WEST VALLEY — Crews are set to complete the 69th building demolition at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) early this year when they finish knocking down the seventh structure standing that supported operations at the former Main Plant Process Building.

Workers recently began the demolition of the load-in facility, the last ancillary support structure that surrounds the Main Plant Process Building. The 4,500-square-foot building has been used for several purposes over the years and is no longer needed for current or future cleanup activities.

To date, the following ancillary support structures have been removed from the site’s footprint: contact size-reduction facility, manipulator repair shop, main plant office building, utility room building, utility room extension and laundry facility.

The load-in facility is a two-floor structural steel building with metal siding and roof. It was first used to store and inspect empty High-Level Waste (HLW) stainless steel canisters before they were filled with HLW glass during vitrification operations — solidifying high-level liquid radioactive waste into glass.

It was later used during the HLW relocation project, which removed the HLW canisters from the Main Plant Process Building to an onsite storage area; and then as an area to stage equipment for decontamination and demolition of the vitrification facility.

DOE Deputy Federal Project Director for the Main Plant Stephen Bousquet commended the team for its work.

“The work of our team of dedicated employees continues to change the landscape and footprint around the Main Plant Process Building,” Bousquet said. “I continue to be impressed by the accomplishments of our team as we move forward to the future demolition of the main plant.”

John Rendall, president of CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley (CHBWV), EM’s cleanup contractor, said employees used their combined knowledge and lessons learned to safely plan and begin this demolition.

“The CHBWV team continues to make great progress towards the demolition of these historically significant facilities at West Valley,” Rendall said. “Our team continues to complete demolition work at the site in a safe and environmentally-sound manner.”