Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) maintenance personnel are refurbishing protective devices that will be used to transport chemical munitions from their secure storage to the plant.

“The Enhanced On-site Containers (EONC) support one of the most critical processes at the Blue Grass plant: transporting munitions safely from storage to the plant with no leaks or faults,” said Steve Mantooth, mechanical engineer, BGCAPP. “If an aging munition leaks due to transport, our systems must be in perfect operating condition to protect workers, the community and the environment.”

Sourced from the mission-complete Pine Bluff and Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facilities, workers will prepare more than 50 of these containers, said Mantooth. In order to use them for plant operations, each system on each EONC will be thoroughly examined and, if necessary, parts replaced or renewed.

“These devices have been sitting for several years and, just like a car that has been put up for a long time, will need some maintenance to get operating in good order again,” said Perry Rogers, deputy maintenance manager, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “We are checking out and refurbishing all seals, hydraulics and control parts, such as the electrical system that opens and closes the door. Anything in question will be replaced.”

Once the refurbishment is complete, each EONC will be systemized – go through its own rigorous testing schedule – to ensure everything works as designed, said Rogers. Each EONC will be tested prior to use during operations.

Repurposing EONCs previously used at other facilities has saved the Blue Grass plant more than $10 million compared to the cost of purchasing them new, said Mantooth.