The Savannah River Site's liquid-waste contractor received notice Wednesday that the Department of Energy has extended its contract for an additional two years.
Savannah River Remediation, or SRR, took over the site's liquid-waste contract in 2009. Under the current contract, SRR is required to continue work through June 30. With the extension, the contractor has inked a two-year deal worth $797 million, good through June 30, 2017.
"The Department has determined that this two-year extension will serve the best interests of the government and the contractor," DOE officials wrote in a notice.
Responsibilities under the purview of SRR include safely treating, storing and disposing of radioactive liquid waste.
The contractor operates the high-level waste tanks in two site areas and conducts tank-closure activities: the Defense Waste Processing Facility that converts high-level radioactive waste into a stable glass form and the Saltstone Facility that provides permanent disposition of salt waste.
In a letter sent to employees, SRR President Stuart MacVean congratulated employees..
"DOE would not have extended the contract unless your performance gave them the confidence to do so," MacVean wrote.
He added that the treating and immobilizing of liquid waste is a critical mission from every angle for stakeholders and for the site, which is the only one in the nation that disposes of that type of waste.
In a statement to the Aiken Standard, MacVean added that the contractor has built a strong program and that the renewal will help keep the momentum going.
"As members of the surrounding communities, it is important to all of us at SRR to continue reducing the single greatest environmental risk in South Carolina," MacVean said.
Since taking over the liquid-waste contract in 2009, SRR has closed four liquid-waste tanks.
Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard.