History of the Hanford Site

Nov 1942: U.S. Government selects Hanford Site for plutonium production facility as part of Manhatten Project

Mar 1943: The DuPont company begins construction of Hanford Site

Nov 1944: Hanford Site produces its first plutonium to be used in atomic bomb

Aug 1945: After devastation from atomic bombs, Japan surrenders. WWII Ends.

1947: Cold War begins. Hanford receives $350 million dollar expansion.

1956-1960: Peak production period. Hanford uses 9 plutonium production reactors to supply the majority of plutonium for the United State's 60,000 atomic weapons.

Dec 1964: President Johnson orders shutdown of Hanford plutonium production reactors.

Jan 1987: Hanford shuts down N Reactor, its final plutonium production reactor.

Jun 1988: Hanford is listed as a national priority for cleanup under United States Superfund program. Cleanup begins as part of the Tri-Party Agreement

Sep 2001: Hanford begins construction of vitrification plant to help stabilize radioactive wastes for storage.

Jan 2013 Washington State legislators release expectation that Hanford cleanup will be complete in 2052.

History of the Hanford Site