Two buildings in HESE complex at Pantex achieve milestones
The Technology Development & Deployment Lab mechanical, electrical, and plumbing installed above the ceiling.
Pantex’s new High Explosives Science & Engineering (HESE) complex clocks in at 72,762 ft2 and will replace 15 World War II-era facilities.
Two of the three buildings that comprise the HESE complex recently hit construction milestones.
In January, Hensel Phelps (HP), the construction company building the HESE complex, placed the 28th of 56 walls in the High Explosives (HE) Lab. This marks the 50% milestone for placement of the concrete blast walls, with the second half projected to finish by the end of May 2024. “This is a major milestone due to the complexity of the rebar, blast frames, and the blast valves in the walls,” said Pantex employee Chris H. “The 50% milestone frees Hensel Phelps to start construction of the roof earlier than planned.”
The Technology Development & Deployment Lab (TD/DL) also met an important milestone recently when Hensel Phelps completed installation of 50% of the building’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough-in above the ceiling. Rough-in is the stage of construction in which mechanical, electrical, and plumbing are installed before ceiling or walls are installed to cover them. “Our next major milestone in the TD/DL is completion of permanent power,” said HP employee Chris W. “This will allow the project to begin equipment install and start-up and complete the building finishes.”
When this complex is finished, the HESE complex will contain more than 47 million pounds of concrete, nearly 1.3 million pounds of structural steel, and more than 2 tons of rebar—which when laid out in a line would make it all the way from Amarillo to San Francisco!
The HESE complex has an estimated completion date of March 2028 and will be conveniently located closer to HE manufacturing operations. This modernization effort supports the mission of the Nuclear Security Enterprise and the site’s designation of the National Nuclear Security Agency’s HE Center of Excellence.
HE Lab blast wall installation.