Portsmouth cleanup contractor Fluor B&W Portsmouth, LLC, is placing a renewed priorty on deactivation of the X-326 facility after pushing to project’s completion date from Match 2016 to June 2017. The contractor yesterday instituted an organizational change for X-326 work that includes a dedicated project team to focus on accelerated deactivation and schedule recovery of the former uranium enrichment building. FBP had previously anticipated completing X-326 deactivation by the end its contract in March 2015, but funding challenges have caused delays. The contractor is now focusing on a new hard finish date. “I have placed a stake in the ground. FBP will complete the deactivation of the X-326 and attain a cold and dark status by June 30, 2017,” FBP Project Director Dennis Carr said in a May 19 memo obtained by WC Monitor. “While this date is beyond our base contract of March 2016, we will commit whatever resources necessary for the safe, on-time completion of this milestone.”
The renewed emphasis on X-326 comes as the contractor faces funding cuts in the Department of Energy’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget and cuts in the uranium transfers used to help fund cleanup at the site. That comes after the FY’15 spending bill approved by Congress included a $76 million boost over proposed levels. “Given the many competing demands for these same federal funds, we must deliver superior performance that is indicative of the commitment the Ohio Delegation, and our appropriators and other stakeholders have made to us,” Carr said. “You have heard me say many times we must earn our support and funding through excellence in performance. Attaining the accelerated deactivation of the X-326 provides a clear and powerful demonstration of this performance and will certainly be viewed as a major consideration in future Congressional funding decisions and contractual discussions.”
As part of the focus on X-326, FBP has formed an integrated project team led by Deputy Site Project Director Fred Hughes and also including Ken Whittle, Greg Wilkett and Gary Hazelwood. “I have placed the highest priority on the safe acceleration of X-326 deactivation,” Carr said. “As such, Fred Hughes and his team will be given full access to all resources currently employed by FBP and our support subcontractors. This includes all organizations, from work planning to procurement to maintenance services. This team is to receive first priority except where emergency conditions necessitate a redirection of resources.”
