Archive

Transuranic Waste

Reporting on the characterization, transport, and disposal of defense transuranic waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico.

  • New WIPP ventilation system on track for 2026 

    The Department of Energy is on track to start operation of a major new underground ventilation system for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico in 2026, managers for DOE and the disposal site contractor said last week. Construction and integrated system testing is complete for the Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System (SSCVS) at […]

  • DOE, WIPP prime prepare release legacy waste document

    The Department of Energy and its prime contractor for it transuranic waste disposal site near Carlsbad, N.M., will release a report soon to help define what constitutes legacy transuranic waste, site managers said last week at a public meeting. The legacy waste disposal plan for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) should be out around […]

  • EPA indefinitely reopens public comment on WIPP expansion

    The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday said it indefinitely reopened a public comment period on the Department of Energy’s July request to expand the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. “A request for an extension to the comment period was received from several stakeholders, most recently at the Agency’s informal public meetings held in […]

  • EPA reopens WIPP public comment period

    The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday said it indefinitely reopened a public comment period on the Department of Energy’s July request to expand the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. “A request for an extension to the comment period was received from several stakeholders, most recently at the Agency’s informal public meetings held in […]

  • Roswell area flooding alters some WIPP shipment plans

    Although the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M., received little rain from the weather system that caused serious flooding in Roswell, N.M., it did cause road damage prompting DOE to alter this week’s shipment plans for defense-related transuranic waste. Due to the flooding that occurred Sunday in Roswell, and some resulting […]

  • EPA indefinitely reopens public comment on WIPP expansion 

    The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday said it indefinitely reopened a public comment period on the Department of Energy’s July request to expand the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. “A request for an extension to the comment period was received from several stakeholders, most recently at the Agency’s informal public meetings held in […]

  • WIPP tops previous fiscal year’s throughput in ’24

    The Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico received more shipments of transuranic waste during fiscal 2024 than fiscal 2023, although traffic was down in September 2024 compared to a year earlier. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad received 39 shipments of defense-related transuranic waste during September with the most […]

  • WIPP beats fiscal ’23 shipment total

    The Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico received more shipments of transuranic waste during fiscal 2024 than fiscal 2023, although traffic was down in September 2024 compared to a year earlier. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad received at least 37 shipments of defense-related transuranic waste during September with […]

  • WIPP beats fiscal ’23 shipment total

    The Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico received more shipments of transuranic waste during fiscal 2024 than fiscal 2023, although traffic was down in September 2024 compared to a year earlier. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad received at least 37 shipments of defense-related transuranic waste during September with […]

  • WIPP shipments dip year-over-year in August, but still pacing a gain over 2023

    The Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M., received 50 shipments of transuranic waste during August, according to DOE’s public website. Leading the shipments again was the Idaho National Laboratory, accounting for 36 of the month’s 50 shipments. Savannah River Site sent seven, Los Alamos sent five, and the Oak Ridge National […]

  • DOE picks NextEra for WIPP solar

    The Department of Energy on Tuesday said it selected NextEra Energy Resources as the final solar-energy contractor for the WIPP site as part of the agency’s Cleanup to Clean Energy program. NextEra Energy Resources will now have the chance to negotiate an agreement for at least 150 megawatts of carbon pollution-free energy deployed on up […]

  • WIPP shipments dip year-over-year in August, but still pacing a gain over 2023

    The Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M., received 50 shipments of transuranic waste during August, according to DOE’s public website. Leading the shipments again was the Idaho National Laboratory, accounting for 36 of the month’s 50 shipments. Savannah River Site sent seven, Los Alamos sent five, and the Oak Ridge National […]

  • DOE believes Panels 11 and 12 won’t worsen risk at WIPP

    Adding Panels 11 and 12 at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico should not heighten radiological risk at the underground disposal site, the Department of Energy said during a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency public meeting Wednesday in Santa Fe. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering a request by DOE’s Office of Environmental […]

  • DOE believes Panels 11 and 12 won’t worsen risk at WIPP

    Adding Panels 11 and 12 at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico should not heighten radiological risk at the underground disposal site, the Department of Energy said during a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency public meeting Wednesday in Santa Fe. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering a request by DOE’s Office of Environmental […]

  • EPA holding hybrid meetings on planned WIPP panels

    The Environmental Protection Agency planned meetings Wednesday about plans for more disposal panels for defense-related transuranic waste at the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. The agency has two hybrid public meetings set Wednesday Aug. 28 in Santa Fe, N.M., to discuss DOE’s planned change request for the Waste Isolation Pilot […]

  • WIPP shipments still outpacing 2023 rate through July

    The Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M., received 45 shipments of transuranic waste during July, according to DOE’s public website. As usual, the Idaho National Laboratory accounted for the majority of shipments, sending 33. Los Alamos National Laboratory sent four, and the Savannah River Site accounts for the remaining eight shipments […]

  • Better roads to WIPP; monitoring of Hanford Building 324, concern Senate panel

    The Senate Appropriations Committee wants the Department of Energy to help New Mexico pay for improving roads to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, and also keep eye on contamination under a decaying building at the Hanford Site in Washington state. These are a couple of recommendations the Senate panel made in its report about the […]

  • Better roads to WIPP; monitoring of Hanford Building 324, concern Senate panel

    The Senate Appropriations Committee wants the Department of Energy to help New Mexico pay for improving roads to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, and also keep eye on contamination under a decaying building at the Hanford Site in Washington state. These are a couple of recommendations the Senate panel made in its report about the […]

  • DOE, WIPP stakeholders ponder age criteria for ‘legacy’ waste

    The Department of Energy and its Waste Isolation Pilot Plant prime expect to file a draft plan with New Mexico regulators in November seeking to define “legacy” transuranic waste, managers said during a public meeting Tuesday. The draft will be filed Nov. 3 with the New Mexico Environment Department as required by the new 10-year […]

  • DOE, WIPP stakeholders ponder age criteria for ‘legacy’ waste

    The Department of Energy and its Waste Isolation Pilot Plant prime expect to file a draft plan with New Mexico regulators in November seeking to define “legacy” transuranic waste, managers said during a public meeting Tuesday. The draft will be filed Nov. 3 with the New Mexico Environment Department as required by the new 10-year […]

  • DOE plans to boost value of Carlsbad technical assistance deal with Navarro

    The Department of Energy’s Carlsbad Field Office in New Mexico intends to increase the value of its existing small business Technical Assistance Contract with Navarro Research and Engineering by up to $65 million, the agency said in an online notice Thursday. The DOE Office of Environmental Management announced the planned sole source modification July 25 […]

  • During New Mexico meeting, DOE bosses get earful on pits, WIPP, power lines

    Top Department of Energy executives for the weapons complex Monday evening got an earful from a large and vocal crowd of New Mexico residents on everything from plutonium pit production to proposed new electric power lines near the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Also at one point during the 90-minute meeting, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) […]

  • EPA takes comments on WIPP plans for new disposal panels

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting comments between now and Sept. 16 on the Department of Energy’s plans for two new disposal panels at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M. The new panels will help the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) replace disposal capacity lost due to the February 2014 underground radiological […]

  • DOE plans to boost value of Carlsbad technical assistance deal with Navarro

    The Department of Energy’s Carlsbad Field Office in New Mexico intends to increase the value of its existing small business Technical Assistance Contract with Navarro Research and Engineering by up to $65 million, the agency said in an online notice Thursday. The DOE Office of Environmental Management announced the planned sole source modification July 25 […]

  • EPA takes comments on WIPP plans for new disposal panels

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting comments between now and Sept. 16 on the Department of Energy’s plans for two new disposal panels at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M. The new panels will help the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) replace disposal capacity lost due to the February 2014 underground radiological […]

  • During public meeting with NM locals, DOE bosses get earful on pits, WIPP, power lines

    Top Department of Energy executives for the weapons complex Monday evening got an earful from a large and vocal crowd of New Mexico residents on everything from plutonium pit production to proposed new electric power lines near the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Also at one point during the 90-minute meeting, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) […]

  • WIPP handles 64 shipments during June, beating year-ago pace

    –The Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M., received 64 shipments of transuranic waste during June, according to DOE’s public website. The Idaho National Laboratory was as usual the top generator, sending 50 shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Meanwhile eight shipments of defense-related transuranic waste came to WIPP from […]

  • WIPP handles 64 shipments during June, beating year-ago pace

    The Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M., received 64 shipments of transuranic waste during June, according to DOE’s public website. The Idaho National Laboratory was as usual the top generator, sending 50 shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Meanwhile eight shipments of defense-related transuranic waste came to WIPP from […]

  • Wrap up: WIPP DNFSB briefing delayed until September; Top EM/NNSA bosses to appear in Santa Fe; WRPS seeks sub; more

    The Department of Energy says it will take 60 more days, until mid-September, for it to prepare a report and briefing addressing Defense Nuclear Facilities Board concerns about continuous monitoring for a new ventilation system at the agency’s deep-underground transuranic waste disposal site in New Mexico. The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) said in […]

  • Wrap up: Hanford crews empty 21st tank; WIPP hits 14,000 shipments; WIPP sets town hall

    Workers at the Department of Energy’s Hanford Site in Washington state recently finished removing 346,000 gallons of radioactive and chemical waste from Tank AX-101, the 21st single-shell tank to be emptied at Hanford, DOE said this week. The retrieval project was completed by June, DOE said in a Tuesday press release. Amentum-led contractor Washington River […]