WEST VALLEY — Bryan Bower has served as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management’s (EM) director of the West Valley Demonstration Project in New York for nearly 20 years, managing the cleanup of the only commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing facility to operate in the United States.

Before he was appointed director in 2006, he served in other positions at the site as well as at DOE headquarters and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico.

With EM wrapping up the demolition of the former Main Plant Process Building — the last major facility at the West Valley site — EM Update spoke with Bower about the successful project and lessons that could be applied at other cleanup sites.

EM: To start things off, what does completing the demolition of the former Main Plant mean for the overall cleanup of the West Valley site?

Bryan Bower: First off, it is a significant risk reduction. The Main Plant was the most contaminated facility on the site. From a community perspective, the skyline change with the building gone is incredible. This sends a clear message to the community that we are making great progress with West Valley.

I want to emphasize how safely our site workforce performed this job. I’m so proud of the workforce here, not just those involved in the Main Plant demolition, but for all the safe work done across the site. Over the 30 months it took to demolish the Main Plant, we had no notable injuries.

EM: What was the most challenging part of the demolition project?

BB: The biggest challenge was we were doing this demolition very close to the public. We did extensive modeling and extensive planning on what the potential releases could be from the Main Plant, and developed “protected assumptions” to control the demolition. We discussed the protected assumptions with the demolition crews during their plan-of-the-day, or POD, briefings.

EM: Along with completing the demolition of the Main Plant safely, a top priority for EM, you were able to complete the project significantly under budget. How did you achieve this while still being safe?

BB: Our planning indicated it would take about 30 months to take down the Main Plant, and that’s about exactly how long it has taken. Working with CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley (CHBWV), we laid out exactly how we were going to demolish each of the 70 cells and areas in the Main Plant. CHBWV used a 3D model, and they would go through this 3D model with the workforce every day in their POD briefing. Everything was laid out in very detailed work packages, and they just stuck to the plan the entire time.

In addition to our extensive planning and using lessons from other EM sites, we had great partnering with CHBWV.

EM: Did the site’s history as a former nuclear fuel reprocessing facility lead to any complications in taking down the Main Plant?

BB: One of the challenges we had was how to address the Main Plant’s former Product Purification Cell. This had high levels of plutonium contamination. We had to get very creative in decontaminating that cell prior to doing the demolition. After we removed all the piping and vessels, we used a liquid nitrogen system to remove a slight layer of the concrete surface.

During the demolition of the Product Purification Cell, we had to slowly and meticulously remove the cell over several weeks. That was quite challenging, but in the end we were successful.

EM: How did the relationships you fostered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state regulators and the local communities near the site contribute to your success?

BB: One of the things I’m most proud of here is the relationships we built to do the things we did. That includes with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the EPA, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the town of Ashford and the Seneca Nation of Indians.

EM: You’ve had a long career throughout DOE and at West Valley, and so as you look back, what in your career helped you the most to get this project to where it is today?

BB: When I was interviewing for the position nearly 20 years ago, I was asked what I wanted to accomplish at West Valley. What I said was, “I want to work with people to find a solution for West Valley.” What excites me and what energizes me is working with people and finding solutions. I think my biggest contribution to the site was to work collaboratively with New York state, our site partner, our stakeholders and our regulators. And I hope we can still do that with the next phase of work here, as we tackle the belowground portion of the Main Plant and other remaining projects.