EM Priority: Portsmouth Launches Massive X-333 Process Building Demolition

Portsmouth Site workers have taken the “first bite” of the massive X-333 Process Building, signaling the start of demolition and achieving a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management priority.

PIKETON, Ohio — Workers have begun demolishing the massive X-333 Process Building, achieving a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) priority to begin demolition of the second of the Portsmouth Site’s three former uranium process buildings.

“The start of X-333 Process Building demolition marks the next significant step in the final cleanup of the Portsmouth Site,” said Portsmouth Site Lead Jeremy Davis. “When this building is down, we will further position the site to support the community’s future economic development vision for the site.”

The largest of the three process buildings at the site, X-333 has 66 acres of floor space under roof and measures 1,456 feet long, 970 feet wide and 82 feet high. The building once housed the largest pieces of the site’s enrichment equipment, including converters that weighed as much as 66,000 pounds each.

Teardown of X-333 will take about five years to complete although there are opportunities to finish the job earlier.

“Although we have incorporated a number of useful lessons learned from the X-326 Process Building demolition, this one will take longer due to the sheer size of the building and building structures, as well as technical challenges,” Federal Project Director Christy Brown said.

During their operational heyday, the three process buildings functioned together as a type of “cascade” to enrich uranium to the desired levels for use in national security and energy production. X-333 served as the entry point for feed material for the cascade before material moved to the other two buildings.

With deactivation complete, the building is now being taken apart piece by piece in a process called controlled demolition. Skilled operators are cutting through the structural steel and downsizing the debris for disposal in the On-Site Waste Disposal Facility. This approach is safer for the workers by making sure they are protected by the cab of the equipment and at a distance from the actual demolition work.

Laborer Mike Dunn removes a structural steel cage from the north side of the Portsmouth X-333 Process Building to prepare for demolition of the structure.

“Safety, as always, is a priority,” said Greg Wilkett, program manager for Portsmouth Site contractor Southern Ohio Cleanup Company. “In addition to the numerous workforce controls, other safety measures are in place. During demolition, water is sprayed continuously to suppress dust, and air monitors positioned around the building and the perimeter of the site ensure we keep the environment and the public safe.”

As each section of the building is torn down, the debris will be moved out of the way and cut into smaller pieces. The debris will be inspected and loaded into trucks that will travel to the disposal facility.

-Contributor: Shawn Jordan