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May 27, 2025
Bechtel today announced it has successfully introduced key chemicals as part of cold commissioning testing at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP).
Cold commissioning involves a series of operational and test activities using nonradioactive chemicals, simulating future low-activity waste, to evaluate the plant’s readiness for safe and efficient operations. These simulants include ammonia and nitrous oxide-producing chemicals, which were introduced into the plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility.
“This is an important achievement in the nation’s cleanup mission,” said Brian Hartman, Project Director and Bechtel Senior Vice President. “Advancing cold commissioning is the result of decades of preparation, dedication, and collaboration between Bechtel and the U.S. Department of Energy. This milestone represents a critical step forward in securing a cleaner, safer future for the Hanford Site and nearby Columbia River.”
In the coming months, Bechtel and its partners will perform tests using these simulants to ensure the systems perform as designed. Hot commissioning, which will include actual radioactive and chemical waste, is slated to begin later this year.
Bechtel designed, built, and is commissioning WTP, the world’s largest and most technically sophisticated radioactive waste treatment plant, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The plant will use a process called vitrification to transform approximately 56 million gallons of World War II and Cold War-era chemical and radioactive waste into a stable glass form. During vitrification, tank waste mixes with glass-forming materials, is heated at 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit, and then poured into stainless-steel containers for safe, long-term disposal.
Once fully operational, the plant will process an average of 5,300 gallons of tank waste per day.
This most recent achievement builds on significant progress over the last year, including bringing WTP’s two 300-ton melters to their operating temperature (2,100 degrees Fahrenheit) and completing the first separate and simultaneous test glass pours from the melters.
“This accomplishment is a testament to our team’s exceptional ability to solve incredible technical challenges,” said Dena Volovar, President of Bechtel’s Nuclear, Security & Environmental business. “Their expertise and unwavering commitment have moved our customer one step closer to completion of their mission to clean up decades of environmental waste at the Hanford Site.”
Learn more about how Bechtel is securing a cleaner and safer world at bechtel.com.
Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, we align our capabilities to our customers’ objectives to create a lasting positive impact. Since 1898, we have helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world’s infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place.
Bechtel serves the Energy; Infrastructure; Manufacturing & Technology; Mining & Metals; and Nuclear, Security & Environmental markets. Our services span from initial planning and investment, through start-up and operations. www.bechtel.com
