West Valley Moves Waste Containers, Creating Space for Main Plant Teardown

WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – EM workers safely relocated eight concrete shielded waste containers away from a location near the Main Plant Process Building at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP), clearing the way for the upcoming demolition of the facility, an EM 2022 priority.

EM and cleanup contractor CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley (CHBWV) recently finished moving the waste cannisters within concrete shield containers, each ranging in weight from 68,000 to 80,000 pounds.

“This accomplishment allows us to continue preparations for the future deconstruction of the Main Plant Process Building,” EM WVDP Main Plant Demolition Project Director Stephen Bousquet said. “The completion of this work clears the way for equipment operators to perform a safe and controlled deconstruction of the Main Plant.”

Each container holds water filtering materials from the water treatment system at the former fuel receiving and storage facility. That building received and stored spent nuclear fuel during fuel reprocessing operations at the site from 1966 to 1972.

A flatbed trailer backed into the Main Plant demolition area to retrieve the containers. Using a 360-ton crane, workers moved the containers onto the trailer. Once secured, the vessels were moved to another location on the site.

The concrete shielded containers — and their inner waste receptacles — will be loaded into overpacks approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation and shipped offsite for disposal.

“Our team continues to use their combined knowledge to safely and deliberately complete high-risk work activities,” CHBWV Waste and Site Operations Manager Peggy Loop said. “I’m proud of their efforts and accomplishments, and the work they continue to do on this project.”