The Department of Energy Thursday awarded a potential $3-billion, 10-year cleanup contract to a BWX Technologies-led partnership for work at the West Valley Demonstration Program in western New York state.
DOE’s Office of Environmental Management said in a press release the award goes to West Valley Cleanup Alliance, a newly-formed joint venture consisting of partners BWXT Jacobs Technology and Geosyntec Consultant. Teaming subcontractors are Perma-Fix Environmental Services and North Wind Portage.
BWXT is currently a junior partner to a Jacobs subsidiary, CH2M Hill, on the current West Valley contract valued at more than $1 billion, which began in August 2011 and runs through February 2025. It should be noted that Dallas-based Jacobs spun off its government contracting operations earlier this year to Amentum Holdings, a combined company that is publicly traded.
The West Valley Cleanup Alliance beat out two other rivals, according to the DOE press release. The final solicitation for the West Valley business was issued in January.
The new indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract could be extended by up to five years, giving it a total lifespan of up to 15 years.
The new Phase 1B contract will include demolition of remaining near- and below-grade components of the Main Plant Process Building; additional facility deactivation and demolition; contaminated soils remediation and disposition along with various other chores, DOE said.
West Valley is also home to radioactive waste, similar to transuranic or greater-than-Class-C waste, which currently lacks a clear disposal path, according to federal regulators. The work statement for the request for proposals said such waste would continue to be stored onsite at West Valley on an interim basis until a final disposal site is available.
Located 35 miles south of Buffalo, the West Valley Demonstration Project is a 150-acre site owned by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. It was home to a commercial spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facility that operated from 1963 to 1972, according to DOE.
