The new project manager for the Bechtel Pueblo Team at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant is focused on paving the way for Static Detonation Chambers to join the operation later this year.

“Having the infrastructure in place and ready to receive the SDCs when they arrive on site is critical to our overall mission,” said Ken Harrawood. “We also need to maintain a focus on submitting quality packages to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in order to support needed permit changes and authorizations.”

Three SDCs have been purchased to help with the destruction of 4.2-inch mortar rounds in storage at the U.S. Army’s Pueblo Chemical Depot.

“In the longer term, we will begin focusing on the efficient operation of the SDCs, as well as the transition to decontamination and demolition,” Harrawood said.

Harrawood started at the Pueblo plant in late March, succeeding Bret Griebenow who was Bechtel’s project manager since November 2017. The Bechtel Pueblo Team is the contractor hired by the government to manage the destruction of the chemical weapons stockpile in Pueblo from design through closure.

With a bachelor’s degree in nuclear technology and a certified project management professional, Harrawood has over 30 years of experience in project and program management in the nuclear industry. He has worked in nearly all aspects of nuclear facilities including design, construction, commissioning, operations, decommissioning and demolition.

Harrawood started his career in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear power program and held positions at U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration sites, as well as international projects in Canada and the United Kingdom. Just before joining PCAPP, he was general manager for Bechtel Cavendish Nuclear Solutions, a joint venture to safely decommission a 1950s-era nuclear waste storage facility in England.

With such a background, Harrawood said the best part of any project is the opportunity to learn and share.

“I’ve been blessed with the chance to work on many great projects and with some exceptional people,” Harrawood said. “In each case, I’ve learned new things that I can take with me to the next project, and I’ve been able to share experiences that enhance the current project. We should never waste the chance to learn something new.”