Crane operator Brian Lambert of Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth (FBP), DOE decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) contractor, lowers the last compressor to the operations floor recently in the X-326 uranium enrichment process building at the Portsmouth Site. The equipment removal, which is nearing completion in the X-326, includes cutting and taking out more than 7,000 separate components for off-site disposal. (Photo by Dwayne McCloskey, FBP)
PIKETON, Ohio (December 30, 2015) – The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (EM) has published its 2015 Year in Review, outlining the accomplishments achieved over the course of this year at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant Site and throughout the EM program.
“I am proud of all of the work we in EM—both at headquarters and in the field—have accomplished this year,” said Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management Monica Regalbuto upon releasing the review. While facing the most complex cleanup challenges, measurable progress was made in 2015—a testament to our skilled workforce.”
The Year in Review details some of the progress made at the Portsmouth Site in 2015 along with other EM sites. The site received approval for key regulatory documents for site cleanup and waste disposition activities, began work on a future on-site waste disposal facility, and continued progress toward removing the last of the old equipment from one of the three large former uranium enrichment process buildings.
“As the Year in Review document indicates, we are positioned at Portsmouth to build on a successful year by completing near-term projects and advancing our overall strategy moving forward,” said Robert Edwards, acting manager of the Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office.
Portsmouth Site Director Dr. Vincent Adams said it was critical in 2015 to have alignment among regulatory decisions and agreements, deactivation, shipping, and preliminary work on the on-site waste disposal facility.
“In 2015, we made significant progress in all of those areas,” Adams said. “Our workforce performed admirably in 2015 and we look forward to continuing our momentum in 2016.”
The review may be accessed online at: http://energy.gov/pppo/downloads/doe-em-2015-year-review-portsmouth-site.
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