The US Department of Energy's Office of Project Management Awards for the year 2025 (Presented in 2026).
August 17, 2026
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Federal Project Director of the Year
In recognition of your leadership and contributions as the Federal Project Director for the $206 million Main Plant Process Building Demolition project at the West Valley Site in New York State. You demonstrated exceptional budget and schedule management, steady project direction, and consummate professionalism to further the site’s total clean-up effort. Your meticulous attention to detail in managing this high visibility project resulted in this project completing on schedule and over $40 million under budget and was the culmination of more than two decades of work to complete the deactivation and demolition of the only commercial spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant to have operated within the United States. Your accomplishments to deliver outstanding value in the completion of capital asset projects below expected costs and on time despite many challenges are duly recognized and sincerely appreciated. The Department and your nation thank you for a job well done.
Project Management Excellence
The $206 million Main Plant Process Building Demolition Project in New York State is evidence of the Department of Energy’s commitment to environmental clean-up and represents the largest and most complex demolition activity to be undertaken at the West Valley Demonstration project site. The project involved safely demolishing the above grade portion of the Main Plant Process Building, the only commercial spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant ever operated in the United States. The heavily contaminated, five story concrete structure was carefully prepared by removing or stabilizing equipment and materials; more than 98 percent of radioactive material was removed before demolition, and air dispersion modeling confirmed that open air demolition could be performed safely. The project team proactively managed to complete the project over $40 million under budget and ahead of schedule. The Department commends the project team for achieving extraordinary results on a vital Office of Environmental Management project.
Project Management Achievement
The Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative project at the University of South Carolina-Aiken delivers a modern, flexible, and commercially-relevant laboratory space for the Savannah River National Laboratory to collaborate with industry and academia. The $69 million project was completed approximately $6 million under budget and provides a range of proven and potential advanced manufacturing technologies from the commercial, chemical, and manufacturing sectors into Department of Energy processes, plans, and missions that are designed to significantly improve risk management, enhance worker and public safety, reduce costs, and shave years off the legacy waste cleanup schedule. The location on the university campus was a strategic objective that creates an easily accessible facility that promotes collaborative efforts and provides competitive advantages to United States industry. The Department commends the project team for achieving extraordinary results on a vital Office of Environmental Management project.
Project Management Improvement Achievement
The $485 million Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System project replaced the existing limited flow rate underground ventilation system with a new enhanced and efficient safety significant confinement ventilation system capable of meeting Department of Energy air quality standards while simultaneously providing sufficient airflow to support all underground operations including simultaneous mining and waste emplacement at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site. This project overcame significant early project challenges by conducting a rigorous Root Cause Analysis. This Root Cause Analysis resulted in a strengthened Nuclear Quality Assurance program, eliminated areas of redundant project oversight, and enhanced project culture and communication. The Department commends the project team for improving and completing project objectives vital to the Office of Environmental Management mission need.