WIPP Successfully Completes Annual Maintenance Outage

CARLSBAD, NM, March 17, 2026, ─ The Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management’s (EM) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is once again accepting shipments and processing transuranic (TRU) waste following a successful annual maintenance outage that keeps the facility’s vital national mission going.

The maintenance outage, at the nation's only deep geologic repository for nuclear waste, spanned from January 5 to March 13, with 145 critical work activities completed, including 112 preventive maintenance items and 31 corrective actions. Personnel from six departments, including mine operations, waste handling, hoisting, work control, safety and engineering were part of making the outage a success.

Preventive maintenance at WIPP is done on a schedule that can range from daily to annually. Quarterly efforts generally take about a week to complete. Once a year, a multi-week outage is scheduled to handle projects needing the greatest effort that cannot be performed while normal waste operations are ongoing.

“The completion of this year’s maintenance outage reflects the dedication and professionalism of the workforce at WIPP. These planned outages allow us to focus on detailed inspections and maintenance activities that protect our employees, maintain our infrastructure, and ensure we continue operating safely and efficiently," said Mark Bollinger, manager of the EM Carlsbad Field Office.

No waste shipments from DOE’s nationwide generator sites are made to WIPP during the maintenance period. Salado Isolation Mining Contractors (SIMCO), WIPP’s management and operations contractor, led the maintenance team.

In one of the largest projects in this year's outage, crews replaced the core of the waste hoist motor, located five stories high inside the waste hoist tower. The motor controls six head ropes, three tail ropes and a 53-ton counterweight, all integral to moving waste, material and personnel 2,150 feet into and out of the WIPP underground. The hoist can carry up to 75 personnel and 45 tons of waste or equipment. Installed in the early 1980s, the hoist’s motor was recently disassembled, lowered by crane five stories to the ground level. Crews then lifted and secured a new motor core at the top of the hoist. The motor and its replacement were purchased at the same time, approximately 45 years ago, allowing the replacement motor to remain in storage at the WIPP site until it was needed.