A federal judge on Monday ruled that a team led by BWX Technologies should keep the long-term, multibillion-dollar liquid waste contract twice awarded to it by the Department of Energy.
The ruling was made under seal, so the judge’s reasoning in the case, filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, was not public as of Tuesday evening.
“We are pleased with the court’s decision and excited to begin supporting the U.S. Department of Energy as they take on the largest and most complex radioactive waste cleanup project in the United States,” a spokesperson for BWX Technologies (BWXT) wrote in an email to the Exchange Monitor. “Upon notice to proceed, we look forward to working with our joint venture partners to begin the transition necessary to work with DOE, regulatory authorities and the Tri-Cities community in safely reducing the environmental liabilities at Hanford.”
BWXT is the lead partner on Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C), to which DOE’s Office of Environmental Management in February awarded, for the second time, the $45-billion Integrated Tank Disposition Contract.
The contract combines management of Hanford’s underground tank farms with operation of a Bechtel-built plant that will solidify some of this waste beginning in perhaps a year or so.
The losing bidder for the work, which twice challenged the award to H2C in federal court, was AtkinsRéalis-led Hanford Tank Disposition Alliance (HTDA).
An Atkins spokesperson declined comment on Tuesday evening. DOE spokespersons at Hanford declined to comment.
