RICHLAND, Wash. - The last stop of plutonium processing on the Hanford Site is now one significant step closer to demolition. EM’s Richland Operations Office contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CH2M) recently isolated the main processing facility at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) in southeastern Washington state from electrical service, marking a critical step in going “cold and dark," where all forms of hazardous energy are removed from the building before demolition. Transitioning to temporary power minimizes the chance of exposure to teams removing asbestos and contaminated ventilation piping.
“We’re close," said Jim Johnson, CH2M maintenance manager at PFP, of the progress made toward demolition of the main processing facility. “We’re just a couple of months away from starting demolition."
The main processing facility is the largest of the four buildings in the PFP complex, which is being demolished to reduce risk on the Hanford Site. After delays during the winter, demolition is well underway on the Plutonium Reclamation Facility and Americium Recovery Facility. Temporary power will supply electricity to lights and outlets, an elevator, and a criticality alarm system, while crews perform the final work inside the main processing facility.
In addition to cutting power, all employees recently moved out of the main processing facility. Employees now use temporary trailers to dress and undress in protective clothing before entering and after exiting the plant.
“The demolition process is really an evolution, from a fully functioning processing facility, to deactivation, to cleaning it out and now moving people out, shutting off power and then demolition," said Tom Bratvold, CH2M vice president for PFP. “I couldn’t be prouder of the safe progress we’ve made so far and the progress we’ll make as demolition begins on the main facility in a few months."
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
