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Welcome The Department of Energy's Photo Gallery consists of collections of photographs relevant to the history, operation, and cleanup of the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington. These photo collections can be easily paged through, searched, downloaded, and printed.
Hanford Galleries
Nearly 40 Chiawana High School STEM students recently visited the HAMMER Federal Training Center. Students rotated through several activities, including respiratory protection exercises, electrical safety, firefighting demonstrations, hoisting and rigging props and an appearance from Hanford Patrol’s K-9 program. The day also included a One Hanford Career and Resource Fair, allowing students to meet representatives from One Hanford contractors, local colleges and trade schools, giving them an understanding of the wide range of possibilities the Site offers.
STEM Students Visit HAMMER (May 2026)
Crews are installing several miles of fiber optic cable to ensure reliability for the computer network in the Tank Farms. The upgrades will help ensure 24/7 communications as the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant continues to ramp up operations to turn treated low-level tank waste into a stable glass form.
Fiber Optic Installation (May 2026)
The 200 West Area of the Hanford Site is entering a new era as workers are upgrading key facilities and installing new infrastructure to support the next phase of tank waste retrieval and treatment. These efforts will help DOE expand options for the safe, permanent management of radioactive waste while protecting the environment.
New Era in 200 West Area (April 2026)
Electrical Utilities and Unmanned Aircraft Systems teams are using drone technology to inspect electrical transmission lines faster and more efficiently. Recent drone inspections provided hundreds of detailed photos, helping identify needed repairs before outages happen. Successful collaborations like this keep our infrastructure safe and reliable.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (January 2026)
Teamwork in action! Hanford Patrol and Hanford Fire Department joined forces for a dynamic training session on active shooter scenarios. Over seven days, they honed their skills to ensure quick and coordinated responses. Together, we prioritize the safety of the Hanford community.
Active Shooter Scenarios (January 2026)
Innovation is shaping the future of cleanup at Hanford. The High-Level Waste (HLW) engineering team has added new 3D printers to support facility design development and problem-solving. By integrating 3D printing into their work, HLW engineers can test and refine complex designs before they reach the field. This hands-on capability helps them deliver smarter, safer solutions for the cleanup mission.
3D Printing Shapes Innovation (January 2026)
For the first time, tank waste at the Hanford Site is being solidified in glass. The start of operations at the Low-Activity Waste Facility marks a major step in Hanford’s cleanup mission.
Solidifying Tank Waste (October 2025)
In 1959, construction began on the last Hanford reactor, dubbed "N Reactor." This dual-purpose facility produced plutonium for atomic weapons as well as steam for generating electricity. It was the only dual-purpose reactor in the United States and was so advanced that President John F. Kennedy came to Hanford on September 26, 1963, for its dedication
President John F. Kennedy Visits Hanford
With help from new imaging tools, we’re getting a closer look inside Hanford’s sealed reactors. Workers completed the 10-year interior inspection of six safe storage enclosures, ensuring the safety of these historical facilities. Crews used advanced laser technology called lidar and 360-degree camera technology to capture detailed insights into structural conditions, as seen in the green 3D scan image below. Finding no major issues, they’ll be re-sealed until the next interior inspection in 2035.
LIDAR Reactor Inspections (August 2025)
About 1,000 gallons of treated waste from Hanford’s underground tanks were recently solidified and safely disposed of at a Utah facility, thanks to our cleanup partners at EnergySolutions. The work supports a DOE demonstration exploring offsite waste treatment options. A similar amount of treated Hanford waste is also being disposed of at Waste Control Specialists in Texas.
Tank Waste Treated (July 2025)
Before tank waste can be treated, it needs to be stirred and ready to pump out. Crews installed a second high-pressure nozzle, in addition to a slurry pump already in one of Hanford's underground tanks. This equipment helps mix and move the waste, getting it ready for safe transfer to Hanford’s waste treatment plant later this year.
High-Pressure Nozzle Install (July 2025)
Every year, fire systems across the Hanford Site are tested to ensure they are working properly. The Fire Systems Maintenance teams recently replaced a device with an updated model, making future maintenance easier. Working with other One Hanford contractors to make this upgrade, these teams help ensure our critical infrastructure remains functional.
Fire System Maintenance (December 2024)
Crane & Rigging does some heavy lifting! Crews successfully lifted and transported a 70-ton crane to Fleet Maintenance for repairs. This feat required two 80-ton RT cranes to lift the crane onto a trailer for transport. Another unique challenge? A critical component for the repair of this 24-year-old crane is the only one left in existence.
Crane and Rigging (December 2024)
A temporary pumping solution is in place to address an equipment failure at the Treated Effluent Disposal Facility’s (TEDF) pump station #1 in the 200 West Area. TEDF treats various sources of Hanford’s process wastewater, including the sanitary water treatment system. Thanks to workers from several contractors, the issue was quickly identified, and the temporary pump was implemented to continue meeting construction project and Site water demands. Now these teams are working to make this a permanent backup solution for future Site needs.
Temporary Pumping Station (December 2024)
Workers at the Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility (WESF) has made significant progress. They recently completed comprehensive testing of the components and systems that will be used to transfer 1,936 cesium and strontium capsules from an underwater basin to safer dry storage. This important project will reduce risk, save costs, and prepare WESF for eventual deactivation.
WESF Updates (November 2024)
Proper maintenance is critical to keep the lights on and power flowing throughout the Hanford Site. Workers perform maintenance of switchgear and breakers to help prevent unplanned outages on Site. This is just one aspect of the preventative maintenance schedule to ensure peak efficiency and fix minor issues before they become major disruptions.
Switchgear Maintenance (November 2024)
A new remote radiological monitoring system on the Hanford Site improves efficiency and safety. DOE deployed the RadSat II during the Test Bed Initiative Demonstration project, allowing technicians to monitor radiation levels remotely rather than using hand-held monitors.
Radiological Monitoring System (November 2024)
There are 37 remote-controlled cranes and 22 autonomous and nonautonomous robots, called manipulators, inside the Hanford Vit Plant's Low-Activity Waste Facility. These cranes and robots provide vital assistance to our workforce by performing tasks and handling equipment in various areas.
Remote Control Cranes (November 2024)
Hanford Site workers are getting hands-on experience in hoisting and rigging, thanks to a 1/14th scale, remote-controlled crane. The training tool at the HAMMER Federal Training Center is similar to some of the cranes used for projects on Site, just on a smaller scale. Instructors can simulate the same situations students will encounter in the field, but in a controlled setting.
RC Crane Training (September 2024)
The Hanford Field Office is now official. In October 2024, DOE combined the two federal forces (the Office of River Protection and Richland Operations Office) to enhance its alignment in driving progress with the same commitment to treating tanks waste, risk reduction and safety. The Hanford Field Office is a new chapter in the Hanford mission.
Hanford Field Office (October 2024)
Jackrabbits can leap up to ten feet when threatened and run at speeds of up to 40 mph! They also have incredibly long ears that help them thermoregulate, an important feature in the hot shrub-steppe ecosystem of the Hanford Site. Their long, large ears and strong hind legs are important clues to their hare-itage, because they aren’t actually rabbits, but hares. Hanford biologists are helping conduct a study in coordination with nearby agencies using GPS collars to better understand how jackrabbit habitat use varies seasonally.
Monitoring Hanford's Wildlife (November 2024)
About 2,000 gallons of radioactive and chemical tank waste is one step closer to disposal as part of a treatment technology demonstration at the Hanford Site. The Department of Energy recently completed treatment operations of the Test Bed Initiative (TBI) demonstration project. This project utilized a treatment system placed inside one of the site’s massive underground waste storage tanks to remove cesium and other solids from 2,000 gallons of low-activity tank waste, removing over 98% of the radioactivity. Samples of the treated waste will now be sent for laboratory testing. This testing, combined with robust packaging, will ensure that the treated low-activity waste is well below the limits for safe transportation and commercial disposal in Texas and Utah. In the extremely unlikely case of a severe accident, the highest potential radiation exposure for an individual would be less than that from a single abdominal x-ray. The TBI demonstration and shipment will provide valuable information supporting the Department’s commitment to safely and efficiently progressing Hanford cleanup.
Tank Waste Treated for TBI (October 2024)
More than 60 first responders from multiple agencies participated in a recent active assailant training workshop on the Hanford Site. While these teams hope to never have to respond to this type of call, they know it’s possible and work to ensure they are prepared for any situation. Participants included Hanford Patrol, Hanford Fire Department, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Security, PNNL Security Operations Center, Patrol Operations Center, and Emergency Preparedness and Emergency Management personnel from contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions.
Active Assailant Drill (November 2024)
The Department of Energy is working with other vendors to develop in-tank lighting systems that produce less heat and an inspection camera that can get between the inner and outer walls of double-shell tanks. The new lighting technology can help workers when removing radiological and chemical waste from the underground storage tanks at the Hanford Site.
In-Tank Lighting System (November 2024)
Congratulations to Hanford's newest firefighters, the 2024 Hanford Fire Academy graduates. Your hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence will make a real difference at the Hanford Site. Here’s to a safer future.
Fire Fighter Graduation (November 2024)
For many Hanford Site projects, timely, on-the-spot weather information is critical to help the workforce safely complete their work. Crews completed a months-long project to replace equipment and perform routine maintenance on the 29 meteorological towers that make up the Hanford Meteorological Monitoring Network. The towers collect and relay weather data to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory the National Weather Service office in Pendleton.
Met Tower Repairs (October 2024)
Remediation is a key part of the Hanford mission, and the Land Management team is working to reduce the impact to the environment and serves as Hanford’s “Pit Boss,” managing the limited resources of sand, gravel and rock that are stored in Hanford’s borrow pits. Material is either mined from the pits or is “recycled” from one project to use on other construction or remediation projects around the Site.
Hanford Borrow Pits (October 2024)
Defueled reactor compartments from retired nuclear-powered submarines arrived this month at the Port of Benton in Richland. The compartments once powered two 361-foot-long Los Angeles-class submarines – the USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705) and USS Portsmouth (SSN-707). Both subs were commissioned in 1983 and conducted many missions around the world during their operational lifetimes. The USS Portsmouth and USS City of Corpus Christi were decommissioned in 2004 and 2017, respectively, and the retired vessels were sent to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF on the Waterfront) for recycling. As part of the recycling program, the defueled compartments are placed in robust shipping packages, consistent with federal and state regulations, before making the 700-mile journey by barge from the shipyard in Bremerton down the Washington coast and up the Columbia River before being transported on a multi-wheeled transporter to the Hanford Site for safe, permanent disposal. The special deliveries mark the 143rd and 144th Reactor Compartment Disposal packages safely transported by PSNS & IMF to the Hanford Site since 1986.
Defueled Reactor Compartment Arrival (October 2024)
The One Hanford team had the honor of meeting hundreds of engineering and technology job candidates at the Society of Women Engineers - SWE Career Fair this week. Check out career opportunities here: https://www.hanford.gov/page.cfm/HanfordCareers
Attending the Women in Engineering Conference (October 2024)
A defueled reactor compartment from the retired nuclear-powered submarine USS Corpus Christi (SSN 705) arrived earlier this month at the Port of Benton in Richland. This massive compartment is one of two being delivered this month. The compartments make the 700-mile journey in robust shipping packages, consistent with federal and state regulations, traveling by barge from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility down the Washington coast and up the Columbia River before being transported on a multi-wheeled transporter to the Hanford Site for safe, permanent disposal. This marks the 143rd Reactor Compartment Disposal package safely transported by PSNS & IMF to the Hanford Site since 1986.
Reactor Compartment Shipment (October 2024)
The Test Bed Initiative Demonstration is underway. Workers are installing equipment that will demonstrate how an alternative treatment technology could safely accelerate cleanup of Hanford tank waste. The demonstration will treat approximately 2,000 gallons of tank waste. Once treated, it will be shipped off-site to be immobilized in grout and disposed of.
Test Bed Initiative (August 2024)
After safely completing the removal of nearly 1 million gallons of contaminated water from the K West Reactor spent fuel storage basin, DOE began filling the basin with grout. The grout will encapsulate contaminated debris and stabilize the basin for future demolition. The contaminated water from the basin was taken via 131 tanker truck loads to a nearby treatment facility.
Last Reactor Fuel Storage Basin Drained (July 2024)
The Department of Energy is literally crushing it at the Reduction-Oxidation Plant (REDOX). Demolition of the REDOX 211-S chemical storage area includes the removal of eight empty above-ground tanks, which ranged in capacity from 4,300 gallons to 149,000 gallons, as well as two smaller tanks. REDOX is one of Hanford’s five former chemical separations facilities used during the site’s operations to produce plutonium. The Central Plateau risk-reduction project is expected to be completed in September.
REDOX Demolition (July 2024)
After practicing in a nonradioactive environment this spring, workers at the Hanford Site recently used a robotic arm to help remove an old 34-foot pump from a large underground tank, called AP-102, that stores radiological and chemical waste. Workers also used a system that encapsulated the pump in a shielding bag as it was removed from the tank, protecting workers from contaminants. DOE regularly removes and replaces aging equipment, but the long pump had small spaces that could trap radiological and chemical tank waste, which required the use of the shielding bag. The tank infrastructure is being upgraded to support the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste Program to immobilize tank waste in glass.
Underground Tank Removal (July 2024)
Crews at the Hanford Vit Plant recently installed two 55+ ton carbon steel doors inside the High-Level Waste Facility. These shield doors will separate the crane maintenance and decontamination areas from the main canister handling area. The doors are seven to eight-inch-thick carbon steel and will provide protective shielding from radiation to personnel in those areas.
Carbon Steel Door Installation at the High-Level Waste Facility (May 2024)
DOE shipped the very first sodium waste off the Hanford Site. The sodium originated from decommissioning activities of the Fast Flux Test Facility, a former sodium-cooled nuclear research and test reactor that operated from 1982 to 1992. The waste was sent to an off-site treatment facility, where it will be treated to comply with land-disposal restrictions. After treatment, the waste will be repackaged and returned to Hanford for disposal.
First Sodium Shipment (March 2024)
DOE recently completed the demolition of TK-40, a large above-ground chemical storage tank near the Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant. The empty tank is one of about 20 being demolished near the plant. The tanks stored a variety of chemicals used to extract plutonium from irradiated uranium fuel rods. Built in the 1950s, the plant operated as the largest and most advanced chemical separations plant on the Hanford Site until 1988.
Demolition of TK-40 (March 2024)
Construction crews are laying it on the line – literally – for ongoing groundwater treatment expansion. This massive undertaking requires the installation of 54,000 feet of pipe and cable – more than 10 miles – to connect the 200 West Pump & Treat Facility to 11 new extraction wells. Enter the Line Tamer, a machine which can straighten hundreds of feet of coiled pipe at a time, allowing crews to place new lines safely and effectively in a fraction of the time. This critical expansion will increase the 200 West Pump & Treat’s capacity from 2,500 to 3,400 gallons per minute. The expansion project will allow for as much as 650 million additional gallons of groundwater to be treated annually.
Groundwater Treatment Expansion (February 2024)
Maintaining infrastructure that supports the cleanup mission. DOE recently replaced an aging power pole from 1955. This update will supply additional power support to the Hanford Vit Plant.
Infrastructure Upgrades (January 2024)
Sinking a putt and learning a skill: Workers receiving respiratory training at the HAMMER Federal Training Center traverse a miniature golf course while learning correct use of equipment, including managing hoses while other players are nearby. This hands-on activity helps Hanford workers retain critical safety knowledge.
HAMMER Respiratory Training (December 2023)
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