The Los Alamos National Laboratory, in partnership with subcontractor Hensel Phelps, has successfully completed the concrete placements for four expansive warehouses, adding over 80,000 square feet of additional storage capacity and workspace to their facilities.
This vast area, equivalent to one-and-a-half times the size of a football field, will serve as a non-radiological space where workers can efficiently receive, inspect, test, store, and integrate/assemble glove boxes and various equipment required for the Lab's Plutonium Facility (PF-4), according to a July 20 press release.
"This space will be critical to the pit mission, providing workers with safe, secure and modern workspaces where they can inspect, store, preassemble and cold test equipment before sending it into the Plutonium Facility," Tom Bratvold, senior director of Line Item Projects for the Los Alamos National Laboratory who also oversees the laboratory's LAP4 portfolio, said in the press release.
The construction involved laying approximately 5,000 cubic yards of concrete for a solid foundation, ensuring that the new structures meet the Laboratory's demands for state-of-the-art glove boxes and equipment, critical in supporting the mission to manufacture a minimum of 30 pits annually, the release stated. These newly developed facilities exemplify the Lab's commitment to enhancing operational capabilities and advancing scientific research.
Since the project's inception, the collaboration between the Los Alamos National Laboratory and Hensel Phelps has resulted in an impressive safety record, with more than 30,000 hours of accident-free work, the release pointed out. As the next phase of this construction project unfolds, the team will focus on building all four warehouse frames and implementing essential equipment for lighting, security, and fire safety.
The first warehouse is set to receive equipment by the fall 2023, with the other three warehouses expected to be operational sometime in 2024, which will further enhance the Laboratory's capabilities and productivity, according to a press release.