Hanford waste vitrification and nuclear power expansion milestones

The curated articles focus on significant steps in handling nuclear waste at the Hanford site, highlighting plant operations, regulatory approvals, and technological advancements. Key events tie them together, such as the startup of the Hanford vitrification plant after years of preparation, DOE's eventual sign off, and ongoing developments in nuclear waste management.

One article reports the DOE's approval of waste treatment at Hanford's $30 billion nuclear waste facility, overcoming past delays and setting up for a major operational milestone. Another article elaborates on the final permits issued for treating radioactive waste at the plant, marking the removal and safe storage of waste from underground tanks as set by an impending deadline. A different piece narrates the "historic" transfer of waste to the treatment plant, as active vitrification efforts finally begin. Lastly, a piece covers the Energy Secretary’s visit to observe the achievements at Hanford, underscoring the technological marvel of waste glassification and the DOE's ongoing commitment to successful site cleanup.

The Low Activity Waste Facility at the Hanford site vitrification plant is required to begin treating low activity radioactive waste by Oct. 15.

NO. 1: UPDATE: $30B NUCLEAR WASTE PLANT CAN ‘FINALLY’ START. WA LEADERS REACT

The Department of Energy on Wednesday signed the paperwork needed to allow radioactive waste to be pumped into the Hanford nuclear site’s vitrification plant 23 years after construction began, said Sen. | Published September 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annette Cary

The vitrification plant at the Hanford nuclear reservation is shown at night.

NO. 2: ‘DAYS AWAY.’ FEDS GET FINAL APPROVAL TO TREAT DECADES OLD RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN WA

The last permitting and licensing hurdles have been cleared to begin the long-awaited treatment of Hanford nuclear site radioactive and hazardous chemical waste that threatens groundwater. | Published October 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annette Cary

Workers are shown at one of the Hanford tank farms where 56 million gallons of radioactive waste are stored in underground tanks.

NO. 3: ‘HISTORIC’ TRANSFER OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE TO MASSIVE EASTERN WA TREATMENT PLANT

Radioactive waste held in underground tanks has begun to be transferred for the first time to the massive Hanford nuclear site vitrification plant for long-awaited treatment for disposal. | Published October 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annette Cary

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The Low-Activity Waste Facility at the Hanford nuclear reservation’s vitrification plant near Richland, Wash., has begun operating to turn some of Hanford’s least radioactive tank waste into a state glass form for disposal.

NO. 4: WA NUCLEAR SITE MAKES HISTORY. RADIOACTIVE WASTE PLANT LAUNCHES

Twenty-three years and 70 days after workers began pouring concrete to build the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant, the plant has turned radioactive and hazardous chemical waste into a stable glass form for disposal. | Published October 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annette Cary

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Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., listens to a briefing on tank waste technology during a tour of the Hanford nuclear reservation in April 2019. By Bob Brawdy

NO. 5: WA, NORTHWEST LEADERS REACT TO ‘HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT DECADES IN THE MAKING’ AT HANFORD NUCLEAR SITE

Washington state and local leaders praised Wednesday’s historic launch of the radioactive waste treatment plant, or vitrification plant, at Hanford near Richland. | Published October 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Tri-City Herald staff

The Hanford site vitrification plant is shown during construction at sunrise.

NO. 6: TOP TRUMP OFFICIAL MAKES UNANNOUNCED HANFORD NUCLEAR SITE VISIT

The nation’s brand-new top official for cleanup of the nation’s contaminated nuclear weapons sites is getting a look at Hanford this week in an unpublicized visit. | Published November 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annette Cary

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Workers assemble a cask that will be used to store radioactive cesium and strontium capsules on an outdoor pad until they can be permanently disposed.

NO. 7: DANGEROUS NUCLEAR WASTE IN AGING WA POOL AT RISK OF QUAKES. WHAT’S BEING DONE

The first capsules of high-level radioactive waste have been removed from a water-filled pool at the Hanford nuclear site to prepare them for safer dry storage in steel-lined, reinforced-concrete casks. | Published November 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annette Cary

Chris Musick, general manager for the Waste Treatment Completion Co., talks to (left to right) Energy Secretary Chris Wright; Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Tim Walsh; and Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., Friday Dec. 5 2025 as the energy secretary toured the Hanford nuclear site vitrification plant.

NO. 8: ENERGY SECRETARY SEES ‘SCIENTIFIC MARVEL’ OF HANFORD NUCLEAR SITE FOR 1ST TIME

Energy Secretary Chris Wright saw the Hanford vitrification plant in action in his first visit to the nuclear cleanup site in Eastern Washington on Friday. | Published December 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annette Cary

Bids are being sought to immobilize some of the liquid radioactive waste stored in underground tanks at the Hanford nuclear site in a stable, concrete-like grout form.,

NO. 9: BIDDERS SOUGHT FOR $4B OF WORK TO TREAT RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN EASTERN WA

A request for bids for possibly $4 billion worth of work at the Hanford nuclear site to grout and dispose of radioactive waste was released Tuesday. | Published December 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annette Cary

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.