Hanford
The Hanford site serves as a key piece of the Tri-City economy. Our special coverage takes a closer look at Hanford’s workforce, cleanup efforts and costs, and the status of key projects, including the massive vitrification plant currently under construction at the 586-square-mile site in our backyard.
Covid-19 slowed but did not stop progress on Hanford cleanup
An act of God. Or, among lawyers, a force majeure. Many contracts have force majeure clauses to govern what happens when faced with circumstances beyond anyone’s control. The global Covid-19 pandemic certainly falls into this category. How much did Covid-19 affect Hanford’s cleanup mission? Not much in the big picture. Some tank waste pumping will…
Hanford plant is on cusp of melting waste after an eventful 2020
The Hanford site team has consistently supported our nation during unprecedented times and this year has been no different. The innovation and determination of our workers, from the most experienced leaders to those just starting their careers, have ensured success throughout our site history during both the national security mission of the past and today’s…
What does a new administration mean for Hanford?
What does having a new president in office mean for Hanford? Specifically, what does it mean to have President Joe Biden, a former vice president and longtime U.S. senator, in the Oval Office? What does it mean to have Jennifer Granholm, the former governor of Michigan, at the helm at the U.S. Department of Energy…
State’s new manager hopes to offer fresh look at Hanford’s challenging issues
As the new manager for the state of Washington’s Nuclear Waste Program, I appreciate the opportunity to reach out and introduce myself to the Tri-City community. I’ve been on the job at Nuclear Waste for the past several months, but I’m not new to this area or its economy and concerns. I’m a 50-plus year…
You’ve heard about the vit plant, but do you know what it will do?
Every community has a local language, terms that are commonplace to locals but baffling to visitors. For the Tri-Cities, “vitrification” – the process of superheating nuclear waste with glass-forming materials for safe long-term storage – is one. It has been bandied about since the 1980s as plutonium production ceased at Hanford and later, in 1989,…
Bechtel’s vitrification plant heating up in 2021
Progress is heating up at Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. Also known as the vit plant, the project is taking a permanent step forward at the end of this year – heating up our first 300-ton low-activity waste melter. The melters are the heart of the vitrification process, which will turn Hanford’s waste into…
Building on past progress for a brighter future
Jan. 25 marked our official start of work as the new contractor for nuclear waste cleanup on the Hanford site’s Central Plateau and along the Columbia River. On behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hanford cleanup mission, the Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo) will continue the risk-reduction activities managed by previous contractor, CH2M…
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