose was significantly reduced due to the installation of the perimeter shielding and completion of the "clean and coat" project at Hanford.
  • Reduction in exposure due to completion of major radiological work performed at the ICPP and the deactivation of two key facilities at the ICPP at the Idaho Site.
  • Doses at TA-55 were reduced due to ALARA activities at LANL.
  • Doses increased primarily due to activities in support of the restart of the Y-12 Plant involving enriched uranium operations at Oak Ridge.
  • Environmental restoration activities increased at Y-12, ORNL, and K-25 at Oak Ridge.
  • Doses increased due to increased activities and decontamination and decommissioning cleanup at Rocky Flats.
  • Activities in spent fuel storage areas decreased dramatically with shutdown of reactors at Savannah River.
  • There was one individual in 1996 who received a dose in excess of the 5 rems TED limit due to an unanticipated intake of plutonium at the Savannah Site.
  • Activities involving plutonium at LANL decreased in 1996, which resulted in decreased neutron dose by 30%.

Policy

  • 10 CFR Part 835 Full Compliance required.
  • DOE Order 5480.11 cancelled and RadCon Manual becomes "non-mandatory" following issuance of DOE Notice 441.1, Radiological Protection for DOE Activities.

1997

Sites

  • One individual received a dose in excess of the 5 rems (50 mSv) TED limit at LANL.
  • Decreases in the collective dose were due to reductions in such activities as materials stabilization, maintenance, and the completion of several key projects at Savannah River, Idaho, BNL, and Oak Ridge.
  • Increased plutonium recovery activities.cleanup and repackaging at Rocky Flats, LANL, and Savannah River.
  • Production of heat sources for deep-space missions, which was completed in 1997 at LANL.
  • Groundbreaking ceremony for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at LLNL.
  • Plutonium Uranium Extraction Facility (PUREX) at Hanford deactivated a year ahead of schedule.

1998

Sites

  • 1997 to 1998 - increase in uranium operations in Oak Ridge in support of the restart at Y-12.
  • Shutdown of several facilities, the completion of several key projects, and ALARA Initiatives at Hanford, Los Alamos, Idaho, and Brookhaven.
  • DOE announces it will dispose of defense­generated transuranic waste at Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.
  • Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project ends with remediation of the 22nd and final site at Maybell, Colorado.
  • SRS announced as the site of a plant to disassemble pits from nuclear weapons and convert the recovered metal to an oxide.
  • NIF target chamber dedicated at the LLNL.

Policy

  • 10 CFR 835 Amendment.
  • DOE-STD-1098-2008 (DOE Standard Radiological Control).

1999

Sites

  • One individual received a dose in excess of the 5 rems (50 mSv) TEDE limit at SRS.
  • WIPP receives 1st waste shipment.
  • Aggressive ALARA programs at Savannah River, Los Alamos, and Idaho.
  • Decontamination campaign at SRS to reduce source term.
  • Improved work practices, and a delay in several projects at Idaho due to an accident in 1998 which resulted in corrective actions that affected the work control system.
  • Workers at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) unknowingly exposed to plutonium contained in uranium sent from Hanford and Savannah River for recycling between 1952 and 1976.
  • High Flux Beam Reactor (BNL) will be closed permanently.
  • Ground breaking at ORNL for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS).

Policy

  • RadCon Manual reissued as Radiological Control Standard (RCS).
  • EPA publishes Federal Guidance Report No. 13 (EPA 402-R-99-001), Cancer Risk Coefficients for Environmental Exposure to Radionuclides: Updates and Supplements.
  • Secretary Richardson proposes legislation to compensate current and former workers at uranium enrichment facilities for cancers resulting from exposure to radioactive contaminants.

2000

Sites

  • Three intakes of plutonium at LANL that were in excess of the 5 rems (50 mSv) DOE annual limit.
  • One individual received exactly 2 rems (20 mSv) at LANL.
  • Reduction of source material and lowering of ambient dose rates at Rocky Flats.
  • Change in the biokinetic models used to determine internal dose from uranium intakes at the Oak Ridge Y-12 facility.
  • Reduction in operational activities during corrective actions following the plutonium intake event at LANL.
  • Fast Flux Test facility (Hanford) to be closed permanently.

Policy

  • Secretary Richardson expands proposal to compensate more than 3,000 current and former workers with a broad range of work-related illnesses.

2001

Sites

  • One exposure in excess of the DOE Administrative Control Level (ACL) of 2 rems at LANL.
  • Reduction in radioactive material from repackaging and shipping activities at Rocky Flats and Hanford.

2002

Sites

  • One individual received in excess of the 50 rems (500 mSv) annual extremity limit at LANL.
  • Increase in the number of hours of radiological work performed at Rocky Flats.
  • Increased processing of spent nuclear fuel in K-Basins at Hanford.
  • Increased work on pit manufacturing, Pu-238 fuel and heat source work, nuclear material processing, nuclear materials science, pit disassembly, and associated support at LANL.
  • Work begins on new high-level waste vitrification plant at Hanford.
  • 563rd and final shipment of TRU waste from INEL received atWIPP.
  • WVDP successfully completes nation's first radioactive waste vitrification program.

Policy

  • 25th anniversary of DOE formation.
  • DOE, EPA, and State of Washington agree to accelerate cleanup at Hanford.
  • DOE, EPA, and State of South Carolina agree to accelerate cleanup at SRS.
  • DOE, EPA, and State of Tennessee agree to accelerate cleanup of Oak Ridge sites.
  • DOE informs State of South Carolina that shipments of plutonium to SRS will begin.

2003

Sites

  • Two exposures in excess of the DOE 5 rems (50 mSv) annual TED limit at LANL.
  • Thermal stabilization and repackaging of plutonium-bearing materials, processing of spent fuels, and accelerated cleanup at Hanford.
  • Resumption of processing of radioactive material, special programs, and accelerated facility closure and waste processing activities at Savannah River.
  • Work activities associated with the building 9204-4 Cleanup Project at Oak Ridge.
  • TVA Off-Specification Fuel repackaging project at Oak Ridge.
  • Processing of more materials containing americium, an upgrade to the material storage vault, and the decontamination and decommissioning of the Omega West reactor at LAN L.
  • SRS downblends HEU into LEU and makes first shipment to Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS), Erwin, TN.
  • Rocky Flats makes final shipment of nuclear weapons-usable material from the site.

Policy

  • On August 19, 2003, DOE approved and issued the revised DOE Order 231.1A.

2004

Sites

  • One individual received in excess of the DOE ACL limit at Hanford.
  • One individual received in excess of the DOE ACL limit at Rocky Flats.
  • Rocky Flats radioactive source material was shipped off site for disposal.
  • Completion of thermal stabilization and repackaging of plutonium-bearing materials at Hanford.
  • Deactivation & decommissioning activities at the Plutonium Finishing Plant at Hanford.
  • Decreased number of tank farm entries at Hanford.
  • Completion of work, including de-inventory of a number of facilities at Savannah River.
  • Suspension of nonessential operations at LANL during the second half of 2004.
  • Decrease in the isotope production work that took place at ORNL during 2004.

Policy

  • The DOE Manual 231.1-1 A, which details the format and content of reporting radiation exposure records to DOE, was approved on March 19, 2004.

2005

Sites

  • Closure of Rocky Flats (cleanup considered complete).
  • Completion of several projects ahead of schedule at plutonium facilities at the Savannah River Site.
  • Decrease in the amount of work performed for the TVA Off-Specification Fuel Repackaging Project at the Oak Ridge Y-12 NSC.
  • Decrease in dose as a result of the completion of plutonium stabilization activities at the Plutonium Finishing Plant at Hanford.

2006

Sites

  • Delayed start-up of the Saltstone process at SRS.
  • ALARA controls to reduce direct handling of TRU drums at the SRS.
  • Reduction in the amount of work performed associated with the TVA off-­specification fuel repackaging and other special projects at the Oak Ridge Y-12 NSC.
  • Decrease in the isotope production work that took place at ORNL during 2006 due to an outage at the HFIR for the installation of the Cold Neutron Source.
  • 41 % reduction in the collective dose at the AMWTP as a result of ALARA initiatives at Idaho.

Policy

  • DOE published a proposed amendment to 10 C.F.R. 835 in the Federal Register.

2007

Sites

  • One individual received in excess of the DOE 5 rems limit at LANL.
  • Planned activities not performed at LANL.
  • Significant reduction in work during pause due to safety concerns at LANL.
  • Increased awareness due to ALARA initiatives at the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project at INL.

Policy

  • 10 CFR 835 Amended.

Geopolitical

  • Publication of ICRP 103, 2007 Recommendations of the ICRP

2008

Sites

  • One individual received in excess of the DOE ACL limit at LANL.
  • Same individual received in excess of the 50 rems COE limit at LANL.
  • A safety-driven pause in operations at LANL.
  • Reduction in dose rates and work activities at Hanford.
  • Reduction in the number of samples processed and source term at Idaho.

2009

Sites

  • Accelerated clean-up at Hanford made possible by the ARRA.
  • Increased work at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) TA-55 Plutonium Processing Facility at LANL.
  • Maintenance and Decontamination and Decommissioning (D&D) work at TA-53 LANSCE Station.
  • Workers performing retrieval, repackaging, and shipping of radioactive solid waste at LANL waste facilities.
  • Increased D&D activities at West Valley Demonstration Project.
  • Increases in production work assigned by National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) at Pantex Plant.

2010

Sites

  • One individual received in excess of the DOE 5 rems limit at SRS.
  • Increased D&D activities at Plutonium Finishing Plant.
  • Increased retrieval and processing TRU waste at Hanford.
  • Waste processing including higher dose waste drums and decommissioning at Savannah River Site.
  • Isotope processing and cleanup and waste disposal at Oak Ridge.
  • Increased decommissioning and decontamination at Idaho.
  • Increased manufacturing and related weapons work, processing and shipping solid waste, and maintenance activities at LANL.

Policy

  • Effective Implementation Date for the 2007 10 CFR 835 Amendments.
  • Under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), funding for cleanup and environmental efforts resulted in a significant increase in collective dose in 2010.

2011

Sites

  • Implementation of handheld x-ray devices reduced amount of rework at Savannah River Site.
  • Improvements in planning, better configuration in waste storage, and increased worker awareness at Idaho.
  • Reduction of ARRA activities at Savannah River and Hanford.
  • Programs that encourage workers to track their own dose at Idaho.

Policy

  • 10 CFR 835 Revision.
  • Incorporated the update of Appendix C, Derived Air Concentration (DAC) for Workers from External Exposure During Immersion in a Cloud of Airborne Radioactive Material.

Geopolitical

  • March 11, 2011 — Fukushima Event.

2012

Sites

  • Increased worker awareness and planning at the Idaho Site.
  • Decrease in the number of targeted waste drums processed at the Idaho Site's Accelerated Retrieval Project.
  • Overall reduction of D&D activities and TRU retrieval at Hanford Site.
  • Solid Waste Management Facility's use of specialty tools and techniques to reduce exposure time.

Policy

  • Decreased ARRA-funded activities.
  • UNSCEAR Report - Fukushima 2012. Supplement No. 46 issued.
  • WHO report (2012) issued.

2013

Sites

  • A significant portion of LANL dose was accrued by workers performing retrieval, repackaging, and shipping of radioactive solid waste at TA-50 and TA-54 waste facilities.
  • Reductions at Oak Ridge were achieved through an overall decrease in radworker population throughout the complex and an approximate 2-month decrease in production work in preparation for the government shutdown during the sequestration in October 2013.
  • Significant decreases at SRS are attributed to ALARA initiatives that were employed and a host of budget issues that arose during the year.
  • The largest contributors to Hanford dose activities were glove box removal at PFP, Tank Farm activities, D&D, waste treatment, storage and handling.

2014

Sites

  • Curtailed work with solid waste at LANL due to the contamination release event at WIPP and its relation to LANL waste packaging.
  • Increased training exercises for the Homeland Security/Defense Threat Reduction Agency at INL.
  • Waste Management group of the ICP started the Sodium Distillation System (SDS) process in the 3rd quarter. This process included cleaning of the slide gate and replacing, installing and removing SOS equipment.
  • Implemented the tungsten tote carrier system at SRS to replace the doorstop system for transporting high radiation samples.
  • Completed SRNL Cell Window replacements at SRS.
  • Completed installation of the Raster beam line at BNL.

2015

Sites

  • At Idaho National Laboratory, exposure activities performed included work at the Advanced Test Reactor Complex, including experiment system operations, plant maintenance modifications, routine ATR power operations, routine ATR outage operations, and Research and Development Operations/Laboratory Support.
  • At SPRU, increased cleanup activities at SPRU resulted in a 642 percent increase in collective TED from 2014 to 2015.
  • In 2015, WVDP dose was attributed to demolition preparation work in the liquid waste cell, all three extraction cells, the off gas cell/off gas blower room, sample storage cell, and the vitrification facility.
  • WIPP continued decontamination efforts in the WIPP underground as well as resumption of limited activities.
  • At Sandia National Laboratory, there was a decrease in the number of waste and material disposition campaigns at the auxiliary hot cell facility and experiments at the annular core research reactor.
  • At PPPL, there was reduced access to the NSTX-U test cell during the first half of 2015.

2016

Sites

  • At Savannah River Site, an increase was due to remediating a 1950s era underground liquid waste storage tank, completing the K Area complex battery change on the radio frequency tamper indicating device, beginning down-blend operations for plutonium for eventual storage at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), and resuming process operations in portions of the H Canyon to allow for continued spent nuclear fuel dissolution. In addition, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) personnel began cleanup of the building used to produce fuel for the deep space missions such as the Galileo space probe to Jupiter.
  • WVDP dose experienced an increase due to the facility disposition demolition preparation work in the liquid waste cell, all three extraction cells, the off gas cell/off gas blower room, sample storage cell, and the vitrification facility. The high-level waste department prepared the equipment decontamination room, vitrification tunnel, and the chemical process cell crane room for high-level waste canister movements and the removal of the first three casks containing the vitrified high-level waste. The waste operations department activities supported waste packaging and movements onsite and the preparation of the remote handling waste facility operations.
  • At Sandia National Laboratory, there was a decrease that was attributed to the no waste and material disposition campaigns occurring at the Auxiliary Hot Cell Facility (AHCF) and the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) not operating for a large part of the year.
  • At PPPL, a decrease was reported. The primary reason for this change was the shortened run-period of PPPL’s primary experiment, the NSTX-U test cell, after it went into extended maintenance. There also was a conversion from monthly to quarterly dosimetry for a portion of 2016.

2017

Sites

  • The collective TED increased at LANL, SRS and Oak Ridge. The increase at LANL was due largely to increased work activities at TA-55 plutonium facility operations which were fully resumed following the 2013 shutdown. The increase SRS can be attributed to workers engaging in work with a high potential for exposure, and at Oak Ridge, the increase in collective TED is attributed to increased project work activities at hot cell and radiochemistry facilities, and maintenance and waste handling activities at neutron research and radiochemistry facilities.
  • The collective TED decreased at Hanford and Idaho. The decrease at Hanford was due to a change in work activities at the plutonium finishing plant facility (PFP). The collective TED at Idaho decreased for a variety of reasons including decreased experiment handling and shipping operations; and the installation of new engineering controls related to waste treatment efforts.

2018

Sites

  • At Savannah River, the collective dose decreased by 22 percent from 2017 to 2018 as activities with a high potential for exposure were completed.
  • At LANL, programmatic work at TA-55 was fully resumed and the facility was operating at increased capacity following a stand down in CY 2013.
  • Beginning May 2018, solid waste handling at LANL’s TA-54 facility transitioned to a new contractor, under DOE-EM oversight.
  • At ORNL, calendar year 2018 saw an increase in dose for project work at accelerator, radiochemistry, and some hot cell facilities, which was offset by a decrease in dose at the research reactor facility and other hot cell facilities.
  • At INL, dose increased due to loop experiment sponsor upgrade activities associated with asbestos removal from loop piping in the 1D-N primary cubicle and emergent work to replace the 1D-N inpile tube involving high radiation work in the subpile room.
  • For WVDP, the CY 2018 overall dose increased from the previous year due primarily to increased manned-entries in high dose rate areas in the Main Plant, to open air demolition activities of the Vitrification Facility and the inventorying and removal of high radiation boxes from CPC/outside storage areas into LSA-3.
  • Doses at Hanford Site remained lower as there was a transition in work activities from removal to facility demolition.
  • LLNL instituted a change in dosimetry issuance policy which resulted in a significant decrease in the monitored population.
  • At Argonne National Laboratory, the decreases in collective TED and average measurable TED are attributed to decontamination work at the Alpha Gamma Hot Cell Facility taking less time than anticipated with lower dose rates present than previously observed during the same type of work in CY 2014.

2019

Sites

  • Innovations at SRS, such as using drones in post closure areas and optimization process projects in support of K area plutonium down blend help to reduce radiological exposure.
  • Fermilab had 138 planned jobs reviewed and 6 ALARA plans identified and implemented, resulting in improved accelerator performance, enhanced reliability, and better control of present and future radiation exposures.
  • UMTRA added about 30 additional staff and doubled its production in CY 2019 (increasing from shipping railcars twice a week to four times a week) which attributed to the increase in dose.

2020

Sites

  • The Pantex Dosimetry program experienced a failure of the thermoluminescent (e.g., TLD) reading equipment, resulting in the first 3 quarters of dosimeter readings in 2020 being processed at another facility.  Dose calculations were corrected for the reader differences and a very conservative approach was utilized to ensure all dose was captured.  As a result, the dose for Pantex personnel was elevated compared to prior years.
  • The reduction in monitored individuals at Idaho was attributed to implementation of a dosimeter reduction campaign and Site access restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • UMTRA had increase in dose that was attributed to a 50% greater (on average) concentration of radium-226 in the excavated mill tailings and additional time spent in the contamination area training new employees.

Geopolitical

  • COVID-19 Global Epidemic

2021

Sites

  • In CY 2021, there was an increase in work at TA-55, leading to an increase in the number of personnel, and subsequently, an increase in collective dose at LANL.
  • Idaho began work on waste drum characterization and increased entries in the fuel storage facility and other high dose areas.
  • Pantex resolved their dosimetry issue and dose levels were similar to CY 2019.
  • Energy Technology Engineering Center eliminated personnel dosimeters due to no accessible radiological areas present onsite.
  • UMTRA decreased the quantity of tailings shipped by 10 percent.

Policy

  • DOE projects monumental emissions reduction from Inflation Reduction Act.

Geopolitical

  • As the COVID-19 pandemic began to lessen, many DOE sites slowly resumed radiological work.
  • Russian invasion into Ukraine
  • Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, threatened in Russian warfare

2022

Sites

  • In CY 2022, there was an increase in work at LANL TA-55, leading, to an increase in the number of personnel, and subsequently, an increase in collective dose.
  • The deactivation of 235-F was completed at Savannah River, post-closure care activities performed at closed reactor facilities; and plutonium down blending in area K which was completed ahead of schedule in FY 2022.
  • Work at West Valley Demonstration Project in an area exhibiting very high radiation levels that could not be reduced through conventional ALARA work strategies started in CY 2021, continued through most of CY 2022.
  • At Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), the majority of dose to personnel resulted from work performed during the shutdown from June 11 to November 13 of CY 2022.

Geopolitical

  • Most DOE sites have resumed radiological work as the effects of COVID-19 pandemic continued to lessen.

2023

Sites

  • In CY 2023, there was an atypical reduction in demand of programmatic heat source work, which contributed greatly to the observed reduction in dose at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
  • Dose at Savannah River Site increased in CY 2023 as the site set a single-year record by processing nearly 3.2 million gallons of radioactive salt waste. Also, two radioactive structures in the F Tank Farm were successfully closed and grouted.
  • The Portsmouth facility restarted plant operations in June 2022 with a graded restart from one operational line up to three during CY 2023 as operations returned to full production.  The dose is as expected and typical for 3 lines operating.

2024

Sites

  • The Surplus Plutonium Disposition Team at Savannah River Site received approval from the Department of Energy to expand down blending capabilities in the K Area Complex.
  • The decrease in TED at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for CY 2024 was primarily due to a work pause impacting individuals expected to receive high doses.
  • Hanford: Office of River Protection had a significant dose reduction in CY 2024 due to a technology change introduced in tank farm activities.
  • West Valley Demonstration Project completed demolition of the Main Plain Process Building.

Geopolitical

  • The US Department of Energy has released an information guide for communities considering replacing their retired or retiring coal power plants with nuclear power plants. The guide is based on a technical study that found transitioning from a coal plant to nuclear would bring local benefits including employment opportunities, increased revenues and economic activity.
  • Tohuku Electric Power Company's Onagawa unit 2 is the first Japanese boiling water reactor to be restarted since the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.
  • Japan announced in April 2021 it planned to discharge water into the sea over a period of about 30 years. It started to discharge the water on 24 August 2024 and has so far completed the release of eight batches, a total of 62,400 cubic meters of water. The releases were treated by the Advanced Liquid Processing System, which removes most of the radioactive contamination, with the exception of tritium. which is currently stored in tanks on site.

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