November 3, 2022 — Clean Times Herald

WEST VALLEY — The Department of Energy cleanup contractor at the West Valley Demonstration Project was recently recognized at a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Safety Conference in Washington, D.C.

Safety and Site Programs Leader Jennifer Dundas presented the award to CHBWV at the Safety Day.

“At the West Valley Demonstration Project, safety is not just remembered, but put into practice every day and in everything we do,” Dundas said. “This safety accomplishment only happens because of the skills and commitment of our employees to complete work in a safe and compliant manner. Performing work safely brings many benefits to the ongoing cleanup and future closure of this site.”

Read the full article here.

November 1, 2022 — EM Update

WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – EM crews at the West Valley Demonstration Project have marked progress in the demolition of the Main Plant Process Building by successfully deconstructing a concrete block structure on the facility’s third floor. 

Called the Solvent Storage Terrace, the concrete block structure formally held storage tanks associated with the final purification of uranium and plutonium product. From 1966 to 1972, the Main Plant operated as a commercial reprocessing facility to recover reusable plutonium and uranium from spent nuclear reactor fuel. Read the full article here.

October 27, 2022 — Power

The Department of Energy (DOE) has ramped up efforts to explore recycling spent nuclear fuel (SNF), or used nuclear fuel (UNF), from the nation’s fleet of light water reactors (LWRs), doling out $38 million in federal awards to a dozen projects on Oct. 21.

Teams will receive funding under the DOE’s March 2022–launched “Converting UNF Radioisotopes Into Energy” (CURIE) program to work on projects that will advance recycling of SNF. The projects will seek to r educe the volume of high‐levelwaste (HLW) that will require permanent disposal, but they will also potentially provide feedstock that could be used in domestic advanced reactors, the DOE said.

Read the full article here.

October 20, 2022 (Springville Journal) —

Residents of the Town of Ashford can soon see some savings on their energy bill each month with the completion of the West Valley Solar Energy Center. To celebrate the completion, members of the town, partnering organizations who helped make the project happen and members of the community came out to a ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 4.

The West Valley Solar Energy Center is a 10 megawatt solar farm located on NYSERDA property at the West Valley Demonstration Project site. Homeowners, renters and businesses within the Town of Ashford can sign up with no installation or added costs, being able to save on bills every month. After enrolling, residents will be connected to a share of the West Valley Solar Energy Center that produces clean energy. The solar farm sends power to the utility and solar credits are applied to bills.

Representatives from a number of partnering organizations who made the project possible including BQ Energy, NextEra Energy Resources, NYSERDA and Green Bank were in attendance and spoke about the benefits of solar energy and the positive effects it can have on residents who can see savings from the solar farm. Read the full article here.

October 13, 2022, (Springville Journal) — “

Communications and External Affairs Manager for CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley, LLC Joe Pillittere reported the controlled demolition of the Main Plant Process Building at the West Valley Demonstration Project is continuing. Work was safely completed on the Solvent Storage Terrace. Workers have moved to the next area to be dismantled, which is the Upper Warm Aisle.”

Read the full article here.