The test brought together teams from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management’s Hanford Field Office, WTP prime contractor Bechtel National Inc., AtkinsRéalis, and VSL to assess melter and emissions treatment system challenges and provide insights for ongoing HLW Facility engineering design.

“This test highlights how strategic partnerships are shaping the future of the Hanford cleanup mission,” said Mat Irwin, Hanford’s assistant manager for the WTP. “By partnering with technical and industry experts, we are able to accelerate progress, identify potential challenges and ensure that the HLW Facility is ready to safely and efficiently treat high-level waste when operations begin.”

The team performed the test over five days at VSL, which operates the largest collection of waste glass melters in the United States, including a one-third scale of the melter and emissions treatment system like what the HLW Facility will use. It was the second of six tests to be performed to validate melter and emissions treatment system design.

“Partnerships strengthen our ability to deliver safe and reliable operations for DOE, the environment and the surrounding communities depending on this cleanup,” said Mark Johnson, HLW Facility project manager for Bechtel. “They have been invaluable to WTP, both for the Low-Activity Waste Facility and HLW.”

Bechtel is advancing the design for direct-feed high-level waste to 90% complete while enclosing the HLW Facility.

Like Hanford’s Low-Activity Waste Facility, the HLW Facility will mix tank waste with glass-forming materials in two large melters operating at 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. The mixture will be poured into stainless steel containers for interim safe storage prior to disposal.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

"This achievement is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our team. Each gallon of immobilized waste brings us closer to a cleaner, safer environment and revitalized community,” said Brian Hartman, WTP project director and senior vice president with Bechtel National Inc., which designed, built and is commissioning the plant.

Treating waste through vitrification supports Hanford’s priorities of safely remediating contaminated sites while delivering measurable progress for taxpayers. It reinforces Hanford’s role in the cleanup mission by addressing complex environmental challenges with sustained performance.

"Treating 100,000 gallons is more than just a number; it represents our commitment to protecting the Columbia River and Tri-Cities community for future generations," added Mat Irwin, Hanford Field Office assistant manager for tank waste operations.

The waste being treated is part of the 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste generated by plutonium production during World War II and the Cold War and stored in aging underground tanks located a few miles from the Columbia River. This progress is part of dual glass-plus-grout solutions that are advancing the Hanford tank waste mission.

The Bechtel-led team has operated the plant in extended hot commissioning since October 2025. The hot commissioning process will continue over the next year, during which the team will build production consistency and establish a steady rhythm for safe and sustained operations.

Inside the Low Activity Waste Facility’s two 300-ton melters, radiological and chemical waste is combined with glass-forming materials and then heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit.

That process, called vitrification, transforms the waste into a stable glass form and seals it in stainless steel containers, each of which is 4 feet wide and 7.5 feet tall, weighing approximately seven metric tons when filled. The containers are delivered to Hanford’s Integrated Disposal Facility for long-term disposal.

The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour available here.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

Brian Hartman, Project Director of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant 
Bechtel Senior Vice President

The Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), better known as the Hanford Vit Plant, marked 2025 as a historic year as our team immobilized the first Hanford tank waste into a glass form that is stable and will protect the Columbia River and community.

This milestone represents a transition from readiness to results – and marks the beginning of sustained waste treatment at one of the most complex environmental cleanup facilities ever built. 

Designed and commissioned by Bechtel National Inc. for the Department of Energy (DOE), the Vit Plant exemplifies innovation, teamwork and an unwavering dedication to safety, quality and mission.

Making history at Hanford

Transforming the first Hanford tank waste into glass was the capstone to a year defined by significant achievement and forward progress.

Last year began with continued production of “clean” test glass, allowing skilled operators to build proficiency and prepare for rigorous readiness testing. This included simulated waste treatment commissioning and pouring glass from both melters.

By July, our team had completed all required operational readiness tests, including DOE’s comprehensive Operational Readiness Review. Authorization soon followed to begin hot commissioning and receive the first transfer of tank waste.

By year’s end, our team successfully vitrified the initial tank waste, treated over 30,000 gallons, and produced more than 25 containers of glass. These operations further recovered over 50,000 gallons of Double Shell Tank space that supports the ongoing retrieval of tank waste from the Single Shell tanks and reduction of risk to the environment.  We concluded the year by transferring the first containers to the Integrated Disposal Facility, managed by Central Plateau Cleanup Company, for secure, long-term storage.

Our progress extended well beyond low-activity waste hot commissioning. The High-Level Waste (HLW) team advanced design completion and met all 2025 performance goals ahead of schedule. The HLW construction team made significant progress on weathering in the facility, installing more than 30 major pieces of equipment and shield doors through the facility’s roof, along with critical structural steel.

Each accomplishment in 2025 moved the project closer to sustained, full-scale treatment of Hanford’s legacy tank waste.

Commitment to safety

Safety will always be at the core of everything we do. A key component of safety is mental health.

A standout initiative in 2025 was the launch of new mental health first aid training aligned with Bechtel’s industry support of these programs. More than 90 team members completed the program, gaining tools to identify warning signs of mental health struggles, provide immediate support in crisis situations, and connect team members with professional resources and ongoing help.

Community impact

Bechtel’s impact reaches beyond our facility gates.

In 2025, Bechtel and the Vit Plant invested in our community’s vitality. Notable contributions include:

- Supported STEM education and women in engineering through during Engineers Week, with employees mentoring and inspiring future professionals.

- Collaborated with the local chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction with their Girls Rock in the Trades camp. It provides young women hands-on experience and education about career opportunities in the construction industry. Bechtel supplied Personal Protective Equipment for participants, and vit plant team members shared their experiences in the construction field.

- Donated more than $135,000 to United Way of Benton & Franklin Counties, supporting vital programs and services for children.

- Raised over $25,000 for Special Olympics through the annual Polar Plunge, supporting individuals with developmental disabilities.

These investments reflect a long-standing commitment to the Tri-Cities community.

Looking ahead

The achievements of 2025 mark a turning point in history – not a finish line.

Our historic achievements in 2025 reflect a collaborative effort among the DOE, One Hanford contractor partners, the Central Washington Building Trades, regulators, and the local community.

Bechtel’s focus in 2026 remains clear: safe, consistent vitrification of low-activity waste and continued advancement of the High-Level Waste mission.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

“Each container represents tangible progress in the mission to protect the Columbia River and community,” said Mat Irwin, the Hanford Field Office assistant manager for WTP.

The first pretreated tank waste was transferred to the plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility in early October, when hot commissioning began. Inside that facility’s two 300-ton melters, radiological and chemical waste is combined with glass-forming materials and then heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit.

That process, called vitrification, transforms the waste into a stable glass form and seals it in stainless steel containers, each of which is 4 feet wide and 7.5 feet tall, weighing approximately 7 metric tons when filled. The vitrified product meets the state of Washington’s requirements for long term disposal at Hanford’s Integrated Disposal Facility.

“Our team has turned progress into momentum, and we’re committed to carrying that forward through continued operations,” said Brian Hartman, WTP project director and senior vice president with Bechtel, the contractor leading design, construction and commissioning of the plant.

The accomplishment also represents the beginning of extended hot commissioning, during which the team will build production consistency and establish a steady rhythm of performance for safe and sustained operations.

Hanford is home to 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste stored in 177 massive underground tanks. The waste was generated as part of the nation’s efforts to end World War II and win the Cold War.

The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour available here.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

“I appreciate the hard work and determination of the entire Hanford team to deliver on this legal commitment,” said Hanford Site Manager Ray Geimer. “This achievement enables us to shift focus to safely operating the plant and to progressing solutions for the Hanford tank waste mission in its entirety.”

The Consent Decree milestone for demonstrating the ability of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant’s Low Activity Waste facility to produce immobilized glass of acceptable quality was met on time. With start-up of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant’s Low Activity Waste facility, the focus now shifts to safely operating the Low Activity Waste facility, advancing the direct-feed high-level waste approach, and accelerating the tank waste mission.

Hanford is home to 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste stored in 177 massive underground tanks. The waste was generated as part of the nation’s efforts to end World War II and win the Cold War.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

Hanford crews are preparing for the site’s first-ever transfer of radioactive waste from one of its large underground tanks to the Vit Plant.

Contractors on both ends of the waste transfer are coordinating practice runs to prepare for those operations.

Teams from Hanford Tank Waste Operations and Closure (H2C) and Bechtel National Inc. are working together to verify each step of the transfer process. H2C is focused on preparing the underground tank systems that hold the waste, while Bechtel leads operations at the WTP, where the waste will eventually be turned into glass. Their joint efforts include checking pump systems, testing leak detectors and coordinating procedures between waste tank and treatment plant control rooms.

“Preparing for a first-of-its-kind waste transfer takes more than technical readiness, it takes alignment, communication and teamwork,” said Andy Wiborg, Hanford director for Tank Waste Operations. “These practice runs are proving what’s possible when Hanford teams unite to advance our tank waste treatment mission.”

Practice runs will continue through June as teams align procedures and confirm that equipment is functioning as intended. These coordinated efforts are key to getting the site ready for hot commissioning — the next major step in Hanford’s tank waste cleanup, expected to begin later this summer.

During hot commissioning, the Vit Plant will receive pretreated radiological and chemical waste, combine it with glass-forming materials, and heat it to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. This process, called vitrification, transforms the waste into a stable glass form, which is then sealed in stainless steel containers for safe disposal.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

“Our progress in cold commissioning is the result of decades of preparation, dedication and collaboration between the Department and our contractor partners and is another step toward safely addressing Hanford tank waste,” said Hanford Field Office Acting Manager Brian Harkins.

With the introduction of ammonia and nitrous oxide-producing chemicals into the WTP melters to replicate tank waste, the Hanford team is ensuring systems are fully operational. Testing the plant and its systems with chemicals in simulated tank waste over the next few months is a key step in validating that all systems and equipment run safely and appropriately before nuclear waste components are introduced later this year. This achievement builds on significant progress over the last several years in the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste program across the Hanford Site.

“Leadership from DOE and strong partnerships with the trade unions, suppliers, regulators, other Hanford contractors and local community have helped make this happen,” said Bechtel National Inc. Project Director and Senior Vice President Brian Hartman. “We’re proud to be part of a mission that’s critical to the health of our community and the environment.”

Once full-scale operations begin, the plant will process an average of 5,300 gallons of tank waste per day, mixing the treated waste with glass-forming materials, heating it to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit, and pouring it into stainless steel containers for safe, long term disposal. Approximately 3.5 containers, weighing a total of 21 metric tons, will be produced each day.

The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour available at www.Hanford.gov. Additional information is available regarding the cold commissioning process online.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

The Vit Plant is taking computer-based training to the next level by creating virtual walkthroughs of plant facilities.

The walkthroughs will allow staff to explore and familiarize themselves with facilities and equipment from their computer screens before beginning fieldwork.

“These walkthroughs will bridge the gap between basic training and hands-on experience for both new and current team members,” said Mat Irwin, Hanford’s assistant manager for the Vit Plant Project. “The enhanced realism adds valuable context to the training concepts, which will help build better understanding of plant facilities, equipment and procedures.”

The training staff creates the walkthroughs using a high-definition, 360-degree camera to photograph spaces. They upload these detailed photos into special software that merges them into seamless views, allowing users to look around the spaces as if they were physically present in them. They then arrange these views into a sequence that guides users through facilities step by step. Finally, they add narration tailored to each training and facility, providing important information and instruction throughout the virtual tour.

“These will be game changers in readying our team for future operations,” said Chris Musick, general manager for Waste Treatment Completion Company, the main subcontractor for Bechtel National Inc., the contractor designing, building and commissioning the plant. “This level of preparation will build our team’s confidence in its abilities and ensure it’s fully equipped to perform safe, high-quality work from Day 1.”

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

“We are preparing to introduce radiological and chemical waste into the plant,” said Mat Irwin, Hanford’s assistant manager for the Vit Plant. “These early preparations help the team become proficient in radiological operations and requirements while reinforcing a nuclear operations safety culture prior to receiving the actual waste.”

During plant operations, specially designed underground pipes will transfer radiological and chemical waste from Hanford’s large underground tanks to the plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility. There, in a process called vitrification, the waste will be mixed with glass-forming materials and heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit inside one of two large melters, then poured into stainless steel containers for safe disposal.

Workers have also added new contamination and radiation signage at the Low-Activity Waste Facility. The new postings help employees grow accustomed to the hazard warnings and restrictions before plant operations begin.

The plant’s Radiological Controls team has created new programs to help workers develop proficiency in radiation safety, and weekly computer-based and hands-on learning simulations.

“The shift to radiological operations will be a significant change in our operations and safety culture, and we are preparing the people, plant and paper for this milestone,” said Chris Musick, general manager for Waste Treatment Completion Company, the main subcontractor for Bechtel National Inc., the prime contractor designing, building and commissioning the plant. “The proficiency phase symbolizes the real progress made by our team in moving closer to full plant operations later this year.”

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

“This was the ultimate test to demonstrate that the emissions treatment system can respond to this worst-case scenario,” said Mat Irwin, Hanford’s acting assistant manager for the Vit Plant Project. “The test was true to life, and the plant responded exactly as it would during full operations.”

Vit Plant crews prepared for the test by adding a mixture of powdered glass-forming materials and simulated tank waste into both melters at the facility, creating conditions nearly identical to full operations. Workers then cut power to the facility and watched as the safety systems automatically activated the backup power and isolated the emissions system to prevent leakage.

“This test was exceptionally complex. It included running both melters with a cold cap for the first time ever, which is an achievement in its own right,” said Chris Musick, deputy project director for the Vit Plant. “It also spanned over a shift change for our operations team, adding another layer of complexity to the test. It demonstrated that our team, and the facility, are ready and able to respond to a loss of power.”

A cold cap is a floating mass of glass-formers and simulated, and eventually real, tank waste that forms shortly after the mixture is fed into a melter. The cold cap slowly melts into the glass pool, producing the gasses the emissions treatment system addresses.

The completion of this test demonstrates the reliability of the Low-Activity Waste Facility’s safety systems, and that the emissions treatment system is ready for the next stages of operation.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

The teams are working alongside plant engineers on challenges and design projects to gain real-world experience. The projects will run through March 2025, culminating with a presentation by each team about their projects and experiences at an end of year event. This year’s teams include:

• Five students from the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, working alongside the Water and Steam group on the Melter Cooling Panel Repair Skid project.
• Three students from the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, partnered with the Electrical group on the Replacement Ground Fault Detection System for an Ungrounded System.

Last year’s capstone was a huge success for Amentum at the Vit Plant and the OSU team. The team won the Industry Choice Award for their end of year presentation and two of the students, Corbin Anderson and Michael Acosta, joined Plant Engineering as Rotational Engineers.

What’s a capstone project? A capstone project is a multifaceted academic experience typically required for students during the final year of an academic program. Capstone projects often require students to apply the knowledge and skills acquired throughout their academic careers to solve real world problems. This capstone project is part of a broader partnership between Amentum at the Vit Plant and Oregon State University that helps students gain real-world experience while building a pipeline for potential future employees.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

Large vehicles and heavy machinery took center stage at the Vit Plant’s second annual Heavy Equipment Expo. The event gives workers hands-on experience with the large vehicles used at the plant while promoting awareness of the hazards they can pose.

As Hanford continues its mission to treat and immobilize millions of gallons of chemical and radioactive waste, workforce safety remains a top priority, and events like these highlight that ongoing commitment.

Expo attendees climbed inside bulldozers, excavators and telehandlers to experience firsthand the blind spots and other challenges operators face. Operators answered questions and shared valuable insights about the unique hazards associated with operating each machine.

“Every worker needs to understand the safety risks associated with large machines,” said Mat Irwin, acting assistant manager for the Vit Plant Project. “Hands-on experiences offer workers perspectives that classroom or computer-based training can’t.”

This year Vit Plant staff members combined the Heavy Equipment Expo with their annual safety expo, which brings together different safety teams and departments from across the plant. Each team set up a booth with safety-themed activities and provided information about their roles in plant operations.

“Seeing our staff excited to learn about safety shows how valuable these events are for building a strong safety culture,” said Brian Hartman, project director for WTP and senior vice president for Bechtel National Inc., “Our team members walked away with a lot of important information, and creative activities make the lessons more memorable.”

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

The tests are part of ongoing efforts to verify the ability of the LAW Facility emissions treatment system to respond to potential issues. The LAW Facility contains 37 secondary safety systems, each responsible for addressing different scenarios.

“These secondary safety systems help prevent an unlikely, unplanned event,” said Mat Irwin, Hanford’s acting assistant manager for the Vit Plant Project. “The testing verified that the systems’ hardware and software work in unison, a key step in helping ensure operational safety at the LAW Facility.”

During the tests, workers electronically triggered each system to simulate a response to a pressure change, and carefully monitored and documented response times. The tests simulated scenarios of excessive or insufficient air pressure within the emissions treatment system.

“These tests required careful synchronization among 45 crew members spread across eight zones inside the LAW Facility,” said Rick Holmes, Bechtel National Inc. principal vice president and general manager for Waste Treatment Completion Company. “Together they ensured that technical requirements of the tests were met, while also ensuring safety standards were maintained throughout.”

The completion of these tests moves the facility closer to fully demonstrating the reliability of its safety systems and ensures the emissions treatment system is ready for the next stages of operation.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

One standout among the new programs is the introduction of physiological monitoring by the Vit Plant's industrial hygiene team. The monitoring program tracks workers’ vital signs, including heart rate and body temperature, at regular intervals during high-risk tasks. These vital signs are used to detect early indicators of fatigue, stress or other risk factors that could lead to injury, helping ensure that workers can take preventive action before issues arise.

“It’s essential that every worker feels empowered to stop work if they feel safety is at risk,” said Mat Irwin, Hanford’s acting assistant manager for the Vit Plant. “The safety of our people comes first, and these programs help ensure workers can continue to get work done safely.”

Building off the monitoring program, a comprehensive safety leadership training is provided for managers, supervisors and foremen. This training emphasizes the importance of creating a “safety first” culture and encourages leaders to empower their teams to pause work if they feel conditions are unsafe. It also helps ensure all managers are equipped to support and enforce these safety protocols.

“We’ve seen firsthand how a strong safety culture directly translates to fewer injuries,” said Rick Holmes, Bechtel National Inc. principal vice president and general manager for Waste Treatment Completion Company, primary subcontractor to Bechtel at the Vit Plant. “These programs are vital to helping ensure everyone goes home safely at the end of the day.”

The success of these programs and the corresponding drop in injury rates led to the U.S. Department of Energy recently recognizing the Vit Plant with its Voluntary Protection Program Star of Excellence award. This is the second time the Vit Plant has received this award.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

On the heels of the Summer Olympics, two Hanford Site contractors have finished a first-time relay of test glass while preparing for a giant leap forward in the cleanup mission.

Working under the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste Program, the whole site is preparing to start 24/7 operations to treat radioactive waste from large underground tanks by immobilizing it in glass for safe disposal.

Workers with Bechtel National Inc. started the relay when they loaded large containers of non-radioactive test glass on a specially designed trailer at the Low-Activity Waste Facility at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). They drove it to a nearby staging area. The Central Plateau Cleanup Company took the baton and drove the containers to the site’s Integrated Disposal Facility.

Mat Irwin, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s acting assistant manager for the WTP Project, noted the training runs using test glass are important qualifiers for the One Hanford team.

“Moving the containers allowed the contractors to practice the transfer process and provided the disposal facility with containers for additional training,” Irwin said. “The relays move at the deliberate and methodical pace required in our work to protect people and the environment.”

The test glass in the containers was poured from one of the 300-ton melters, which will vitrify tank waste, in the plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility.

Vitrification is a process of mixing liquid radioactive waste with glass-forming materials and heating them to 2,100 degrees in a melter. The melting incorporates the waste in the glass. The molten glass is poured into containers and allowed to solidify and cool.

After using containers of test glass for training at the disposal facility, Hanford will send them to a hazardous waste landfill in Oregon for disposal.

When operations begin vitrifying low-activity tank waste, contractors will relay more than 200,000 containers of waste immobilized in glass from the plant to safe disposal in Hanford’s Integrated Disposal Facility.

Learn more about Hanford waste treatment and disposal at the Hanford Virtual Tour.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

“The delivery of sodium hydroxide is an important precursor to several months of testing using simulated waste, known as the cold commissioning phase,” said Mat Irwin, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s acting assistant manager for the Vit Plant. “Vit Plant crews will test the waste processing and exhaust treatment systems in the plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility before introducing actual tank waste into the plant during hot commissioning.”

Commissioning of the facility is an important step in preparing to vitrify, or immobilize in glass, millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste from Hanford’s large underground tanks.

A second, longer-term use of sodium hydroxide will be to treat hazardous liquids coming from the facility’s exhaust treatment system and the system that treats liquids generated during the vitrification process.

Many industries use sodium hydroxide, commonly known as lye, as a versatile chemical. However, sodium hydroxide, like other industrial chemicals, has to be treated as a hazardous substance. To ensure the safe handling of the chemical onsite, workers are required to follow strict safety protocols during its use, which includes storing it in an isolated tank at the Vit Plant.

“Our team prepared for this delivery by implementing safety measures to ensure the safe handling, storage and use of sodium hydroxide onsite,” said Rick Holmes, Bechtel National Inc. principal vice president and general manager for Waste Treatment Completion Company, primary subcontractor to Bechtel. “The team’s success marks an important step toward cold commissioning later this year and preparing for the future sustained production of vitrified waste.”

During future waste treatment operations, treated waste from Hanford’s underground tanks will be fed directly to melters inside the Low-Activity Waste Facility. The waste will be mixed with glass-forming materials and heated, and then poured into stainless steel containers for disposal at Hanford’s Integrated Disposal Facility.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

“Plant crews have demonstrated that both melters are fully operational and capable of pouring glass,” said Mat Irwin, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management acting assistant manager for WTP. “System tests will begin to look more like future waste treatment operations moving forward.”

Plant personnel will continue to pour glass from Melter 2 in batches so control room staff can practice the process until they have filled the container. The Vit Plant produced the first container of test glass last year after completing a similar series of pours from Melter 1.

Personnel heating up melters and pouring test glass are an important part of commissioning the facility to prepare for vitrifying, or immobilizing in glass, millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste from Hanford’s large underground tanks.

“The first pour from Melter 2 is another important step in commissioning the plant and preparing for the future sustained production of vitrified waste,” said Brian Hartman, senior vice president for Bechtel National Inc., lead contractor for the Vit Plant. “I’m proud of our team’s progress in heating a second melter, managing other first-time systems and moving forward with filling more containers.”

During future waste treatment operations, Hanford crews will feed waste from underground tanks that have been treated to remove radioactive solids and cesium to the melters inside the LAW Facility. The waste will be mixed with glass-forming materials in the melters, then poured into specially designed stainless-steel containers for disposal at Hanford’s Integrated Disposal Facility.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

Mat Irwin, DOE Office of River Protection acting assistant manager for the Vit Plant Project, highlighted the significance of both melters reaching operating temperatures.

“The WTP team is now operating the two largest glass melters in the world on a 24/7 schedule,” said Irwin. “This is another important step in our preparations to start treating radioactive and chemical waste from Hanford’s large underground tanks by immobilizing it in glass for disposal.”

In joule heating, electrical current passes through a pool of molten glass in the melter to create and maintain heat. After the melter reached operating temperatures, Vit Plant crews began removing startup heaters. They replaced them with bubblers that circulate air in the molten glass to help maintain an even temperature.

“Our team will continue building operational proficiency as we prepare to pour clean test glass from Melter 2 into a container,” said Rick Holmes, Bechtel National Inc. principal vice president and general manager for the Vit Plant. “These achievements set the stage for several months of ‘cold commissioning’ using simulated waste to test the Low-Activity Waste Facility’s processing and exhaust treatment systems.”

When “hot commissioning” using actual tank waste begins in 2025, the plant will treat millions of gallons of waste using vitrification, which is when waste is mixed with glass-forming materials in the two 300-ton melters, poured into containers, and transferred to Hanford’s Integrated Disposal Facility for safe disposal.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

“Heating up the second melter is an important achievement for Hanford and critical in our journey to advance tank waste treatment to immobilization and ultimately disposal,” said Brian Vance, DOE Office of River Protection Manager. “This success is the culmination of years of employee expertise, ingenuity and commitment to advancing the cleanup mission and providing real return on taxpayer investment.” 

With both melters now at their operational temperature, the Hanford team will next begin running nonradioactive simulants through the Vit Plant systems over the next several months prior to performing environmental performance testing. This achievement builds on significant progress in the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) program. 

The two 300-ton Vit Plant melters are the heart of the vitrification process, which will immobilize Hanford tank waste in glass. During vitrification, treated waste will be fed to the melters where it will be mixed with glass forming materials, heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit and poured into specially designed stainless-steel containers for disposal at the Integrated Disposal Facility. 

“We are immensely proud of the successful heat up of Melter 2 at the Vit Plant. This milestone reflects the dedication, expertise, and collaborative spirit of our employees, contractors, and our partner, the Department of Energy," said Brian Hartman, Bechtel Senior Vice President and Project Director of the Hanford Vit Plant. "By incorporating the lessons learned from the first melter, we have reached this historic milestone safely and efficiently, underscoring our commitment to excellence and safety." 

With the operating temperature successfully attained and a molten glass pool established, the next phase involves the removal of startup heaters. They will be replaced with bubblers, specialized equipment designed to introduce air into the molten glass, circulating it and maintaining an even temperature. 

Hanford contractor Bechtel National, Inc. is responsible for designing, constructing, and commissioning the Vit Plant. Once completed, the plant will process and stabilize millions of gallons of 
legacy tank waste using the vitrification process. Information on the commissioning process is available on the Journey to Melter Heatup website. The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour available at www.Hanford.gov.

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

The Vit Plant's Plant Engineering (PENG) and Analytical Laboratory teams have partnered with five students from Oregon State University's (OSU) school of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering (MIME) on their senior capstone project. The students have been tasked with redesigning the carrier splitter assembly for the autosampling system (ASX), which separates sample vials from the carriers used to transport samples between facilities. The students recently visited the Lab, where they got hands on experience with the ASX.

“Working with these engineering students on their capstone project provides a win-win situation," said Pete Benson, plant engineering manager. “The OSU students gain valuable real-world experience working on actual engineering challenges, and our engineers get outside assistance and perspective on important engineering design."

The carrier splitter assembly is being redesigned after the initial assembly was unable to reliably perform its function. The replacement design also encountered technical challenges. The OSU students began working with PENG in September, meeting weekly via video conference to discuss design iterations. More recently, the team 3D printed a prototype for their design and are in the process of procuring parts to build a metal prototype. Their project is on track to be complete by their winter break.

John Domjan-Yuhas and Corbin Anderson are two members of the OSU capstone team. When asked about their experience visiting the Vit Plant they said:

Engineering a Lasting Partnership

A capstone project is a multifaceted academic experience typically required for students during the final year of an academic program. Capstone projects often require students to apply the knowledge and skills acquired throughout their academic careers to solve real world problems. This capstone project is part of a broader partnership between the Vit Plant and Oregon State University that helps students gain real-world experience while building a pipeline for potential future employees.

“We're excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with the engineering team at the Hanford Vit Plant," said Dr. Sarah Oman, senior instructor at OSU'S school of MIME. “The experience that these senior mechanical engineering students are receiving during this project will be invaluable when they move into the real world."

“Not only are they learning key engineering skills and knowledge, but they are applying and refining their professional skills while working on these critical engineering problems."

In addition to the capstone project support, Amentum at the Vit Plant has signed partnership agreements with OSU to facilitate ongoing networking and recruiting activities.​

About the Vit Plant

In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.

During future Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste operations, the ASX will safely retrieve radioactive waste samples from the Low-Activity Waste Facility and deliver them to the Lab for analysis. There, Lab chemists and technicians will analyze the waste's radionuclides, metals, and organic materials and will confirm the correct glass-former “recipe" needed to produce a consistent form that meets all regulatory requirements and standards. 

“This authorization helps keep us on a sound path to start treating tank waste under the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste Program in early calendar year 2025,” said Brian Vance, EM Office of River Protection and Richland Operations Office manager. “It demonstrates the plant, personnel and procedures meet or exceed the Department’s cybersecurity requirements for operating nuclear facilities.”

Earning the authorization follows a multiyear effort by BNI and site integration and services contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions to transfer vital plant systems and more than 1,000 BNI computer users to the Hanford network.

“Receiving the authorization is the culmination of a five-year effort by more than 100 plant personnel across multiple departments,” said Jason Stidham, Vit Plant chief information officer for BNI, the prime contractor designing, building and commissioning the plant. “The authorization would not have been possible without the significant teamwork and diligence demonstrated by all involved.”

During direct-feed low-activity waste operations, Hanford tank waste will be heated in large melters and mixed with glass-forming materials in the Vit Plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility. The mixture will then be poured into stainless steel containers and allowed to cool before being disposed of in a special landfill on the Hanford Site called the Integrated Disposal Facility.

“As we close in on operations for the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program, it becomes even more critical that our team members achieve and maintain full qualifications,” said Tom Fletcher, Department of Energy EM assistant manager for the Vit Plant Project. “These team members are essential as we move forward with our tank-waste treatment mission.”

The training includes systems and safety classes, drills and many other related qualifications, such as serving as the building director during an emergency. The shift operations managers also demonstrate their knowledge of safe plant operations to lead shift supervisors and technicians during the qualification process.

“The intensive series of training and performance demonstrations can take up to 18 months,” said Rick Holmes, general manager for Waste Treatment Completion Co., a subcontractor to Vit Plant lead Bechtel National Inc. “These managers are the backbone of our operations team, which works 24/7 to run the plant and prepare to immobilize tank waste in glass.”

The DFLAW Program is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated as a program, that will operate together to immobilize tank waste in glass. During DFLAW operations, waste from Hanford’s large underground tanks that has been treated to remove radioactive cesium and solids will be fed directly to the LAW Facility’s melters. The waste and glass-forming materials will be mixed and heated in the melters, then poured into specially designed stainless-steel containers for permanent disposal at the site’s Integrated Disposal Facility.

The Vit Plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

“We’ve been involved with the installation of just about every piece of major equipment that comes into the plant, from 300-ton melters to tower cranes and 275-ton vessels,” said Sean McGaughy, the crane and rigging team superintendent with the Waste Treatment Completion Company (WTCC), a subcontractor to project lead Bechtel National Inc. “Melters, vessels, structural steel; we’ve installed it all.”

Their work has included assembling three tower cranes and nine heavy-lift crawler cranes and, in what McGaughy calls one of the team’s most challenging projects, disassembling the low-activity waste tower crane, which the team did 200 feet in the air.

“The difference between doing work in the air and on the ground is if you pick something up and you’re a little off and it’s only six inches off the ground, you can set it back down and reconfigure,” he said. “You have to be spot on in the air.”

The size of the rigging crew used for a task varies by the job but usually includes McGaughy, who has been with WTP since 2002; Ryan Hoff, the WTCC rigging engineer who creates plans for equipment that weighs more than 10 tons or is of high value to the project; and as many as 10 operators, six ironworkers and nine truck drivers. The team creates an engineering lift plan, gathers the rigging hardware, determines which crane or equipment should be used for installation, performs load tests and safely installs the equipment.

“I look back at everything this team has done and who’s done what to get the plant up and running, and this team has been a huge part of the success,” said John Andreatta, the High-Level Waste Completion manager. “During the startup and commissioning phase of the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program, the team led the way on the lift planning, load testing and testing of the low-activity waste permanent operations cranes.”

Most of the equipment arrives at the site on trucks, but the heavier, larger items — such as two massive vessels that weighed 170 tons each — arrive on barges on the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon, to the Port of Benton in Richland, Washington. There they are offloaded onto hydraulic platform trailers and transported to the jobsite at Hanford.

“Everything we do has a schedule,” said McGaughy. “We need to have our work done before the project can proceed with the next activity. We do our best to meet the schedule, but we never sacrifice safety for schedule.”

One of the greatest challenges was installing two 300-ton melters, the largest nuclear industry melters in the world, which are key to the plant’s DFLAW process.

“Our involvement with the melters has been a pretty big chunk of work,” said Hoff.

“We’ve been involved with the melters since about 2010,” said Andreatta. “It’s been gratifying to see it come to completion. This is a megaproject, and these are the team members getting it done in the background.”

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

The visit provided tangible experience and built upon training the team has received at a project simulator at the Hanford Site. VSL is home to small prototypes of the two melters installed in the Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility at the Vit Plant, which EM Office of River Protection prime contractor Bechtel National Inc. is building. The full-size, 300-ton melters are the heart of the vitrification process, which will immobilize radioactive and chemical tank waste in glass.

During vitrification, treated radioactive and chemical tank waste will be fed to the LAW Facility’s melters. The waste will be mixed with glass-forming materials, heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit and poured into specially designed stainless-steel containers. The containers will then be moved a short distance to the Integrated Disposal Facility at the Hanford Site for disposal.

“By observing our VSL colleagues work with the melters, we got a feel for how a melter behaves during operations,” said Vit Plant Commissioning Test Director Mark Rieb, who was one of six operations and commissioning team members on the visit.

VSL operates four test melters that can produce up to three tons of glass per day. Two of the VSL melters also have prototypes of the Vit Plant’s exhaust, or offgas, treatment system, which the team saw in operation.

The team observed VSL employees removing equipment, such as bubblers that keep a steady molten pool inside the melter, and observed the employees establishing waste flow into the melter.

“We were able to see molten glass poured, observe how it congeals when poured, and pick it up after it had cooled,” said Rieb. “It was a perfect test before we heat up and then run our first melter later this year.”

The visit is the latest collaboration between the Hanford team, contractor Atkins and VSL since work at the Vit Plant began. Atkins and VSL have been partners in long-term research and development since the late 1970s and developed the melter technology for the Vit Plant. VSL staff, led by Director Ian Pegg, have worked closely with the Vit Plant team and Atkins to test, improve and validate designs for key systems such as the melter, off-gas systems, waste feed, and glass formulations.

“It was a pleasure to work with such a smart and enthusiastic group; the plant is in good hands,” said Pegg. “The group came loaded with questions and it’s so much more powerful to be able to address them by showing and not just telling.”

The Vit Plant team is also planning to expand its experience through additional visits.

“It’s exciting for us to host our Vit Plant colleagues, given how close their facility is to heating up the first melter to make glass,” said Brad Bowan, senior vice president of engineering, technology and training for Atkins. “We are proud to be an integral part of the project and know we’re helping achieve an important cleanup mission at the Hanford Site.”

Information on the Vit Plant commissioning process is available on the Journey to Melter Heatup website. The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

The startup heaters will be installed through ports in the lid of the melter and will raise the melter’s internal operating temperature to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit — hot enough to sustain the pool of molten glass to be used to start the waste vitrification process.

“This is an exciting and important step for our team as we drive toward melter heatup,” said Vit Plant Project Director Valerie McCain. “The melters are the heart of the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program and bringing Melter 1 online is a significant milestone on our journey to begin treating tank waste.”

Heating up the melter is a complex process, consisting of a series of activities to prepare for and establish the pool of molten glass. After the startup heaters raise the melter to operating temperature, small glass beads called frit will be added until the pool covers the heating electrodes inside the melter.

After melter heatup, the startup heaters will be removed and replaced with bubblers to mix the molten glass pool and help maintain an even temperature. Finally, more frit will be added to the melter to bring the pool up to operating level. The melter will then be ready to receive simulated materials to test the system before processing tank waste.

During DFLAW operations, waste from Hanford’s large underground tanks that has been treated to remove radioactive cesium and solids will be fed directly to the LAW Facility’s melters. The waste and glass-forming materials will be mixed and heated in the melters, then poured into specially designed stainless-steel containers for permanent disposal at the site’s Integrated Disposal Facility.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

The transfer of 6,000 gallons was the first simulation of the process that will be used to treat secondary liquid waste from the plant’s Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility during Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program operations to treat tank waste.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment that culminates years of work by our team and alumni toward being ready for hot commissioning,” said Valerie McCain, project director and senior vice president for Bechtel National, Inc. “It’s an important step for the entire Hanford team and our collective mission of protecting the Columbia River and its shoreline communities.”

To demonstrate the transfer, Vit Plant crews inside the LAW Facility control room started a delivery sequence, and crews with tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) began their acceptance protocols at the LERF. These steps released the test water from the EMF, allowing it to travel through underground transfer lines to the LERF.

“Testing like this gives us a chance to ensure our people and procedures are ready to operate safely and efficiently, and are integrated,” said Wes Bryan, WRPS president and project manager. “It demonstrates not only that the equipment works, but also how the teams work together to get one step closer to treating tank waste through DFLAW.”

During vitrification — the process of immobilizing tank waste in glass — secondary liquid, called effluent, will be generated by the LAW Facility, the Analytical Laboratory, and when transfer pipes are flushed. The effluent is fed to the EMF, where excess water is boiled away. The water is then piped into holding vessels, where testing ensures it meets waste-acceptance criteria before transfer to the LERF. The remaining waste concentrate is returned to the LAW Facility for treatment.

During full operations, the LAW Facility is designed to vitrify up to 5,000 gallons of low-activity waste per day, equal to 1.75 million gallons per year.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

The team at the Vit Plant follows that model in its approach to operations with the recent addition of conduct-of-operations coaches.

The coaches, who have experience in nuclear or environmental cleanup operations, observe work performed, provide constructive feedback and reinforce positive operational behaviors. Their mentoring, training and coaching help implement a disciplined and structured operations approach to support commissioning and future operations while promoting worker, public and environmental protection.

“These operations coaches help shape our staff’s behaviors and conduct as we move into melter heatup, cold and hot commissioning and future Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program operations,” said Eugene Nemeth, nuclear facility manager for Waste Treatment Completion Company, a subcontractor to project lead Bechtel National, Inc. “Their experience and mentorship provide our team with valuable insights and learning.”

The Vit Plant employs three coaches: one from Hanford contractor Washington River Protection Solutions and the others from Bechtel’s team at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant in Colorado. There are plans to hire a fourth coach in the near future, with each coach supporting the four rotating operations shifts.

The addition of the coaches is part of a larger strategy at the Vit Plant to enhance the operational mindset and culture, which includes the creation of a conduct-of-operations council. The council is the governing body for ensuring continuous improvement of facility operations using the Vit Plant conduct-of-operations program. The objectives of the council are to provide oversight and direction for plant-wide conduct of operations, including implementation and monitoring, and recommendations regarding program effectiveness, lessons learned and consistency.

The team is closing in on heatup of the first melter that will be used during the DFLAW Program operations to convert radiological and chemical waste from the Hanford tank farms into a form safe for disposal.

The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

“The Bravo crew set the standard, and we’ve qualified additional crews since," said Valerie McCain, project director and senior vice president for Bechtel National, Inc., the EM Office of River Protection (ORP) prime contractor designing, building and commissioning the plant. “It is an important achievement as we ensure the people, plant, and paperwork or processes are ready as we go into melter heatup and cold commissioning.”

The control room the operators will work in is located inside the Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility, where radioactive and chemical waste from the tank farms will be vitrified, or immobilized in glass, for safe disposal as part of Hanford’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program.

The first-ever control room operating crew completed its final qualification evaluations in a simulator facility as Melter 1 and Melter 2 operators, process operator, utility operator, Balance of Facilities/Analytical Laboratory operator, and control room supervisor. During the evaluation, a team of instructors observed each individual performing normal operations as well as responding to abnormal and emergency conditions.

“The certification of the first crew of control room operators is the culmination of extensive training,” said Mat Irwin, ORP deputy assistant manager for the plant. “It’s a truly important achievement on our path to tank waste treatment.”

Subsequently, the remaining three crews have also been qualified.

The entire Hanford Site is preparing for a shift to 24/7 operations, when vitrification of tank waste is scheduled to begin as part of the DFLAW Program. That program is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated, that must operate together to vitrify the waste.

During vitrification, waste treated at a tank farm to remove radioactive cesium and solids will be fed directly to the LAW Facility’s melters. The waste and glass-forming materials will be mixed, heated, and poured into specially designed stainless-steel containers. The containers will be transported a short distance to the site’s Integrated Disposal Facility for disposal.

The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

This accomplishment moves the plant fully into the commissioning phase where final steps are taken to prepare for vitrifying, or immobilizing in glass, radioactive and chemical waste as part of Hanford’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program.

“It was a huge milestone for the startup team to transfer the final DFLAW systems to the care, custody, and control of plant management,” said Valerie McCain, project director and senior vice president for Bechtel National, Inc., the prime contractor designing, building, and commissioning the plant. “We are in the final phase of our preparations to start vitrifying waste.”

The DFLAW Program is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated, that must operate together to vitrify the waste.

“With the completion of startup testing, we can focus on commissioning and establishing the operating culture necessary to safely begin a new era of operations at Hanford,” said Mat Irwin, Office of River Protection deputy assistant manager for the plant. “All contractors are driving toward 24/7 operations to ensure we can operate the plant successfully.”

During vitrification, waste is treated to remove radioactive cesium and solids and will be fed directly to the plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility melters. The waste and glass-forming materials will be mixed, heated, and poured into specially designed stainless-steel containers. The containers will be transported a short distance to the site’s Integrated Disposal Facility for disposal.

The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

Bechtel is the prime contractor for the Hanford Vit Plant. Each year, Bechtel recognizes supply chain partners that have supported Bechtel’s execution of key projects around the world and across the energy, infrastructure, nuclear, security, environmental, mining & metals, equipment, technology and logistics markets.

The 2020/2021 Bechtel Global Supplier awards recognized 55 suppliers and subcontractors. The four Vit Plant suppliers recognized include:

• Fluid Controls and Components, Inc. (FCCI) of Richland, Wash. Known for its expertise with precision valves, FCCI provided valves, piping and piping components for Vit Plant construction. FCCI also sourced 108,000 pounds of frit, a mixture of chemicals heated in a furnace to form glass, that will be used during the heatup of the Vit Plant’s first melter later this winter.
• Inland Asphalt Company, which has facilities in Spokane and Richland, Wash. Inland Asphalt paved 115,000 square yards, the equivalent of 18 football fields, of roadways, parking lots and walkways around 17 structures at the Vit Plant. The work was coordinated with ongoing construction work and completed with no safety incidents.
• Pacific Office Solutions in Richland, Wash. Pacific Office Solutions offers a wide variety of diverse products and created “shopping agreements” that allowed Bechtel staff at the Vit Plant to easily order necessary supplies. Pacific Office Solutions also helped protect Vit Plant employees during the early days of the pandemic by sourcing personal protective equipment even when demand for those items was at its highest.
• Petersen, Inc., of Ogden, Utah, and Pocatello, Idaho. Petersen, Inc. built the two 300-ton melters that will be used at the Vit Plant to vitrify the low-activity tank waste. The melters are so intricate that the specifications for each melter included about 1,200 engineering drawings and took two to three years to fabricate. Petersen, Inc. also manufactured the stainless steel containers that will be used to dispose of the waste and is fabricating a third spare melter for Bechtel.

“The partnerships we have with suppliers and subcontractors are crucial to the success of the Vit Plant,” said Frank Salaman, Bechtel procurements and subcontracts manager at the plant. “Their outstanding dedication to quality and customer service makes them vital partners for the success of our important project.”

The Vit Plant, also known as the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant project, will use the vitrification process to safely treat and store a portion of the 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste generated at Hanford during the Manhattan Project and Cold War. The waste is mixed with silica and other glass-forming materials, heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit in one of two melters, then poured into stainless steel containers. The treated low-activity waste will be disposed of at Hanford in permitted trenches covered with soil.

The suppliers and subcontractors recognized by Bechtel with 2020/2021 Global Supplier Awards are a diverse group: some 65% of the recipients are small and/or minority-owned businesses, and the recipients come from seven different countries and across the United States.

Companies were evaluated on multiple factors including overall performance, ability to deliver quality services/supplies on time, ability to work collaboratively to meet milestones, and meeting or exceeding project expectations in aspects of safety, performance, technical expertise, and environmental compliance.

The Vit Plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour.

Company Contacts for Interview Requests:

Bechtel: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

Fluid Controls and Components Inc.: Russ Watson, 509-375-0774 or russ@fluidcontrols.net

Inland Asphalt Company: Steve Hanson, 509-946-2860 or steve.hanson@inlandnw.com

Pacific Office Solutions: Julie Valdez, 509-452-1993 or jvaldez@posolutions.com

Petersen Inc.: Rob Despain, robd@peterseninc.com

When offsite power was cut during the test, plant personnel activated backup power to keep critical safety systems operational while they worked through procedures to restore power to the plant.

“Our proficiency in responding to a LOOP is important, because during 24/7 plant operations, each of our shift crews needs to be able to respond appropriately,” said Rick Holmes, general manager for the Waste Treatment Completion Company, a subcontractor to project lead Bechtel National, Inc. “They need to place the plant in a safe configuration and restore power to the melters to ensure they stay at their operating temperature.”

Offsite power is provided to the plant by infrastructure that is managed by contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS). To “cut” offsite power, HMIS remotely opened the primary power supply breaker to the plant and then closed it once the test was completed.

The ability to restore power to the plant is critical. Two melters inside the plant’s Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility will immobilize radioactive and chemical waste in a glass form. Once a melter has reached its operating temperature of 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit, it must remain at temperature for its entire lifespan. If a melter were to cool and the glass inside became solid, the melter would need to be replaced. The first melter will be brought up to temperature in the next few months.

“Achieving this milestone brings us a significant step closer to initiating melter heatup,” said Mat Irwin, ORP deputy assistant manager for the plant. “The training has paid dividends and brings us one step closer to vitrification.”

The entire Hanford Site is preparing for a shift to 24/7 operations by the end of 2023, when vitrification of tank waste is scheduled to begin as part of EM’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program. The DFLAW Program is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated, that must operate together to vitrify the waste.

During vitrification, waste treated to remove radioactive cesium and solids at a tank farm will be fed directly to the LAW Facility’s melters. The waste and glass-forming materials will be mixed, heated, and poured into specially designed stainless-steel containers. The containers will be transported a short distance to the site’s Integrated Disposal Facility for disposal.

The 300-ton Hanford melters are each four times larger than the one in operation at EM’s Defense Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Hanford’s LAW Facility is designed to vitrify 5,000 gallons of low-activity waste a day — or 1.75 million gallons a year — when operating at full capacity.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

Glass frit is a mixture of chemicals that will mimic Hanford tank waste materials during the melter heatup process in the Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility. The melter is at the heart of the vitrification process that transforms radioactive and chemical waste into an immobilized glass form safe for disposal through the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program. The DFLAW Program is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated, that must operate together to vitrify the waste.

FCCI was contracted by Bechtel National Inc. (BNI), the prime contractor designing, building, and commissioning the plant, to provide 108,000 pounds of the frit. FCCI has also provided valves, piping, and piping components for plant construction.

“It was the first time we dealt with frit,” said Russ Watson, FCCI vice president. “The chemistry and physical profile of the frit were very complex. The specifications were strict, and the monitoring process was extensive.”

During vitrification, radioactive and chemical tank waste is pretreated near large underground tanks to remove radioactive cesium and solids. It's then fed to the LAW Facility where it will be mixed with glass-forming materials, transferred to two melters, heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit, and poured into specially designed stainless-steel containers for disposal at the nearby Integrated Disposal Facility.

The frit will be used only during melter heatup. It mimics waste by dissolving into a solid form at high temperatures. During the heatup process, the glass frit will be flushed out of the melter with a simulated feed.

“Partners like FCCI are crucial to the success of the project,” said Frank Salaman, procurements and subcontracts manager for BNI. “We rely on them to meet the complex specifications the project requires.”

The project team is scheduled to initiate heatup of the first melter by the end of 2021. Information on the commissioning process, including a loss-of-power test and melter heatup, is available on the Journey to Melter Heatup website.

The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

“We are making positive, sustained progress toward ensuring the plant, our people, and the paper — such as procedures — are ready to heat up the first melter later this year,” said Project Director Valerie McCain, senior vice president with EM Office of River Protection (ORP) prime contractor Bechtel National, Inc. “Our team is safely and compliantly demonstrating these systems will be ready to support melter heatup and then cold commissioning in 2022.”

After completing testing, the plant’s startup team handed over the two melters and supporting equipment to the plant management team for commissioning. Following melter heatup, operators will feed simulated waste and glass-forming materials into the melters in a step called cold commissioning. A hot commissioning phase, in which low-activity tank waste will be vitrified, will then occur prior to full operations.

“The plant workforce is expected to complete all startup testing in the Low-Activity Waste Facility in the next several weeks,” said Mat Irwin, ORP deputy assistant manager for the plant. “Commissioning of equipment and systems is already underway in the plant’s various facilities, and we’re all gearing up for the loss of power test this fall.” The loss of power test will demonstrate that all Vit Plant shifts can restore power to facilities and to the melters in a timely and safe manner.

The entire Hanford Site is preparing for a shift to 24/7 operations by the end of 2023, when treatment of tank waste using vitrification is scheduled to start as part of EM’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program. The DFLAW Program is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated, that must operate together to vitrify the waste.

During vitrification, waste treated near large underground tanks to remove radioactive cesium and solids will be fed directly to the LAW Facility’s melters. The waste and glass-forming materials will be mixed, heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit, and poured into specially designed stainless-steel containers. The containers will be transported a short distance to the site’s Integrated Disposal Facility for disposal.

The 300-ton Hanford melters are each four times larger than the one in operation at EM’s Defense Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Hanford’s LAW Facility is designed to vitrify 5,000 gallons of low-activity waste each day — or 1.75 million gallons each year — during full operations after hot commissioning. Startup testing is complete on about 75% of the facility’s 94 systems, which have been turned over to the plant management team for commissioning.

Information on the commissioning process, including a loss of power test and melter heatup, is available on the Journey to Melter Heatup website.

The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

Finishing the test was a prerequisite for the laboratory team to begin using scientific equipment with radioactive materials, which is required for operations.

“The plant team and Mississippi State University (MSU) have collaborated successfully throughout the design, installation, and multiple types of stringent tests of these special filters,” said Mat Irwin, Office of River Protection deputy assistant manager for the plant. “These filters have exceeded all standards required for HEPA filtration, and now we’re confident the overall system is ready for operations.”

HEPA filters are critical to the nuclear industry for their ability to filter airborne contaminants from ventilation and exhaust systems in accordance with state and federal requirements. The filters will also be used in the plant’s Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility, which is where large melters will immobilize Hanford tank waste in glass when operations begin.

“It was definitely a project-wide effort to safely carry out the tests,” said Jeffrey Peterson, a field test manager with Waste Treatment Completion Company, a subcontractor to WTP prime contractor Bechtel National, Inc. “The team included maintenance crews, commissioning technicians, on-site MSU experts, and test engineers making this important step toward melter heatup and ultimate operations possible.”

For testing, the team saturated each HEPA filter with an aerosol spray to simulate potential radioactive contamination, passed air through the filters, and collected and analyzed air samples on the other side to ensure the filters captured the simulant as designed. During future operations, air from the laboratory will flow through the HEPA filters before reaching the building’s environmental exhaust system, where it will then be sampled to ensure it meets Washington State Department of Health standards.

Each HEPA filter weighs more than 70 pounds and is used in multiple banks of four filters, called housings. In total, the laboratory commissioning team tested 128 filters to verify each one was installed correctly, sealed, functioned properly, and met operational air flow requirements. The filters are constructed of fragile fiberglass sheets resembling paper, which are pleated and installed in a filter pack, similar to a thick furnace filter.

The filters, designed by Bechtel and Porvair Filtration Group, are relatively new to the nuclear industry. Previous testing conducted at MSU demonstrated these filters are at least five times stronger than standard HEPA filters and exceed plant-specific standards and codes set by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Previous code compliance testing at MSU, Underwriters Laboratories, and the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center validated the filter performance.

Commissioning tests ensure utilities, equipment, and process systems are integrated and ready to support future plant operations. There are approximately 65 commissioning test packages, incorporating over 250 individual objectives, that span the plant’s LAW Facility, Analytical Laboratory, Effluent Management Facility, and Balance of Facilities.

The Vit Plant will vitrify, or immobilize in glass, tank waste as part of Hanford’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste program. The program is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated, that must operate together to vitrify the waste. During vitrification, the nuclear waste and glass-forming materials are mixed and heated up to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit inside one of two large melters in the LAW Facility, then poured into stainless steel containers for safe storage.

Information on the commissioning process, including a loss of power test and melter heatup, is available on the Journey to Melter Heatup website.

The plant facilities can be viewed using the self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour.

Contact: Staci A. West, 509-378-0308 or sawest@bechtel.com

RICHLAND, Wash. – As the Vit Plant team moves closer to starting up the first of two melters inside the Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility, Bechtel National, Inc. today launches a new website that explains the commissioning process, including critical activities such as the loss of power test and melter heatup process.

“We want our key stakeholders and local community to understand the steps being taken to ensure a safe, quality, and effective heatup of the first melter,” said Mat Irwin, Department of Energy Office of River Protection deputy assistant manager for the plant. “We are approaching a 24/7 operational situation at a pace not seen at the Hanford Site in many years. We’re excited to deliver on this commitment to our community.”

The two 300-ton waste melters inside the LAW Facility will heat Hanford’s low-activity tank waste and glass-forming materials to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit and transform, or vitrify, it for safe disposal. Vitrify means immobilizing the waste and materials within a glass form. The loss of power test will demonstrate the team is able to protect the melter by putting the LAW Facility into safe condition and restoring power before any damage to the melter occurs. 

The Journey to Melter Heatup website includes information such as:

• The many activities that must be completed to enable melter heatup, such as installing key equipment and tuning the exhaust system.
• Definitions of common melter heatup terminology.
• Key facts such as how many days it takes to bring the melter up to target temperature.
• The latest news on progress toward heatup.

For example, initial heatup of the melter takes about 22 days, followed by several days of testing with the addition of glass startup materials that melt at low temperatures, and then another 30 days of feeding in glass-forming materials.

Melter heatup will culminate 2021’s progress toward starting Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) treatment by the end of 2023. DFLAW is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated as a program, that must operate together to vitrify low-activity waste.

The first class of 12 new laboratory technicians is in training. They join chemists hired last year and together will be responsible for analyzing approximately 3,000 samples of tank waste at the plant’s Analytical Laboratory each year to support Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) operations. DFLAW is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated as a program, that must operate together to vitrify, or immobilize within glass, Hanford tank waste.

“The waste in the tanks is very complex, and each batch of waste fed to the plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility must be sampled and analyzed to ensure the vitrified end product meets regulatory standards,” said Mat Irwin, DOE Office of River Protection deputy assistant manager for the plant.

Fourteen lab spaces will be used to conduct analyses of the elements within the waste, as well as determine physical and chemical properties of waste. The results will determine the type and amount of glass-forming materials that will be mixed with batches of tank waste during vitrification. Samples will also be taken throughout the vitrification process to confirm the plant is producing high-quality glass.

Last month, DOE Office of Environmental Management and BNI declared the lab “ready to operate” after safely constructing and testing all systems in the laboratory. The class of 12 new technicians is the latest wave of new hires as the plant transitions to commissioning work prior to operations.

“We expect to have 45 staff working 24/7 shifts in the Analytical Laboratory when DFLAW operations begin,” said Valerie McCain, Bechtel senior vice president and project director. “A second set of 12 lab technicians and 20 radiological technicians will be hired later this spring for commissioning and operations roles.”

Individual spaces within the Analytical Laboratory can be viewed using a self-guided Hanford Virtual Tour.

Twenty commissioning technicians and four control room supervisors recently began their training at the plant’s simulator building, an offsite duplicate of the LAW Facility control room. The courses are readying staff to meet two of this year’s key milestones in preparations to bring the world’s largest radioactive waste vitrification facility online: a Loss of Power test followed by heating up the first of the two melters.

“Once we heat up a melter, it needs to stay hot until we start treating tank waste,” said Mat Irwin, Department of Energy Office of River Protection deputy assistant manager for WTP. “We are establishing contingencies, but the impacts to the project if we lose a melter are significant. We need to successfully keep the melters hot until they wear out and we replace them with new melters.”

The Loss of Power test will demonstrate the team is able to protect the melter by putting the LAW Facility into safe condition and restoring power before any damage to the melter occurs.

During future plant operations, the pair of 300-ton melters will use electricity to heat tank waste and glass-forming materials to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. The molten mixture will be poured into large stainless-steel containers that will be sealed and transported to Hanford’s nearby Integrated Disposal Facility.

“Once a melter goes hot, our operators need to be ready to respond quickly and decisively in the unlikely event of a loss of power,” said Kent Smith, plant manager for Bechtel subcontractor Waste Treatment Completion Company (WTCC). “By the time we’re ready to conduct the Loss of Power test, our operators and supervisors will be fully versed in running the melters and the off-gas and ventilation systems.”

The DFLAW approach is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated as a program, that must operate together successfully to vitrify Hanford tank waste.

Commissioning technicians, shift managers and supervisors will also receive classroom training in operational safety protocols that ensure hazards are mitigated. Jobsite training will follow. Staff members are also developing a training course in Loss of Power response for rollout in the classroom this spring.

“We use a systematic ‘ADDIE’ approach in our training,” said Steve Goodrich, WTCC operations training supervisor. “ADDIE stands for analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation.”

Accordingly, before each classroom training session, the training team analyzes the employees’ jobs and tasks and creates a list of materials and documents that support performing those tasks. Then the training group develops lesson plans and training aids and delivers the training in the classroom or on the jobsite. Employees take tests to check their knowledge, periodically take refresher courses, and provide feedback to continuously improve the training.

The Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection (ORP) and Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI) recently declared the Hanford Vit Plant’s Analytical Laboratory “Ready to Operate” for transforming low-activity waste into an immobilized form safe for storage.

That’s an official designation signifying that the facility and its team are prepared to support cold commissioning, during which a waste-like simulant is run through the plant to ensure systems are working properly under operating conditions. BNI is the prime contractor designing, building and commissioning the Vit Plant for DOE.

The Analytical Laboratory is key to DOE’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste approach that will be used to treat millions of gallons of low-activity waste from Hanford’s underground tanks.

“This is another important step forward in preparing to treat tank waste,” said Tom Fletcher, ORP assistant manager for the Vit Plant. “Our team continues to demonstrate that we have a deliberate process that ensures safety and quality through every step toward cold and hot commissioning.”

The lab’s ready-to-operate designation means that training and qualification processes are finished; programs and procedures are approved and implemented; and equipment, tools, and materials are in place, tested, and available for use by existing and future lab staff.

In preparation for the ready-to-operate assessment, the Vit Plant  team completed a comprehensive set of 67 individual criteria that included readying the lab's structures, systems, components, programs, procedures, and staff. The assessment participants included internal staff as well as those from Bechtel’s corporate offices and Hanford’s 222-S Laboratory.

“This effort overcame many unforeseen challenges in 2020 and embodies the 'One Team' spirit we are proud of at the Vit Plant," said Gene Nemeth, deputy nuclear facility manager working for subcontractor Waste Treatment Completion Company. “It was a united effort with tremendous support from all organizations. Passing the assessment is a tribute to the team's significant effort and can-do attitude.

“Completing this goal provides a significant boost to our pride and motivation as we continue the journey toward cold commissioning."

Then, the lab team will prepare for hot commissioning, when actual tank waste will be run through the plant to ensure systems are operating properly. In 2021, the Vit Plant plans to hire a total of 24 laboratory technicians and 20 radiological technicians to support lab activities and preparations.

DOE reviewed and validated the assessment that the lab met expectations for readiness to operate.

DFLAW is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated as a program, that must operate together successfully to vitrify, or immobilize in glass, Hanford’s low-activity tank waste.

“The Department is committed to the shared goal of initiating tank waste treatment at Hanford via DFLAW,” Menezes said. “This progress marks a tremendous leap forward for the Hanford workforce and the Tri-Cities community as we drive closer to a new era of tank waste treatment at Hanford.”

Dabbar noted that a focus on solutions combined with a world-class workforce has led to results for the tank waste mission and beyond.

“The impacts of this DFLAW achievement coupled with the overall progress of the past four years position Hanford for success throughout the decade ahead,” Dabbar said.

All engineering, procurement, and construction has been completed on 17 facilities at the plant that will be used in the DFLAW approach. Through this approach, pretreated waste from Hanford tanks will be piped to the Low-Activity Waste Facility, where it will be vitrified, or immobilized in glass. The other facilities include the Analytical Laboratory, Effluent Management Facility, and 14 support structures consisting of electrical power, backup power, water purification, compressed air, steam, communication and control, and fire water systems.

The 17 facilities are now in the startup testing and commissioning phases to prepare for operations and the next major achievement — heating large melters that will vitrify millions of gallons of low-activity tank waste.

DOE Hanford Manager Brian Vance emphasized the significance of the achievement to the entire Hanford Site.

“As the plant moves into full commissioning, other Hanford contractors continue their drive to prepare for round-the-clock operations by completing projects and infrastructure improvements that must operate with the plant to be successful,” Vance said. “We are moving deliberatively and safely toward treating tank waste and meeting our commitment to continue to protect our workforce, the people of this region, and the environment.”

Valerie McCain, Bechtel National, Inc. senior vice president and project director for WTP, thanked current and former workers for their contributions and presented Menezes and Dabbar with ceremonial keys to signify the turnover of the facilities used for the DFLAW approach from construction to commissioning and startup activities. Members of the Washington congressional delegation, along with Washington State Department of Ecology Nuclear Waste Program Manager David Bowen, congratulated the Hanford workforce as well as the Tri-Cities community via video messages.

A recording of the media event and remarks is available here.

“Workers continue to make good progress at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant,” said Tom Fletcher, assistant manager for WTP at DOE’s Office of River Protection. “Completing construction and startup testing of systems at the LAW Facility is another important step in our preparations to treat tank waste at Hanford.”

The systems include a mechanical line for moving empty containers below melters where they will be filled with tank waste that has been vitrified, or immobilized in glass.

This video shows WTP crews testing the LAW Facility container handling system.

As construction of the systems has been completed, they have been turned over to a startup testing team to ensure they work properly prior to commissioning. Of the 94 LAW Facility systems, about a third of them have been tested and handed over to plant management for commissioning.

The LAW Facility is the size of one-and-a-half football fields and houses two large melters. The melters will vitrify low-activity tank waste that will be pretreated to remove cesium and solids at the tank farms and fed directly to the LAW Facility. The approach, called Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste, is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated as a program, that must operate together successfully to vitrify Hanford’s low-activity tank waste.

The next goal for completing construction and turning over WTP facilities to startup testing is the LAW Facility itself, and EM and Bechtel are expected to reach that goal in the next few weeks.

Earlier this year, WTP staff finished startup testing at the plant’s Analytical Laboratory, which will analyze up to 3,000 samples of waste each year to make sure it meets disposal requirements. Another 14 support facilities that provide utilities such as power, compressed air, and steam are near the end of startup testing and are nearly ready for commissioning.

Startup testing verifies that the equipment and systems are functional and in safe working order before being handed over to plant management for commissioning. The commissioning phase ensures the utilities, equipment, and process systems are integrated and ready to support future DFLAW operations.

“The perseverance of our entire team this year has been amazing to get where we are today,” said Valerie McCain, project director and senior vice president of Bechtel. “This accomplishment wouldn’t have been possible without our entire team’s commitment to quality, safety, and progress.”

Over the past two years, the scientific team developed training and procedures and verified laboratory equipment performance while working from a temporary offsite laboratory at Columbia Basin College (CBC) in Pasco, Wash. In parallel, startup testing of systems in the LAB was completed to allow the team to transition to the site.

“It’s a critical moment in time for the project to welcome the last of the laboratory team to the jobsite,” said Valerie McCain, project director for lead contractor Bechtel National, Inc. “I appreciate CBC’s collaboration as we leveraged the capabilities in our community to help progress the mission. Now, with the people and equipment here, we are well positioned for cold and hot commissioning for Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste.”

The LAB’s key function is to determine the correct “recipe” of glass-forming materials for each incoming batch of tank waste, and then to confirm the glass produced by the Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility meets state and federal regulatory requirements. Rigorous processes, procedures and training developed by the team will ensure the vitrified waste is safe for long-term storage.

“This is a key step in preparations to bring the vitrification plant online, begin making glass, and continue moving forward in our Hanford cleanup mission,” said Tom Fletcher, EM WTP Federal Project Director. “Over the next several months, we will have fewer construction workers and more commissioning and operations workers. It’s exciting and a long time in coming.”

Under the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste process, the tank farms will feed waste directly to the LAW Facility for vitrification. During the cold commissioning phase, a waste-like simulant will be run through the LAW Facility. Then, a hot-commissioning vitrification phase will begin turning low-activity radioactive tank waste into stable glass. The LAB will analyze 3.000 process samples annually to ensure the quality of vitrified waste.

Vitrification involves mixing liquid radioactive wastes with glass-forming materials and heating them in a high-temperature melter. The process incorporates the waste into the glass itself. It is poured into canisters, allowed to solidify and cool. Then it is transported for disposal. 

An in-depth classroom and on-the-job training program is preparing the final class of 27 new commissioning workers to bring more than 200 separate systems online in two main facilities, including 14 support facilities and the Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility. At the end of the five-month training program, a total of approximately 140 commissioning technicians will be readying the plant for round-the-clock operations to treat a large volume of Hanford’s waste leftover from producing plutonium in the 1940s through the late 1980s.

“A lot of people have put in years of work and effort to get us to where we are today,” said Tom Fletcher, Department of Energy federal project director for the plant. “It’s an exciting time to be working at Hanford as our team moves closer to treating tank waste.”

Training the technicians supports the DOE Office of Environmental Management’s strategic priorities for 2020, which include completing Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) construction for turnover to commissioning. Direct-feed means waste will be pretreated at a tank farm, which is a group of tanks, to remove radioactive cesium and solids. The resulting less radioactive, low-activity waste will be fed via pipelines directly to the Low-Activity Waste Facility for vitrification.

The Bechtel National, Inc-led team began hiring technicians in 2016 to prepare, or commission, the plant to start treating tank waste in the next few years. Workers are observing COVID-19 safety protocols while training at a 17,000-square-foot building that contains a full-scale, fully functional replica of the Low-Activity Waste Facility control room, where they will eventually work. In early 2019, the plant began 24/7 commissioning shift work, as the control room is already operational and staffed by qualified commissioning technicians.

“Our rigorous training program prepares and qualifies them to bring the plant online as we complete commissioning and for eventual around-the-clock operations,” said Valerie McCain, Bechtel National, Inc. project director. “I’m excited to welcome them to our team.”

Commissioning technicians also learn about conduct of operations; process systems; integrated system response; alarm response; normal, abnormal and emergency procedures; and human performance improvement fundamentals.

In the LAW Facility, low-activity waste will be mixed with silica and other glass-forming materials. The mixture is then fed into LAW’s two 300-ton melters and heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. The glass mixture is then poured into containers that are 4 feet in diameter and 7 feet tall. At full production, the LAW Facility is designed to vitrify 30 metric tons of waste per day.

“You can feel the pace of operations getting quicker, as systems that have been under construction for so long are coming online,” said Jason Young, WTP federal program manager for the Department of Energy's Office of River Protection. “Treating tank waste is complex and multifaceted, and requires a sustained collective commitment to excellence and teamwork. Getting the transfer hoist operational is one more step toward success.”

During operations, the finish line transfer hoist will operate behind a shield door. Employees will operate the 10-ton crane remotely from the LAW control room while viewing through a series of cameras and monitors.

“Movement of the finish line transfer hoist is a great achievement for the project and a major step in the ongoing progress towards vitrifying waste,” said Julian Leam, WTCC senior mechanical handling test engineer. “Making ‘first contact’ was an exciting moment and gives us confidence to move through the rest of the handling systems that will move stainless steel containers through the LAW Facility to be filled with vitrified waste.”

After filling with vitrified waste at the melters and cooling, containers move through the facility to the export bay on a series of tracks called the finishing line. The finish line transfer hoist transfers filled containers between the parallel north and south finishing lines. On the finishing line, the container is sampled, lidded, swabbed to confirm it is clean of contamination, and then transferred to the export area.

In the LAW Facility, low-activity waste will be mixed with silica and other glass-forming materials. The mixture is fed into the LAW’s two 300-ton melters and heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. The glass mixture is then poured into containers that are 4 feet in diameter, 7 feet tall, and weigh just over 7 tons when filled. At full production, the LAW Facility is designed to vitrify 30 metric tons of waste per day, filling five containers.

WTP is working toward waste treatment through the Department of Energy’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste program.

“These specially engineered stainless-steel containers and the spare melter are critical to our ability to complete hot commissioning in just a few years,” said Valerie McCain, a Bechtel National principal vice president and Vit Plant project director.

Bechtel National is working in partnership with the Department of Energy to bring its Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) program online by the end of 2023. The engineered 7-foot tall, 4-foot wide containers will be filled with molten glass containing simulated and real radioactive waste during the Vit Plant’s commissioning phase, and the spare melter will be on standby for when the current melters reach their end of lifespan.

The Vit Plant’s Low-Activity Waste vitrification facility is an integral part of the DFLAW program. The Low-Activity Waste Facility already contains two installed melters that will heat tank waste and glass-forming materials to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit – a process called vitrification – before the mixture is poured into stainless steel containers for permanent storage. During plant operations the Low-Activity Waste Facility will treat about 1.75 million gallons of tank waste per year.

LAW Facility construction is substantially complete, systems startup testing is well underway and the computerized control room is operational and staffed 24-7 by workers. Construction of the Analytical Laboratory and plant-wide utilities infrastructure are finished, and startup testing is nearing completion.

Bechtel National’s commitment to local and small business

In Fiscal Year 2019, Bechtel National awarded $145 million in contracts to small and large businesses including small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses and others. Nearly $67 million, or 62.5 percent, of the dollars awarded was spent in Washington and Oregon, with about $39 million of that remaining in the Tri-Cities.

Test packages define the steps, work controls, tools and equipment, materials, and hazard control requirements project employees will use when performing tests. This test package is the first of four to be used to complete commissioning testing of the Analytical Laboratory's gas storage distribution systems, which provide gases such as argon and nitrogen to equipment inside the facility.

“We have been working a long time to get the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) to this point,” said Tom Fletcher, Office of River Protection federal project director and WTP assistant manager. “The Analytical Lab is a key facility and chemists have begun working in the facility. Getting the myriad systems tested, commissioned, and ready for operations is a significant step in that direction.”

Vit Plant Commissioning Manager Ross Hamlett added, “This is exciting progress that indicates the lab is approaching the start of the analytical work it was built for. This approval sets the stage for dozens of future commissioning test packages."

During commissioning, workers complete training, write procedures, and maintain operational facilities to demonstrate capability to prepare for operations.

“It's always a challenge the first time a work process is performed, and the development of this test package required new interfaces and support from multiple organizations," Hamlett said.

Commissioning test packages are developed in advance of the completion of startup testing so when enough systems are handed over, commissioning is ready to begin.

The laboratory is key to the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste program.

The laboratory’s main function is to confirm that glass produced by the Low-Activity Waste vitrification facility meets regulatory requirements and standards. During waste treatment operations, laboratory staff will analyze about 3,000 process samples annually to confirm a high-quality glass product and good process controls. Analyses will also confirm the correct glass-former “recipe” needed to produce a consistent glass form.

The laboratory’s key function is to confirm that glass produced by the Low-Activity Waste vitrification facility meets regulatory requirements and standards. During waste treatment operations, laboratory staff will analyze approximately 3,000 process samples annually to confirm a high-quality glass product and good process controls. Analyses will also confirm the correct glass-former “recipe” needed to produce a consistent glass form.

“Our Analytical Laboratory is a key component of meeting regulatory requirements for tank waste treatment,” said Tom Fletcher, WTP federal project manager and Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) program manager for the Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection. “The work to develop analytical processes, procedures and methods is an important step to being ready to treat low-activity waste and preparing the workforce for the upcoming commissioning phase.”

Over the next 18 months, more employees are expected to be hired, trained at an offsite lab, and then transferred to the laboratory.

“The chemists represent another group of permanent positions to support plant commissioning, along with 95 commissioning technicians currently working in the control room of the plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility Annex and throughout the plant,” said Valerie McCain, a principal vice president and project director for Vit Plant contractor Bechtel National, Inc.

The chemists prepared for their transition to the Hanford Site by first honing their skills and instruments at a smaller-scale offsite lab at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington.

During the past year, the laboratory team collaborated with Vit Plant engineers to analyze glass made from a slurry of low-activity waste simulant and glass-forming materials. This same analytical method will verify the glass vitrified in the Low-Activity Waste Facility meets DOE standards.

“This testing is an important part of our progress toward starting tank waste treating operations,” said Howard Sawyer, startup manager for the Lab. “We want to ensure that safety and quality are built into the Vit Plant so that we are protecting the public, workers, and the environment during operations.”

The HEPA filters weigh 72 pounds each and are used in multiple banks of four filters, called housings. The Lab holds 34 housings and 136 filters.

The circular shape of the filter traps contaminants better than previous designs and is relatively new to the nuclear industry. The filters are at least five times stronger than standard HEPA filters and exceed Vit Plant-specific standards and codes.

The Vit Plant testing team conducted the test, and the MSU team collected and analyzed the data and will provide a final report in coming weeks.

“Our strong partnership with MSU has been critical to our success,” said Tommy Davis, facility test lead. “This was an intricate and detailed process, from the prep work and procedure development through the actual testing, and we have been in lockstep with MSU the entire time.”

Vit Plant and MSU employees are now conducting filter tests in the Low-Activity Waste Facility and will eventually conduct them in the Effluent Management Facility.