New Pump Installation Boosts Hanford’s Tank Waste Cleanup

Workers with Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure guide a new pump into Tank A-106 that will retrieve radioactive waste from the aging tank to support the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s mission to treat and safely dispose of the waste.

RICHLAND, Wash. — Workers at the Hanford Site installed a new pump inside an underground waste-storage tank, advancing efforts to safely manage radioactive and chemical waste.

The equipment will help transfer waste from aging Single-Shell Tank A-106 to a newer, double-shell tank, where it will be stored until it can be safely turned into glass through a process known as vitrification.

“This pump supports our mission of removing decades-old waste and reducing risk,” said Jim Greene, a Hanford Field Office program manager for single-shell tank retrievals. “Every step we take to safely move waste out of aging tanks supports our ongoing efforts to protect our workforce, the community and environment.”

Crews deliver a new waste pump to one of the Hanford Site’s underground storage tanks. Its length shows the depths of tanks belowground.

Before installation, crews cut through the tank’s protective dome, an operation that required careful planning and precision. They also tested new drilling equipment on a simulated tank, or mock-up, using worker feedback and lessons learned to guide the project.

“Our teams continue to find innovative, safer and more efficient ways to advance the Hanford cleanup mission,” said Dave Saueressig, retrievals manager for contractor Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure.

Waste retrieval from Tank A-106 is expected to begin later this year. The work is part of Hanford’s ongoing efforts to manage waste left from World War II and the Cold War defense production.

For more details, watch a video of the pump installation here.