Vit plant lays off about 100 craft workers

About 100 construction craft workers have been laid off at the Hanford vitrification plant since the first of the year, according to Bechtel National.

The mix of construction skills needed is changing as some of the focus of the work on the plant’s High Level Waste Facility shifts to work on the Low Activity Waste Facility, the Analytical Laboratory and the support buildings and facilities for the plant. Preparations also are being made for construction of the plant’s new Effluent Management Facility.

The Department of Energy has said it plans to start operating the Low Activity Waste Facility as soon as 2022. Construction is focused on that goal while technical issues delay some construction on the High Level Waste Facility and Pretreatment Facility.

Bechtel continues to employ about 2,900 workers, including subcontracted employees.

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 6:37 PM with the headline "Vit plant lays off about 100 craft workers."