Ken and I went on the Hanford public tour today. Ya, I know it was a miracle that we were able to sign up for it. It WAS our second attempt. We tried during the summer to get on the list but 4 minutes after it opened it was all full up. Luckily, this time, I was logged in and signing up right as enrollment began and was able to get us in.
The tour started off with a trip around the HAMMER training facility which was quite interesting. Got to see all the props and buildings they have out there to train people to handle many different public and environmental crises. Next was a long trip on an old stretch of 
road through what was once Hanford and White Bluffs. Unfortunately it was foggy out and the tour consisted mostly of the white fog line on the side of the road. Eventually we ended up at the B reactor which is the shining star on the tour so we all got out and into the first reactor to go critical in the world. I had a great time. They've got it set up very museum like with video presentations and models and posters. But I guess nothing compares to the actual reactor face right there in front of you and the cooling tanks behind it. So ya, I'd say it was a pretty cool experience.
We saw several more reactors most cocooned one working one at Energy Northwest... lots of aging buildings, shacks, tubes, tanks, industrial stuff in the middle of the desert :)
We toured the construction site of the vitrification plant which was really neat. A very knowledgeable inspector led the tour and informed us of activities that were happening at the site now and what the buildings would be responsible for in the future.
The tour started at 7:30, we had to be out there at 7:10. So we had a super early morning. Thanks to all the people that helped us get kids off to school. It was a privilege to go on the tour and we couldn't of gone on it without their help.
No comments:
Post a Comment