Author: WIPP Communications

  • SIMCO contributes $11,000 to STEM education

    CARLSBAD, New Mexico — Salado Isolation Mining Contractors (SIMCO) recently presented an $11,000 donation to the Inspired by Science organization as part of its community commitment to support local STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education at the elementary school level. Through its contribution, SIMCO continues as an Inspired by Science ‘Community Lab Partner’ which enables the purchase of new science equipment and materials that are critical to providing a quality experience for ‘young scientists’.

    “SIMCO is proud to continue partnering with Inspired by Science and its founder and CEO, Deena Antiporda,” to provide opportunities for critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation, said Dr. Joy James-Foster, SIMCO Education Outreach Lead.

    Inspired by Science was established in 2013 by Deena and Mike Antiporda with their three young sons, and it has thrived with the help of many dedicated volunteers who help make the organization successful. Its purpose is to promote STEM education at the elementary school level through hands-on science experiences that are both educational and fun in hopes of inspiring students to pursue education and careers in STEM-related fields.

    Deena was inspired to create this program because of the extreme interest her son had in science at a very young age.

    “He asked me to do science experiments with him starting in the second grade, and his love of science was so contagious that I found myself looking for more experiments to do,” she said. “It occurred to me that we could create a program that would provide opportunities for our community’s youth to do hands-on STEM activities and learn so much from them. This program is near and dear to my heart because it started as an organization run by my family in our kitchen and has grown to become a 501(c)(3) organization supported by a team of 30 people.”

    Inspired by Science’s main event is a summer STEM camp, which is held every year on the campus of Southeast New Mexico College during the first week of June. Volunteers train and prepare for a variety of science activities and ensure that the young scientists have a safe, educational, and fun-filled experience.

    The partnership between SIMCO and Inspired by Science helps the young scientists to participate in Inspired by Science events.

    About SIMCO

    Salado Isolation Mining Contractors (SIMCO) was formed to support the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. SIMCO is a single-purpose entity comprised of Bechtel National, Inc. SIMCO utilizes Los Alamos Technical Associates as a New Mexico-based small business teaming subcontractor.

  • WIPP Marks Pivotal Milestone by Completing Construction of Ventilation System

    WIPP Marks Pivotal Milestone by Completing Construction of Ventilation System

    CARLSBAD, N.M. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) has achieved a significant milestone by completing construction of the Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System (SSCVS) facility — a new, state-of-the-art, large-scale ventilation system at its Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

    This milestone marks the delivery of the SSCVS facilities and systems necessary to move forward with the full testing and commissioning phase to bring the facility online and operational in 2026.

    “Finishing the Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System construction phase marks a momentous investment in WIPP’s operational infrastructure,” said Mark Bollinger, EM’s Carlsbad Field Office manager. “When fully online, the SSCVS will greatly increase the quality of airflow to the underground repository and enhance WIPP’s ability to reliably deliver on DOE’s national security and environmental cleanup missions.”

    Salado Isolation Mining Contractors (SIMCO), WIPP’s management and operations contractor, began SSCVS commissioning phase work in early fall 2023 as construction crews began turning over initial portions of the facility and systems to startup and commissioning teams.

    “Completing SSCVS construction allows us to pivot our focus to testing and commissioning the remaining SSCVS systems,” said Ken Harrawood, SIMCO’s president and program manager at WIPP. “We will take a measured and methodical — people, plant, paper — approach to safely bring the SSCVS fully online.”

    Testing and commissioning includes testing systems, integration, developing operational procedures and guidelines, training and qualifying staff. After all testing is completed, the facility is handed over to trained WIPP operations personnel to bring the new facility online. The SSCVS commissioning phase is currently 85% complete.

    When fully online, the SSCVS facility will significantly increase airflow through the WIPP underground. Air exiting the underground will be able to pass through a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration system made up of 22 filtration units.

    The SSCVS will work in tandem with WIPP’s new utility shaft, which will provide a new entry point for air into the WIPP underground repository. The SSCVS pulls air through the repository, removes salt and can send the air through the HEPA filtration units before it’s released to the environment. When fully online, the new ventilation will increase underground airflow from 170,000 cubic feet per minute up to 540,000 cubic feet per minute.

    The SSCVS includes two primary buildings. The Salt Reduction Building pre-filters salt-laden air coming from the WIPP underground, while the New Filter Building has fans and HEPA filtration to further clean the air.

    A control panel undergoes testing at the newly constructed Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System facility at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, WIPP’s prime management and operations contractor, is testing and commissioning to safely integrate the new ventilation system into daily operations.

    About WIPP

    WIPP remains the United States’ only deep geological repository for nuclear waste. It’s a system of disposal rooms mined out of an ancient salt bed 2,150 feet underground. It has operated since 1999, celebrating its 25th anniversary of accepting transuranic waste from DOE cleanup sites across the U.S. The waste consists of items contaminated with small amounts of plutonium and other human-made radioactive elements. The waste has been accumulating since the 1940s as part of the nation’s nuclear defense program dating back to the Manhattan Project.

    About SIMCO

    Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO) was formed to support the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

    SIMCO’s member is Bechtel National Inc. and its WIPP team includes Los Alamos Technical Associates as a New Mexico based teaming subcontractor.

  • Underground Aerial Survey Conducted at WIPP

    CARLSBAD, N.M., June 5, 2024 – An aerial robotic system or “drone” was launched to serve as a robotic scout in an area over 2,000 feet deep inside the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility outside of Carlsbad, NM. The drone was deployed to provide the first visual inspection of an underground air exhaust passageway, or drift, that had earlier been closed to personnel.

    Sandia and Los Alamos National laboratories collaboratively proposed a unique technology solution to visually inspect and explore the underground area remotely by use of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) with onboard video cameras, light detection, and laser imaging, detection and ranging (LiDAR). Once conditions are analyzed from the UAS, this data will be used to further evaluate the possibility of allowing workers to enter to conduct additional inspections.

    “This type of research shows how technology can support how we deliver on our commitment to ensuring a secure and safe environment for all who work in the WIPP underground.” said Mark Bollinger, DOE site manager Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO), which oversees WIPP. “We are optimistic about these studies and feel confident that the information we learn will allow us to make informed decisions moving forward.”

    This research was made possible through collaboration between WIPP’s management and operating contractor Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, Sandia National Laboratory’s Autonomy & Unmanned Systems Robotics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Test Coordination Office, DOE-Environmental Management’s (EM) Carlsbad Field Office and DOE-EM’s Office of Technology Operations.

    “The implications of this type of robotic solution on operations are huge. It demonstrates the capability to keep our operators safe and make difficult tasks easier and safer to perform,” stated Rod Rimando, acting director of EM Office of Technology Operations.

    About WIPP:

    Located in southeast New Mexico about 26 miles from Carlsbad, WIPP was constructed in the 1980s for disposal of defense-generated transuranic (TRU) waste. The repository is carved out of a 2,000-foot-thick salt bed formed 250 million years ago. TRU waste is disposed of 2,150 feet underground in rooms mined from the salt bed.

  • SIMCO seeks grant submittals from Eddy and Lea counties’ non-profits

    CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO — Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO) announced today the company is now accepting grant proposals from non-profit agencies throughout Eddy and Lea Counties for its 2024 Employee Investment Advisory Committee program. The program is now in its second year.


    In 2023 alone, the program awarded $50,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations to enrich the lives of people in Southeast New Mexico.


    The program’s 2024 funding priorities are:

    • Food Security
    • Literacy
    • Health & Human Services

    The online application is available at https://simco-llc.us/investment-advisory-committee/. Applications can be mailed, or hand delivered, and are due Monday, July 15, 2024, by 5:00 p.m. mountain time.


    For questions, please contact Ekta Bhakta, SIMCO Community Relations & Charitable Giving at 832.689.1049 or ekta.bhakta@wipp.ws.


    About the SIMCO Employee Investment Advisory Committee

    The Employee Investment Advisory Grant Fund mission is to allocate company-funded grants, where the need is greatest, using the collective skills and knowledge of SIMCO’s employees to make a positive impact in the communities where they live and work.
    The Employee Investment Advisory Committee is representative of SIMCO’s diverse workforce and comprised of selected non-managerial employees who have been recognized for their leadership qualities by both their managers and peers. This innovative approach gives SIMCO’s employees direct influence where a portion of the company’s charitable contributions are made, extending funding across a wider array of regional nonprofit organizations.

    About SIMCO

    SIMCO is the management and operations contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). SIMCO’s member is Bechtel National Inc., and our WIPP team includes Los Alamos Technical Associates as a New Mexico-based teaming subcontractor.
    As a major employer, SIMCO understands the importance of investing in the region’s near- and long-term success by being a positive, proactive member of the community; participating in socioeconomic development; and making investments in social and philanthropic programs for the betterment of the residents of Southeastern New Mexico.

  • SIMCO awards $20,000 in local scholarships to high school seniors

    CARLSBAD, N.M., May 21, 2024– Salado Isolation Mining Contractors (SIMCO) demonstrated its commitment to education with the recent award of $20,000 in scholarships to 20 high school seniors in Eddy and Lea counties.
    “SIMCO is committed to investing in our students’ post-secondary education. A college education can have a lasting impact on their lives and we’re proud to play a small part in that journey. SIMCO scholarships are just one way we’re supporting our students and investing in their futures,” said SIMCO Education Outreach Lead, Dr. Joy James-Foster.


    Students from Carlsbad, Eunice, Hobbs, and Loving received scholarships. Recipients include:


    Carlsbad High School
    Korrine Bradford, Maranda Campbell, Taylor Coll, Emily Cox, Julieta Gonzalez, Javan Hatch, Tristan Groberg, Izabelle Kostenbader, Nathan Spencer, Dru McAvoy, Collin Schweighofer and Elena Renteria


    Eunice High School
    Kaeden Boyd


    Hobbs High School
    Corbin Chance, Alesha Gonzalez, Cameron Hernandez, Madison McCormick, Regan Sathiapaul and Yassine Tigui


    Loving High School
    Mei Ling Sing


    SIMCO also provided funding for the Martin Luther King Scholarship Fund, the Class Act Scholarship Fund and the Falcon Fest Scholarship Fund.
    To be considered for a SIMCO scholarship, students must plan to attend an accredited college or university and pursue a degree in math, science or engineering.


    Photographs of scholarship award recipients are available upon request.

    SIMCO is the management and operations contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad. WIPP, the nation’s only permanent geologic repository for defense transuranic nuclear waste, began disposal operations in 1999.

  • WIPP Celebrates 25th Anniversary of First Waste Receipt

    WIPP Celebrates 25th Anniversary of First Waste Receipt

    CARLSBAD, N.M. — Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) reached a major milestone – 25 years of operations at the nation’s only deep, underground geological repository for disposal of transuranic (TRU) nuclear waste.

    It was standing room only during the recognition ceremony at the WIPP site. Attendees included officials from DOE, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Mine Safety and Health Administration, the State of New Mexico Environment Department, elected New Mexico state officials, regional and local elected officials as well as community leaders and civic organizations.

    “WIPP plays a vital role not only disposing of the nation’s TRU waste, but also in our national security,” said Ike White, senior advisor for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management. “Because of WIPP, more than 20 DOE sites have been able to safely dispose of their TRU waste, resulting in a reduced risk to millions of Americans.”

    White added, “WIPP remains the cornerstone of the U.S. DOE’s important environmental cleanup mission, permanently disposing of the nation’s TRU waste.”

    Twenty-five years ago, WIPP received its first shipment of defense generated TRU waste, marking the official beginning of operations. The shipment from the Los Alamos National Laboratory was safely transported and disposed of in the WIPP underground disposal area.

    “This is an exciting day for our employees and the surrounding area,” said Mark Bollinger, Carlsbad Field Office manager. “Without the dedication of the workforce, we would not be here today. Their attention to detail and safety is the reason WIPP has been so successful.”

    Since beginning operations in 1999, WIPP has safely traveled over 16.5 million loaded miles (this would equate to approximately 34 round trips to the moon). This has led to the safe disposal of over 285,000 waste containers in the WIPP underground.

    About WIPP

    TRU waste began accumulating in the 1940s with the beginning of the nation’s nuclear defense program. As early as the 1950s, the National Academy of Sciences recommended deep disposal of long-lived TRU radioactive wastes in geologically stable formations, such as deep salt beds.

  • WIPP Announces Winners of Inaugural Regional Science Bowl

    WIPP Announces Winners of Inaugural Regional Science Bowl

    CARLSBAD, N.M., March 2, 2024 – After hours of intense competition on Saturday, only one team remained and won the inaugural southeastern New Mexico Regional Science Bowl hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).  The team from Roswell, NM was crowned the champion of this year’s Science Bowl and will represent the region at the National Science Bowl® in Washington D.C.

    Hosted at Southeast New Mexico College, this year’s Science Bowl consisted of seven teams all competing for the chance to show off their knowledge at the national competition. Schools completing included: Carlsbad High School, Carlsbad Early College, New Mexico Military Institute and Hobbs High School. 

    The New Mexico Military Institute team made up of two sophomores, a junior and senior were able to hold of the other teams to claim victory.  While demonstrating the exceptional knowledge in the fields of math and science, the team held off the competition to claim victory and secure their spot at nationals.

    This was the first Regional Science Bowl hosted by WIPP and will now become an annual event.

    Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO), WIPP’s management and operations contractor, was the event’s primary sponsor and organizer.

    About Science Bowl:
    Launched in 1991, the National Science Bowl® is a competitive science education and academic event among teams of students who complete in a fast-paced verbal forum to solve technical problems and answer questions in a all branches of science and math. Each team is composed of four students, one alternate student, and a coach.

    About SIMCO:

    Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO) was formed to support the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. SIMCO’s member is Bechtel National Inc. and its WIPP team includes Los Alamos Technical Associates as a New Mexico based teaming subcontractor.

  • WIPP’s 25th Anniversary Video

  • $1000 Scholarships Available for Eddy and Lea County Graduating Seniors

    February 12, 2024

    CARLSBAD, NM – Beginning February 12, 2024 until March 11, 2024, 5 p.m. – Salado Isolation Mining Contractors LLC (SIMCO) is offering college scholarships for Eddy and Lea County graduating seniors.

    A limited number of one-time $1,000 scholarships are available to qualified 2024 graduating seniors selected from Carlsbad, Hobbs and Loving schools. Completed scholarship applications must be receive by Monday, March 11, 2024.

    The online application, along with information about proposal and evaluation criteria, is available at https://form.jotform.com/230386090101040.

    SIMCO will accept applications online Beginning, February 12, 2024, until 5 p.m. on March 11, 2024. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Winners will be notified no later than March 25, 2024.

    For more information about the SIMCO Education Scholarships Program, contact Dr. Joy James-Foster, SIMCO Communications, at (575) 234-7512 or joy.james-foster@wipp.ws

    About SIMCO

    Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO) was formed to support the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. SIMCO’s member is Bechtel National Inc. and its WIPP team includes Los Alamos Technical Associates as a teaming subcontractor.

  • Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Achieves Best Shipment Season in 10 Years

    Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Achieves Best Shipment Season in 10 Years

    CARLSBAD, N.M. — During the calendar year of 2023, the team at EM’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) had its best shipment performance in 10 years, continuing the cleanup of sites in New Mexico and across the country.

    In 2023, WIPP received 489 waste shipments from generator sites throughout the country, compared to 272 shipments in 2022. It’s the best shipment toal since the facility received 724 shipments in 2013.

    Several factors enabled the increase in shipments, including:

    • Increased coordination with generator sites, which make the waste available for packaging and certification through the DOE-established Central Characterization Program;
    • More transportation support with mobile loading unit teams at generator sites and shipment drivers;
    • WIPP operational efficiencies gained by opening a new, uncontaminated set of underground storage rooms, known as a panel. Waste is disposed of in a set of panels located nearly one-half mile below the surface.

    WIPP’s highest shipment total was 1,142 in 2006, with the lowest being 44 shipments in 1999 when the underground waste repository opened.

    Since it began operations in 1999, WIPP has received more than 13,790 shipments, totaling over 75,480 cubic meters of waste emplaced. Per the U.S. Land Withdrawal Act, WIPP is limited to 175,000 cubic meters of waste over its lifetime.

    While legacy waste from the EM Los Alamos Field Office remains a high priority, EM’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site has traditionally been the most prolific generator, with more than 7,000 shipments so far over the course of its cleanup mission. See a related story in this EM Update issue on the cleanup program’s significant progress in reducing the transuranic waste inventory at the INL Site.

    WIPP is the nation’s only repository for the disposal of transuranic waste generated by nuclear defense activities. Salado Isolation Mining Contractors manages and operates the WIPP site for EM.