Portsmouth, Paducah Wrap Up Successful 2024 Public Tours

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s Portsmouth Paducah Project Office (PPPO) sites recently completed another successful public tour season boosted by an influx of visitors from across the country.

Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office

November 26, 2024

Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership Community Relations Specialist Steve Christmas, right, leads a tour group in the Paducah Site’s Central Control Building this past spring. Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership is the site's deactivation and remediation contracto

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s Portsmouth Paducah Project Office (PPPO) sites recently completed another successful public tour season boosted by an influx of visitors from across the country.

The Portsmouth Site in Ohio and the Paducah Site in Kentucky hosted more than 430 visitors this year, including guests from Alaska, Montana, Utah, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois and Tennessee. That’s up from about 300 tour participants last year.

“Each year we see more people signing up for these tours because they are excited to see the work we are doing and learn about the plans for reindustrialization,” Portsmouth Site Lead Jeremy Davis said. “It’s a great way for us to connect with our community and give them the opportunity to learn about our work firsthand.”

Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth Environmental Remediation Director J.D. Chiou, center, explains the importance of excavating contaminated soil for use in the On-Site Waste Disposal Facility and to provide contiguous land for reindustrialization during a public tour

The guided tours allow guests to step back in time with stops at former central control facilities original to the construction at each site. They provide an in-depth look at the history, community impact, safety focus, current work and future use at each site. This year, the Portsmouth tour featured a stop to view a soil excavation area where a major cleanup is underway to address contamination and support the On-Site Waste Disposal Facility.

“It is exciting to see the community show interest in the past history, present progress and the future mission of the Paducah Site,” Paducah Site Lead April Ladd said. “Cleanup at the site is setting the table for future use for the community, and the tours are an important tool to ensure the public has the opportunity to get involved.”

Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth On-Site Waste Disposal Facility Construction Facility Manager Jon Kirkendall, center, discusses the design for the facility and shares progress on its construction during a public tour at the Portsmouth Site. Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth is

Whether they are retirees or individuals whose family members helped build the sites or worked at them, most tour participants have a connection to Portsmouth and Paducah. Some visitors even remember having to share desks with classmates in elementary school due to a surge in population while the sites were built.

Tours of the Portsmouth and Paducah sites are offered each year. All tours are free of charge and scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Check the PPPO Facebook page early next year to learn more about signing up for public tours in 2025.

-Contributors: Steve Christmas, Cindi Remy