Footprint Continues Shrinking Near Former Hanford Processing Facility

Crews with EM contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company are demolishing a former chemical storage yard at the Hanford Site’s Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant. The plant is one of Hanford’s five former plutonium processing facilities.

RICHLAND, Wash. — Crews with EM Richland Operations Office (RL) contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company are demolishing a former chemical storage area near the Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant (PUREX), one of the Hanford Site’s five former plutonium production facilities.

The 211-A storage area at PUREX contains about 20 tanks — most of which are above-ground — that previously stored chemicals used during the PUREX process to extract plutonium from irradiated uranium fuel rods.

“It’s encouraging to see the footprint continue to safely shrink at PUREX, with demolition of the 211-A area following the removal last fall of the adjacent 203-A Acid Storage Area, which met a Tri-Party Agreement milestone,” said Andy Wiborg, EM Projects and Facilities Division team lead for Hanford’s Central Plateau Cleanup Project.

Prior to demolition, crews removed asbestos insulation from a maze of pipelines, cement asbestos board from several tanks and a pump house. They also drained chemical lines at more than 60 locations inside the pump house to ensure no old fluids remained; and disconnected mechanical and electrical lines and equipment.

Completing demolition of 211-A will allow crews to begin cleanup activities inside the main PUREX facility.

“I’m impressed by the progress to safely and efficiently advance our risk-reduction work at the PUREX complex,” said Robert Wade, CPCCo project manager. “We’ve got a hardworking team that thinks creatively, adapts to changing conditions and demonstrates a strong commitment to safety while working in a highly hazardous environment.”

The project is expected to be completed this spring.