Workers with tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions recently installed a pump inside a large underground storage tank at the Hanford Site, an important step to prepare to treat millions of gallons of tank waste.
Workers with tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions recently installed a pump inside a large underground storage tank at the Hanford Site, an important step to prepare to treat millions of gallons of tank waste.

RICHLAND, Wash. – EM’s Office of River Protection (ORP) and its tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) recently installed a pump inside a large underground waste storage tank that is integral to a program that will treat the Hanford Site’s tank waste.

The pump will transfer liquid waste to the Tank-Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system, which will remove radioactive cesium and other solids. The treated waste will be fed to the Low-Activity Waste Facility in the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, where it will be immobilized in glass for disposal.

“Having this pump in place sets us up for the final stages of completing the infrastructure needed to treat tank waste using the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) approach,” said Janet Diediker, ORP federal project director. “It’s gratifying to watch as these final elements are put into place.”

This recently installed pump in a Hanford Site underground storage tank will transfer waste to a nearby Tank-Side Cesium Removal system that will remove radioactive cesium and solids before the waste is fed directly to the Low-Activity Waste Facility in the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant and immobilized in glass for disposal.

This recently installed pump in a Hanford Site underground storage tank will transfer waste to a nearby Tank-Side Cesium Removal system that will remove radioactive cesium and solids before the waste is fed directly to the Low-Activity Waste Facility in the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant and immobilized in glass for disposal.

Hanford’s DFLAW approach is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated as a single program. The TSCR system and waste transfer equipment that supports it are essential to the treatment approach. Completing construction of the TSCR system at Hanford is among EM’s 2021 priorities.

“A critical piece of infrastructure like this goes through a long process from design to installation, with many contributors along the way, and it’s remarkable to see it all come together,” said Jordan Follett, WRPS Waste Feed Delivery Capital Project manager.

Workers watching the pump installation saw Hanford history in the making.

“This is a legacy that we’re going to leave for our kids,” said Tim Levitt, a project manager with WRPS subcontractor Fowler General Construction. “Hanford cleanup is going to benefit my kids and grandkids — everyone in the Tri-Cities. It’s a big honor to be part of the cleanup mission.”

Work on the tank isn’t quite done; crews will install a transfer line to the TSCR system and test connection points. That work will be done after crews complete operations testing of the TSCR system, which is scheduled to take place this spring.