Pantex Blog
Lubbock High Wins High School Science Bowl
Team to represent region at National Science Bowl
After nearly 12 hours of grueling intellectual competition Saturday, a team from Lubbock (Texas) High School edged out the team from Amarillo High School to take top honors at the Pantex High School Science Bowl competition. The Lubbock High team will represent the region at the National Science Bowl in April.
More than 30 teams gathered at West Texas A&M University to test their knowledge of science and math, and to battle it out for a trip to the national competition in Washington D.C.
The Amarillo High team – made up of three sophomores and one freshman – had an excellent competition, moving into the finals without a single loss. The Lubbock High team had to beat another Lubbock team to move into the finals, then beat Amarillo twice for victory in the double elimination competition.
The Lubbock team will be joined at nationals by a team from Panhandle Junior High, which won the middle school competition two weeks ago. Pantex has sponsored the Science Bowl competition in the Amarillo area for 23 years.
Dignitaries Make Mark on Pantex Renewable Energy Project
U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry joined local dignitaries and other visitors gathered at the Pantex Plant Thursday to make their mark on an important wind project at the Plant. The visitors joined NNSA Production Office and B&W Pantex leaders, as well as representatives from project contractor Siemens Government Technologies Inc., in signing one of the massive wind turbine blades that will become part of the Pantex Renewable Energy Project (PREP). When it is complete this spring, PREP will be the largest federally owned wind farm in the U.S. and will provide more than 60 percent of the annual electricity needs for the Plant.
The ceremony provided stakeholders an opportunity to receive an update on the project, as well as get a close-up look at the wind turbines that make up the project. Each blade weights 11 tons and is more than 150 feet long. When completed, the towers will stand over 400 feet tall at the blade tips.
Elected officials visiting the Plant included Thornberry, Texas State Sen. Kel Seliger, Texas State Legislator Four Price, Amarillo Mayor Paul Harpole and Carson County Judge Lewis Powers.
B&W Pantex Makes Donation to United Way
B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery, center, presents a B&W corporate donation Friday to the United Way of Amarillo and Canyon. United Way Interim Executive Director Jeff Gulde, left, and Campaign Director Stephanie Goins were on hand to receive the gift.
The $57,250 corporate donation supplements more than $650,000 pledged by Pantex employees to United Way for 2013, making Pantex one of the largest supporters of United Way in the Texas Panhandle. Woolery recognized that Pantexans “have big hearts” and are proud to give back to their communities.
First Blade Delivered to Pantex Renewable Energy Project
The first wind turbine blade is delivered to the site of the Pantex Renewable Energy Project Thursday. Work crews are beginning to erect the first of five wind turbines that will make up the PREP project. When it is completed this spring, PREP will be the largest federally owned wind farm in the country and will provide approximately 60 percent of the average annual electricity need for the Pantex Plant.
Corps of Engineers General Visits Pantex
HEPF sets bar for project management
Lt. Gen. Tom Bostick, commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), visited Pantex this week to tour the High Explosives Pressing Facility (HEPF). Bostick toured the facility and said he came away impressed, singling out HEPF as an excellent demonstration of what can happen when federal agencies and contractors work together effectively to manage projects. USACE is managing construction in cooperation with NNSA, B&W Pantex and main construction contractor Kiewit Building Group.
Construction on HEPF is approximately 90 percent complete and is on schedule and under budget. When finished, the $65 million project will combine high explosives work from a half dozen older buildings – two dating back to World War II – into one state-of-the-art facility.