A total of $211 million was spent on procurements for the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant in fiscal 2017, according to contractor Bechtel National. The plant is being built to turn up to 56 million gallons of radioactive waste held in underground tanks into a stable glass form for disposal.
“Procurement opportunities have changed as work transitions from the construction to the startup and testing phase,” said Frank Salaman, Bechtel manager of procurement and subcontracts. “Startup phase procurements focus on spare parts for machinery and equipment; tools and materials for testing and maintaining plant equipment; consumables such as worker safety equipment; and office supplies and routine business services.”
Work at the project remains on schedule to begin treating some low activity radioactive waste by 2022, according to Bechtel. Construction of the Low Activity Waste Facility is scheduled to be completed in about five months. Construction of the Analytical Laboratory to support treatment also is nearly complete, and 20 support facilities are undergoing initial startup and testing work.
Procurements for the project have boosted the economy in the Hanford area. Of the $211 million spent in fiscal 2017, $126 million was spent in Washington and Oregon, including $94 million in the Tri-Cities, where the plant is based.
