New York decommissioning project achieves disposal milestone

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) and its cleanup contractor for the West Valley Demonstration Project in Buffalo, New York, recently achieved a cleanup priority ahead of schedule for the second consecutive year.

Crews safely shipped more than 40 million pounds of debris from the demolition of the Main Plant Process Building since launching the project in fall 2022.

The site, owned by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, is home to the only commercial spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facility to operate in the U.S.

Crews with CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley (CHBWV) have packaged and shipped by rail more than 1,000 waste containers from the project for safe disposal off-site. They loaded each container with about 40,000 pounds of debris.

Demolition of the Main Plant is 67 percent complete, with more than 40 of 60 cells within the facility demolished. Watch a video created earlier this summer to mark the halfway point in the project. EM officials attribute the latest achievement to extensive planning, an experienced and dedicated workforce and a commitment to safety.

“The West Valley team did an excellent job in their planning and preparation for this achievement,” says Stephen Bousquet, EM West Valley assistant director for the Office of Project Management. “The adherence to our protected assumptions and deliberate speed led to this successful milestone completion. Site crews were outstanding in performing the work safely, compliantly and efficiently.”

By the end of the Main Plant demolition project, the site is expected to ship about 500 additional waste containers by rail for disposal off-site.

“The team was deliberate in the planning and execution of this work and worked closely with the onsite demolition crew and offsite disposal facilities, resulting in the safe and compliant disposition of demolition waste,” says Peggy Loop, CHBWV waste and site operations manager.

Last year, West Valley crews accomplished an EM 2023 priority ahead of schedule after safely shipping more than 9,000 tons of Main Plant demolition debris for disposal off-site.

The Main Plant, a 35,100-square-foot reinforced concrete structure, is one of the last remaining major facilities at West Valley to be torn down by EM. Its successful demolition, which is expected to be completed next summer, will further reduce environmental risks and position the site for the next phase in cleanup: soil remediation and demolition of remaining facilities.