Office of Environmental Management

10/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/29/2024 14:56

Welding Campaign Caps Spent Fuel Storage Project at Hanford

Workers with U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company recently finished welding covers on 15 containers of spent fuel at the Canister Storage Building at the Hanford Site.

RICHLAND, Wash. - U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo) recently "put the lid" on a project to permanently seal 15 stainless steel containers of spent nuclear fuel, reducing risk at the Hanford Site.

In the early 2000s, workers welded covers onto nearly 400 containers of spent fuel in interim storage at Hanford's Canister Storage Building (CSB). However, they left the covers unwelded on 15 containers, called multi-canister overpacks (MCO), as part of a long-term monitoring plan.

After the monitoring program was complete, the CSB project team reestablished the welding program to place the remaining MCOs into long-term storage.

"As we focus on risk reduction and mission progress, permanently sealing the final MCOs not only improves safety and security of interim spent fuel storage, but also saves money by reducing annual monitoring and maintenance costs," said Andy Wiborg, Hanford Field Office acting deputy assistant manager for River and Plateau cleanup.

The CSB supports Hanford's cleanup mission by providing interim storage for about 2,300 tons of irradiated spent nuclear fuel from the N Reactor and other former Hanford facilities. The 42,000-square-foot facility on Hanford's Central Plateau is composed of three underground concrete vaults, each capable of holding 220 carbon-steel tubes. The MCOs are stored in the tubes until a final disposal decision is made.

"So many people played a role in the safe and compliant completion of this critical risk-reduction project," said CPCCo Project Manager Lance Guzek. "From all our support organizations to operations to management, and of course to our welding crews, it was a true team effort."

Email Updates

To receive the latest news and updates about the Office of Environmental Management, submit your e-mail address.