– A well-coordinated effort by EM Richland Operations Office contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) quickly restored power, repaired fallen utility poles and replaced transformers following a severe windstorm that hit the Hanford Site.
Office of Environmental Management
April 11, 2023
minute read time
RICHLAND, Wash. – A well-coordinated effort by EM Richland Operations Office contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) quickly restored power, repaired fallen utility poles and replaced transformers following a severe windstorm that hit the Hanford Site in late February.
At the storm’s peak, Hanford meteorologists recorded wind gusts of up to 65 mph at cleanup operations areas and up to 87 mph at higher elevations. The storm temporarily knocked out power to more than 100 Hanford service locations.
“The damage from this storm was unlike anything we’ve seen at the Hanford Site,” said Brian Vance, manager of EM’s Office of River Protection and Richland Operations Office. “The quick response by HMIS and the support from our One Hanford team enabled us to maintain operations with only a brief disruption.”
Electrical utilities crews with contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions restored power to most of the service locations on the Hanford Site the same day thanks to preparations for a 24/7 operations posture when Hanford starts treating waste from large underground storage tanks.
The fierce winds damaged more than 13 miles of electrical lines. HMIS electrical utilities crews began repairs the morning of the storm to fix eight utility poles that were either broken or leaning. Crews repaired damage to seven pole-top transformers and restored more than 60 other transformers affected by the damage.
HMIS crews restored power to 89 service locations the same day. They resolved the remaining outages and damage in prioritized order thanks to collaboration with additional HMIS teams and the other One Hanford contractors. At some locations, portable generators provided electricity to critical operations until crews restored power.
“Thanks to our preparations for 24/7 waste treatment operations and a forward-thinking risk-management analysis a couple years ago, we had the equipment needed to make the repairs in our warehouses,” said HMIS President Bob Wilkinson. “We were able to get Hanford’s systems back up and running in a few days, where it probably would’ve taken 45 to 90 days a few years ago. I’m incredibly proud of the way our teams responded and how efficiently and effectively we were able to complete this work.”
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