Who We Are
Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO) was formed to support the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. WIPP is the nation’s only repository for the disposal of transuranic waste generated by atomic energy defense activities. WIPP is located 33 miles southeast of Carlsbad, New Mexico.
SIMCO is wholly owned by Bechtel National, Inc. and our WIPP team includes Los Alamos Technical Associates as a New Mexico based teaming subcontractor.
Bechtel National Inc.
Bechtel National, the U.S. government arm of Bechtel Corp., has more than 44 years of experience successfully managing Department of Energy sites in Washington, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Relying on expertise and industry knowledge from both the private and public sectors, and more than 30,000 affiliated employees, Bechtel specializes in large-scale contracts for the U.S. government to successfully deliver many large, first -of-a-kind signature projects. Around the world, Bechtel partners with customers to create access and opportunity,
build a path to net zero, protect people and the planet, and accelerate progress.
Los Alamos Technical Associates
LATA is an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based woman-owned small business specializing in engineering, environmental remediation, nuclear, demolition, hazardous materials, sampling & analysis, and waste management.
Our Mission
We provide safe and compliant characterization, transportation, and disposal of the United States’ defense transuranic (TRU) waste while protecting workers, the public, and environment.
Our Commitment
Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO) is guided by our core values of safety, quality, teamwork, and productivity to ensure operational excellence and deliver our vision to be the U.S. Department of Energy’s premier nuclear waste cleanup contractor.
SIMCO’s performance commitments include:
Safety
Safety is at the forefront of all our planning and work execution to ensure we protect our people, the community, and the environment. In 2026, SIMCO marked one year without a recordable injury and surpassed 3-million safe work hours.
Quality
Quality is embedded in all our procedures and processes to ensure we perform the job right the first time and we quickly identify and resolve issues.
Teamwork
By fostering an environment built on collaboration, open communication, trust, and shared responsibility, we encourage productivity, innovation, and employee satisfaction.
Productivity
Our performance is measured by predictable outcomes and delivering success at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and throughout the nuclear cleanup industry
Our Performance
SIMCO’s successful performance is a testament to our commitment and the commitment of the thousands of employees who invest in the SIMCO mission every day.
As a result of our performance commitment, SIMCO has strengthened the nation’s only deep geologic repository for defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste, exceeding shipment goals each year, advancing major infrastructure upgrades and maintaining uninterrupted TRU waste processing. Under the leadership of SIMCO, the site has consistently exceeded waste-shipment targets, including completing its 1,000th shipment under SIMCO’s stewardship.
As part of that success in 2025 the U.S. Department of Energy awarded SIMCO three more years to manage and operate the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, NM.