Washington, D.C.  –The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the award to Savannah River Remediation, LLC as the liquid waste contractor for DOE’s Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, South Carolina.  The contract is a cost-plus award-fee contract valued at approximately $3.3 billion over the entire contract, consisting of a base period of six years, plus an option to extend for up to two additional years.  The base performance period of the contract will be from April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2015.  A 90-day transition period will begin January 2, 2009.

Savannah River Remediation, LLC is a limited liability company consisting of URS Washington Division; Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Group, Inc.; Bechtel National, Inc.; CH2M Hill Constructors, Inc.; and AREVA Federal Services, LLC.  Pre-selected subcontractors include EnergySolutions Federal EPC, Inc. and Washington Safety Management Solutions, LLC.

“Today’s award fulfills this Administration’s commitment to establish competitive contracts for all five major scopes of work at the nation’s two largest nuclear cleanup sites,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman.  “I’m confident that the complex work of our cleanup sites will continue to safely advance our national security interests and meet our environmental cleanup goals.”

The Liquid Waste Contract is the fifth and final major prime contract awarded for nuclear cleanup in 2008, and the second awarded at SRS.  The objective of the Liquid Waste contract is to achieve closure of the SRS liquid waste tanks in compliance with the Federal Facilities Agreement, utilizing the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) and Saltstone Facility.  The previously awarded SRS management and operating contract includes operation of the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) activities, and environmental cleanup not covered by the Liquid Waste contract (such as management of spent nuclear fuel, nuclear materials, and non high-level radioactive waste; deactivation and decommissioning of excess facilities; and remediation of soil and groundwater).

The transition period of the new contractor will begin on January 2, 2009 and will be completed in 90 days.  Savannah River Remediation, LLC will assume management of the Liquid Waste System in April 2009.

Completion of the Environmental Management mission at SRS will ultimately involve the treatment and disposal of the radioactive liquid wastes presently stored in 49 underground tanks, as well as the radioactive liquid waste resulting from planned nuclear materials stabilization activities; the operational closure of the 49 underground storage tanks; and the deactivation of the major facilities and equipment that comprise the liquid waste system.

The Savannah River Site is a key DOE industrial complex, focusing on the cleanup of legacy materials and wastes left from the Cold War.  It comprises 310 square miles in Aiken, Allendale, and Barnwell Counties, South Carolina.  Constructed during the 1950s to produce basic materials used in the fabrication of nuclear weapons in support of our nation’s defense programs, SRS is recognized for performance and excellence in support of our national security and as a responsible steward of the environment.

Learn more about the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management and the Savannah River Site.

Media contact(s):
Kristin Brown, (202) 586-4940
Jim Giusti, (803) 952-7684