News
Confirmed WIPP COVID-19 Cases
CARLSBAD, N.M. - Between April 29 and May 6, WIPP was notified of 1 positive COVID-19 test result for WIPP employees.
[May 12, 2021]
NWP Awards Contract to Complete Construction of WIPP Ventilation System
CARLSBAD, N.M. - Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP), LLC today awarded a subcontract valued at approximately $163 million to The industrial Company (TIC) to complete construction of the Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System (SSCVS) at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
[April 21, 2021]
WIPP 700-C Fan Test Results Town Hall
CARLSBAD, N.M. - The DOE Carlsbad Field Office and Nuclear Waste Partnership will host a virtual town hall meeting on April 15, 2021, to share environmental monitoring data from the January 31, 2021, four-hour test of the WIPP 700-C ventilation fan.
[April 9, 2021]
Supplement Analysis for Replacement Disposal Panels
CARLSBAD, N.M. - The Department of Energy (DOE) has completed a Supplement Analysis (SA) for the construction of two replacement disposal panels in the underground of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP for the permanent disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste.
[April 8, 2021]
New CBFO Acting Deputy Manager
CARLSBAD, N.M. - As of March 14, Mark Bollinger, currently the Deputy Site Office Manager at the Fermi Site Office (FSO), will become the Acting Deputy Manager for the Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO).
[March 15, 2021]
WIPP 2020 Year In Review
CARLSBAD, N.M. - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) published its 2020 Year in Review, summarizing the cleanup work completed across the DOE complex over the course of the year. WIPP, along with other sites across the complex, made significant progress, after marking several major milestones in furtherance of its cleanup mission during 2020.
[January 19, 2021]
700-C Ventilation Short Duration Test Scheduled
CARLSBAD, N.M. - The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) intends to begin conducting initial short duration testing of the 700-C fan located at the WIPP site the week of Jan. 11.
[January 08, 2021]
700-C Ventilation Fan – Town Hall Meeting
CARLSBAD, N.M. - WIPP is hosting a virtual Town Hall meeting to provide information about the testing of the 700-C ventilation fan at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
[December 08, 2020]
NWP Awards Subcontract in Support of Ventilation System Work
CARLSBAD, N.M. - Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP) awarded a $3 million subcontract to Kiewit US Contractors Co. to support construction of the Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System (SSCVS) at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
[October 22, 2020]
Franco Returns to WIPP Project as Special Advisor to NWP
CARLSBAD, N.M. - A familiar face is returning to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Jose (Joe) Franco has been selected as special advisor to Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP) President & Project Manager Sean Dunagan, effective October 26.
[October 08, 2020]
WIPP Reaches Early Milestone in Work to Increase Underground Ventilation
CARLSBAD, N.M. - A project at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has reached an early milestone as crews embark on a new phase to excavate a new utility shaft — an EM 2020 priority — located west of the WIPP plant.
[September 04, 2020]
Sandia National Labs Shipments Received at WIPP
CARLSBAD, N.M. - Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many things have changed, and new ways to accomplish required tasks have been developed. One thing that hasn’t changed is shipments being sent to and received at WIPP.
[July 30, 2020]
EM-3 Mooney Visits WIPP Site
CARLSBAD, N.M. - Ed Garza, assistant manager for DOE’s Carlsbad Field Office, explains WIPP’s continuous mining machine to Thomas Mooney and Jaffet Ferrer-Torres of the DOE’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) during an underground tour of WIPP on Wednesday.
[July 23, 2020]
WIPP Regains Voluntary Protection Program Star Status
CARLSBAD, N.M. - The Department of Energy (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is once again a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star site.
[June 30, 2020]
DOE Carlsbad Field Office Manager Selected
CARLSBAD, N.M. - Reinhard Knerr has been selected as the new, permanent manager of the DOE Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO). Greg Sosson has served as acting manager since December.
[June 16, 2020]
Key Utility Shaft Construction Contract Awarded at WIPP
CARLSBAD, N.M. - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) and Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP) announced today the award of a key utility shaft construction contract at the Department's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
[August 21, 2019]
Mine Experts to Advise WIPP on Worker Safety, Regulatory Compliance
CARLSBAD, N.M., August 14, 2019 - A panel of experts has been assembled to provide periodic reviews and recommendations on the safety and effectiveness of EM's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) ground control programs and future mine designs.
[August 14, 2019]
Sean Dunagan to Take Helm at NWP/WIPP, Replacing Covert
CARLSBAD, N.M., August 13, 2019 - Sean Dunagan, a recognized nuclear expert with almost 20 years of experience in the management and operation of deep geological repositories for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), will replace Bruce Covert as president and project manager of Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP), the management and operating contractor at DOE's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
[August 13, 2019]
WIPP Reaches Another Milestone
Just before midnight on June 27, EM's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) received its 12,500th transuranic (TRU) waste shipment since operations began at WIPP in 1999.
[July 08, 2019]
Workers Make Headway on New Ventilation System to Increase WIPP Airflow
CARLSBAD, N.M. - Progress continues on a new $135 million ventilation system at EM's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
[May 24, 2019]
Early Career Professional Believes WIPP is Right Place for Career Growth
CARLSBAD, N.M, Forrest Queen has advanced his career quickly, going from Washington State University graduate to ventilation engineering manager at EM's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in just four years.
[May 01, 2019]
Argonne National Laboratory-East Resumes Shipments to WIPP
CARLSBAD, N.M., December 26, 2018 – The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory located near Chicago, Illinois, resumed shipments of transuranic (TRU) waste to DOE's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
[December 26, 2018]
WIPPTREX training exercise
Following months of planning the City of Fort Worth, TX conducted a WIPPTREX training exercise at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex located in Fort Worth.
[November 28, 2018]
Key Ventilation System Construction Contract Awarded at WIPP
CARLSBAD, N.M., November 19, 2018 – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) and Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP) announced today the award of a key infrastructure contract at the Department’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
[November 19, 2018]
WIPP's West Inducted Into Mine Rescue Hall of Fame
Richard "Stik" West of EM’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) was inducted into the Metal and Nonmetal National Mine Rescue Hall of Fame at last week's National Mine Rescue Competition in Lexington, Kentucky...
[July 30, 2018]
WIPP Breaks Ground for New Ventilation System
Carlsbad, NM – U.S. Department of Energy officials joined with local Southeast New Mexico community leaders today to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new and improved underground ventilation system for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
[June 17, 2018]
Routine Transuranic Waste Handling Operations Resume at WIPP
Routine transuranic waste handling processing and underground emplacement activities resumed at EM's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) on Saturday, June 2, after workers completed a recovery plan that involved repacking a seven-pack of waste drums that contained a misaligned...
[June 6, 2018]
Southwest Regional Mine Rescue competition
WIPP's mine rescue teams had a good week in the Southwest Regional Mine Rescue competition here in Carlsbad picking up several awards. The Red Team won first place in the overall competition as well as first place in the field and first aid sections.
[June 4, 2018]
WIPP Receives VPP Merit Recognition
WIPP is the proud of its continued status as a DOE Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) MERIT Site. DOE-VPP Merit promotes safety and health excellence through cooperative efforts among labor, management, and federal employees at DOE sites.
[February 7, 2018]
WIPP Resumes Mining Operations
Nuclear Waste Partnership LLC (NWP), the AECOM-led management and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), has a new president and project manager this week.
[June 12, 2017]
DOE Extends Contract for Operating WIPP
Carlsbad, New Mexico – The Department of Energy issued a modification to the contract with Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP) for the management and operations of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, NM.
[September 15, 2017]
August 8 Workshop in Albuquerque on WIPP's Strategic Planning
Interested stakeholders are invited to attend an August 8 workshop on strategic planning for transuranic waste operations at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) through Fiscal Year 2050.
[August 1, 2017]
August 8 Workshop in Albuquerque on WIPP's Strategic Planning
Interested stakeholders are invited to attend an August 8 workshop on strategic planning for transuranic waste operations at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) through Fiscal Year 2050.
[August 1, 2017]
EPA Recertifies WIPP’s Continued Compliance with Radioactive Waste Disposal Standards
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been recertified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and remains in full compliance with applicable EPA regulations for transuranic radioactive waste disposal.
[July 13, 2017]