WEST VALLEY — The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) has safely completed the largest, most complex demolition of a radioactively contaminated facility at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) to date, achieving a 2025 priority for the cleanup program.

EM and cleanup contractor CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley (CHBWV) took down the five-story, 35,100-square-foot Main Plant Process Building in a deliberate sequence and pace, removing more than 70 sections of the building and areas of the facility.

The workforce conducted significant work over the past two decades to prepare the Main Plant for deconstruction, which began in September 2022.

“By safely delivering this achievement on time and under budget, our team is meeting federal cleanup responsibilities, reducing risks, driving efficiency and positioning West Valley for the next phase of success,” Roger Jarrell, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for DOE’s Office of Environmental Management, said today during a celebration at the site. “As we pivot to the next phase of West Valley cleanup, EM will continue advancing safe, compliant progress and a strong future for the people of New York.”

Congressman Nick Langworthy called the completion of demolition a major milestone for the West Valley Demonstration Project, for Western New York and environmental cleanup efforts nationwide.

“The demolition of the last major facility on site is the culmination of this decades-long project to remove dangerous nuclear waste, protect our land and water and create good-paying local jobs,” Langworthy said. “The commitment from CHBWV, the community leaders and the dedicated workers at IAM Local 2401 has made a profound impact on our region, and we are all grateful. I’m proud to have supported this effort and thank the dedicated workers and agencies who made it possible.”

Constructed between 1963–66, the Main Plant was a commercial reprocessing facility used to recover reusable plutonium and uranium from spent nuclear reactor fuel. It operated from 1966 to 1972, processing about 640 metric tons of irradiated nuclear fuel. The building was radioactively contaminated from fuel reprocessing operations and related activities and contained hazardous materials, including asbestos insulation, lead and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.

“Our workforce was deliberate in the planning, deactivation and execution of this work,” said Stephen Bousquet, West Valley Project Management Assistant Director. “Every effort has been made to implement robust work controls to help protect the workforce, the public, and the environment.”

The planned approach for taking down the building incorporated best practices and lessons learned from WVDP and across the DOE complex, including the use of deliberately planned and sequenced deconstruction and implementation of robust work controls.

Jason Casper, President of CHBWV, said extensive planning, engineered controls and the right people allowed WVDP to deliver this project safely and compliantly with local, state and federal requirements.

“I am proud of this workforce and the work they continue to do at the site,” he added.

The deconstruction of the Main Plant Process Building further reduces environmental risks from historic site activities and the overall footprint of WVDP. It will also allow for the next phase of cleanup to continue.

An aerial view of the West Valley Demonstration Project earlier this month shows the empty footprint where the Main Plant Process Building had stood prior to its demolition.

West Valley Cleanup Alliance completes contract transition 

West Valley Cleanup Alliance, LLC (WVCA) has completed its contract transition and initiated operations as the Department of Energy’s environmental management contractor for the West Valley Demonstration Project Phase 1B Deactivation & Demolition (D&D) Contract.

“Following a very successful contract transition, WVCA is thrilled to take the next step and assume operations at West Valley,” said Jason Casper, WVCA president and program manager. “I am particularly happy to announce that, except for a few employees who decided to retire, we have retained our 300-person workforce, who are critical to our success as we begin Phase 1B of the work here.”

Under the contract, WVCA will continue the current cleanup mission to include, but not be limited to, the demolition of remaining near- and below-grade components of the main plant process building; additional facility deactivation and demolition; contaminated soils remediation and disposition; waste management and legacy waste disposition; safeguards and security; environmental monitoring; surveillance and maintenance; and program support activities.

WVCA’s management approach is based on these principles:

• Negotiate, manage, implement and execute multiple simultaneous task orders to accomplish the scope of the contract.
• Partner with the DOE and regulators to achieve end states at WVDP using successful models from other sites and capitalizing on established relationships and innovative ideas brought by new strategic partners.
• Embark on an efficient, low-risk below-grade demolition of main plant structures that is also protective of our workers, the public and the environment.
• Partnering with the DOE, execute an effective plan to dispose of the roughly 30,000 cubic feet of TRU waste currently stored at WVDP, including the development and issuance of a final waste determination for waste disposition pathways.

WVCA will also continue community engagement and outreach activities through regional education outreach programs, regional purchasing and small business priorities and other charitable giving and volunteerism efforts.