Demonstrations showing the workers, facilities and systems are ready to conduct operations were completed in August, moving the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) one step closer to agent operations.

“As of August 13, all Integrated Operations Demonstrations are complete,” said Rick Holmes, project manager, PCAPP. “This is a significant milestone. By working together—and doing it safely—we have made a once seemingly monumental task a reality.”

During the demonstrations, called IOD, normal operations including the delivery, disassembly, rinsing and decontamination of munitions, treaty sampling, agent neutralization and biotreatment, were demonstrated to key government agencies using inert munitions and water to simulate actual munitions and agent. The demonstrations showed that plant, paper and people are ready to destroy mustard agent in a safe and compliant manner, said Paul Dent, Operational Readiness Review manager.

“Early reports indicate the stakeholders, who represented a number of federal and state agencies, were pleased with what they evaluated,” said Dent. “We still need official approvals, but we are optimistic we proved pilot testing can begin soon.”

Pilot testing, the final phase before full-scale operations, is scheduled to begin in early September with the delivery and receipt of agent-filled munitions, which will be gradually introduced into the plant. During the pilot test phase, data will be gathered to prove the plant operates as designed and permitted, Dent said.

“We’ve accomplished construction, system turnovers, block completion and now IODs; the plant is just about ready for operations,” Holmes said.