By Brian Hartman

The Hanford site’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), also known as the vit plant, stands as a testament to the power of determination and scientific innovation. Bechtel National Inc. is designing and commissioning the plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Over the past year our dedicated team worked tirelessly to advance our mission to immobilize Hanford tank waste for disposal. We have reached major milestones and harnessed innovative technologies as we prepare to vitrify (immobilize in glass) tank waste.

We made history in July 2023 when our teams heated the first of two of the world’s largest melters to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit in the Low-Activity Waste Facility, part of Hanford’s Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) program. This was the target temperature for beginning the vitrification process. Achieving this milestone required intricate coordination of thousands of activities and tasks that all needed to align for precise control over the heating elements, all while operating with an unwavering commitment to safety. Building on that success, our teams poured the program’s first clean glass in December 2023. This was another complex step as teams prepare the WTP for cold commissioning when we will begin vitrifying chemical simulants. 

Two scopes

While we have one clear mission, we are achieving that mission under two scopes. With the first focus of DFLAW on commissioning and operational proficiency, the second scope is on ramping up our high-level waste (HLW) mission. 

We are focusing on completing a design to enable construction of the High-Level Waste Facility, with the team and our DOE customer currently performing a baseline design review to ensure alignment of the facilities design efforts. The review team is on schedule to report its results this year. We continue to make progress on hiring and training skilled staff to support the next phase of mission operations, providing many new opportunities for career growth and expansion in the region. Once complete, the HLW Facility is being designed to vitrify an average of 480 containers of high-level waste annually. 

We like to say we’re making history every day. As a united team, we achieved many accomplishments last year, including the following:

• Reaching permanent heating of the first melter and incorporating the lessons learned as we achieved operational temperature on the second melter in March of this year.
• Loading the first glass beads into the first melter.
• Filling the first container of test glass, sealing it, and moving it to the export bay for transport.
• Receiving the federal authority to operate, which certifies that the plant’s information systems meet DOE’s cybersecurity requirements.
• Switching the Analytical Laboratory’s HVAC system to automatic operations and completing commissioning testing.
• Formally submitting a Preliminary High-Level Waste Documented Safety Analysis, which is a federal requirement that sets rules for safety controls at DOE nuclear facilities and provides further confidence that the facility can safely treat radioactive tank waste while protecting workers, the public and the environment.
• Installing HLW Facility shield doors, which required lifting the 16-ton doors over the 58-foot-tall facility and placing them inside. 

The progress we’ve achieved at the vit plant is a result of collaborative efforts that go beyond the boundaries of our own project team. Working as one team with the DOE, fellow One Hanford contractors, our suppliers and the local community has been instrumental in navigating the complexities of this historic cleanup.

A filled container with test glass is shown in this photo. The Bechtel teams poured the first clean glass in December 2023, a critical step in preparing to immobilize the tank waste.

| Courtesy Bechtel

Serving the community

At Bechtel we have a promise to leave the communities where we live and work with a positive legacy, and the community pride our employees have for the Tri-Cities region remains strong. In 2023 the vit plant team rallied, raising more than $193,000 for the United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties. The funds raised by “Team Vit Plant” and its supporters helps combat youth homelessness, educational challenges and food insecurity in our community.

We continue to boost learning by supporting entities like the Reach Museum and Washington State University Tri-Cities. We strengthened our relationship with WSU Tri-Cities through a $150,000 donation to establish the Bechtel Tutoring Center and provided scholarship funds to help students achieve their dreams of higher education. In addition, our experienced staff partnered with engineering students on their senior projects, allowing for hands-on, real-world learning. Rounding out the year, our team members partnered with Amentum and UA Local 598 to donate more than $23,000 in toys and cash to Toys for Tots and Bikes for Tikes to help make the holiday season a little brighter for those in need.

Whether it’s donating blood, plunging into the great Columbia River for the Special Olympics or sharing how engineering affects our lives, our team members take pride in serving others and improving our local community. To learn more about how the vit plant gives back across our region, we encourage you to visit our Bechtel Community Impacts webpage.

I’m proud to share that our talented craft and staff professionals are poised to achieve our mission with enthusiasm and determination. With each step we take, we are creating a legacy of responsible environmental stewardship. We’re excited for continued collaboration with our partners, steady progress in our mission, and further influence on this great community. One team, one mission, One Hanford.

Brian Hartman is the project director for Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant.