Savannah River, Portsmouth Score Four DOE Project Management Awards

A view of the Savannah River Site's Saltstone Disposal Unit 11 under construction this past July, with 10 of 25 wall sections, 117 of 208 columns and 14 of 14 floor sections complete. The U.S. Department of Energy awarded the Saltstone Disposal Unit 10, 11 and 12 Project Team the Project Controls Excellence Award, new to the Project Management Awards Program this year.

EM celebrates the "very best" in project management across its complex endeavors, honoring professionals critical to cleanup success

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has recognized its environmental cleanup program for superior performance and exemplary service in project management, with three awards going to the Savannah River Site (SRS) liquid waste mission and a fourth to a Portsmouth Site demolition project — the most honors the cleanup program has received in one year from the annual awards program.

“This year, we are particularly proud to highlight the exceptional performance of DOE's Office of Environmental Management (EM). Importantly, the two most prestigious awards — Federal Project Director of the Year and Project Management Excellence Award — were both a testament to their remarkable contributions,” EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Roger Jarrell said in a recent ceremony. “You’ve exceeded expectations and set new benchmarks. Your complex work is vital to EM, the Department and to the nation. Congratulations and thank you.”

These achievements in project management drive EM efforts to address the legacy of the past and transform liabilities into opportunities while contributing to a golden era of American energy dominance, strong national security and DOE efforts to lead the world in innovation.

Federal Project Director of the Year Award

For the second year in a row, EM captured the Federal Project Director of the Year Award. Charles Comeau at SRS was the recipient, exemplifying superior project management and achieving outstanding results.

“I am very humbled to receive this award,” Comeau said. “While this is an individual award, I appreciate that I would not be receiving the award if not for the hard work and dedication of my federal and contractor team.”

Comeau led the Saltstone Disposal Unit 8 and 9 project to completion seven months ahead of schedule and over $60 million under budget, and provided critical leadership to the Saltstone Disposal Units 10, 11 and 12. The mega-size units are integral to EM's ability to safely dispose of legacy liquid waste at SRS. He also supported underground ventilation system and utility shaft projects at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, showcasing exceptional leadership and commitment to EM’s mission.

EM Retrospect: A look back at some of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management's past Project Management Awards.

Project Controls Excellence Award

New to the awards program is the Project Controls Excellence Award, celebrating a team's excellence in integrated project management.

The award went to the Saltstone Disposal Unit 10, 11 and 12 Project Team at SRS. The team managing the $496 million projects demonstrates superior project controls, rigorous data integrity and continuous improvement in practices, according to DOE.

EM and its liquid waste contractor at SRS, Savannah River Mission Completion, excelled in their use of project controls to manage and report credible, reliable monthly project information to drive leadership decisions.

U.S. Department of Energy-Savannah River and Savannah River Mission Completion team members gather in front of Saltstone Disposal Unit 10, the fifth mega-size unit built at Savannah River Site.

Workers operate a stress cable wrapping machine on Saltstone Disposal Unit 9 in October 2022. The facility is wrapped with seven layers of cable totaling 341 miles.

Project Management Achievement Award

Recognizing a team for significant results in completing a project within cost and schedule, the Project Management Achievement Award went to the Saltstone Disposal Unit 8 and 9 Project Team at SRS.

“This $280 million project was delivered an impressive $60 million under budget and seven months ahead of schedule, successfully commissioning two mega-volume disposal units,” said Rodney Lehman, director of EM’s Office of Project Management, who led the ceremony.

The Saltstone Disposal Unit projects provide landfill capacity for low-activity treated waste grout, supporting SRS site closure goals. Each unit can store up to 32 million gallons of the low-level radioactive grout waste generated by nuclear materials production operations at SRS over many decades of the Cold War.

Portsmouth Site crews work to complete structural demolition of the X-326 Process Building in 2022. Water used for dust suppression is captured in a detention berm during demolition and downsizing of debris.

Project Management Excellence Award

DOE bestowed its Project Management Excellence Award on the X-326 Process Building Demolition Project at the Portsmouth Site for achieving extraordinary results on a vital EM project.

“This $160 million environmental cleanup project completed an impressive $28.5 million under budget and 16 months ahead of schedule, setting a high benchmark for project execution,” Lehman said.

Before closing the ceremony, he thanked the EM winners for their hard work and dedication, and said the cleanup program looks forward to their continued success.

"To all our awardees today, thank you for your contributions. They’re invaluable," Lehman said. "Your commitment to excellence, innovation and effective project management drives our agency forward, ensuring the successful delivery of critical initiatives."

-Contributor: David Sheeley