Monthly tours of the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant start up again on April 27, 2019.
Fluor-BWXT employee Jack Snyder explains the gaseous diffusion process to a group of citizens on a recent public tour. Monthly tours of the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant start up again on April 27, 2019.
DOE photo by Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth

PIKE COUNTY, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is pleased to offer public tours of the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Pike County, Ohio.  The plant, which is undergoing environmental cleanup work, enriched uranium for U.S. defense and energy needs from 1954-2001.   The tour includes a guided history of the site and a first-hand view of the current activities.

The dates of the 2019 tours are as follows:

  • Saturday, April 27
  • Saturday, May 18
  • Saturday, June 15
  • Saturday, July 20
  • Saturday, August 17
  • Saturday, September 21
  • Saturday, October 19

The tours are coordinated for DOE’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office by contractor Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth.  It is primarily a driving bus tour with up to two stops - one inside the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant and another at the On Site Waste Disposal Facility (OSWDF). 

The tour begins with badging at the Ohio State University Endeavor Center from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., with a brief welcome before boarding a charter bus for the driving portion.  Participants are returned to the Endeavor Center by noon.

Tours are limited to 40. To register, contact Deneen Garner at (740) 897-2609 or deneen.garner@ports.pppo.gov.
Tours are limited to 40. To register, contact Deneen Garner at (740) 897-2609 or deneen.garner@ports.pppo.gov.
DOE photo by Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth

Tours are available on a first-come, first-served basis.  They are free and can accommodate up to 40.  A minimum of 20 participants will be required for a tour to occur.  All attendees must be 18 years or older and a U.S. citizen.  No cameras, cell phones, or other recording devices are permitted.

Registration closes two weeks before the date of each individual tour.  Interested persons can register online at www.fbportsmouth.com.  For more information contact Deneen Garner at deneen.garner@ports.pppo.gov or (740-897-2609).