A federal contractor on the Hanford site has received nearly all of the available incentive pay for its work connected to the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, or WTP. 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management announced that Bechtel National Inc. met requirements to earn 95% of its available incentive pay, or $14.2 million.  

In the seven areas assessed, the federal agency said Bechtel’s performance was “excellent” in three of the areas related to the High-Level Waste Facility at the WTP. 

Specifically, Bechtel showed its commitment to completing the facility’s design by 2027, applying hundreds of lessons learned from other projects to reduce risks and working with other contractors to determine waste acceptance criteria. 

However, federal officials said there was room for improvement, specifically regarding construction oversight and safety training of new workforce members; establishing an early mock-up of the facility to troubleshoot and test components; and making sure construction materials are ordered in time to meet the construction schedule.