A Message from Ken Harrawood

At Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO), our Pillars of Success—safety, quality, teamwork and productivity—guide how we work and make decisions as we pursue operational excellence. Our goal is to be the U.S. Department of Energy’s premier nuclear waste cleanup contractor while advancing the mission of cleaning up the nation’s nuclear waste.

At SIMCO, we operate at the “Speed of Safety,” a phrase championed by Mark Bollinger, manager, DOE’s Carlsbad Field Office, putting our people, the community and the environment first.

As the Bechtel-owned team managing and operating WIPP, SIMCO has strengthened the nation’s only deep geologic repository for defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste. We have exceeded waste-shipment goals, advanced major infrastructure upgrades and maintained uninterrupted TRU waste processing. Under SIMCO’s leadership, the site also completed its 1,000th TRU waste shipment.

Our mission extends beyond WIPP operations. Through education and community programs, we work to engage local schools, support our communities and build lasting relationships where our employees live, work and raise their families.

In December 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy extended SIMCO’s contract to manage and operate WIPP through September 30, 2029. This milestone reflects the hard work, dedication and commitment to safety and excellence demonstrated by the entire SIMCO team.