Reactor Operations
The nation’s existing fleet of commercial nuclear reactors must continue to operate safely, reliably, and with economic efficiency throughout their lifetimes—and after that, be decommissioned—meeting environmental and safety standards.
Environmental Remediation
The Manhattan Project, followed by the Cold War, left a complex assortment of soil and groundwater remediation challenges at the Hanford site. PNNL supports the DOE Richland Operations Office (RL), DOE Office of River Protection (ORP), and the team of contractors that are responsible for cleaning up this arid desert area—particularly the Columbia River Corridor and the Central Plateau.
Reactor Licensing
Since the 1980s, PNNL has worked with federal agencies to provide scientifically credible, legally defensible, and consistently useful documentation for the licensing and siting of nuclear power reactor facilities in the United States and internationally.
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear-generated electricity produces benefits beyond keeping our homes warm, lights on, and cell phones charged.
Waste Processing
What to do with Hanford’s 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste stored in 177 underground tanks, which already are past their expected lifetime? In partnership with DOE and site contractors, PNNL researchers are leading the development of the chemical and engineering processes to determine the mixture in each tank, the safest way to remove it, and the most efficient way to treat and store it.