Newhouse Welcomes Secretary Wright for Visit on Energy Innovation and Hanford Mission

TRI-CITIES - This week, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) hosted U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright in the Tri-Cities for visits to Department of Energy projects including the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the Hanford Site.

"It was a pleasure showing Secretary Wright how much Central Washington contributes to reliable, affordable, American energy. After several visits to some of our most important energy projects, the Secretary has seen firsthand how our region is leading the nation in both innovation and development," said Rep Newhouse.

Newhouse added, "At Hanford, Secretary Wright witnessed how decades of hard work have resulted in the world's largest vitrification plant and reaffirmed his commitment to the success of the Hanford mission.

This Administration understands the role our national lab plays in the future of our nation's energy capabilities, that our Lower Snake River dams are the shining example of hydropower in our vast energy portfolio, and that Hanford is delivering on the government's commitment to clean up the site."

On December 4, Rep. Newhouse and Secretary Wright visited PNNL to hear from leaders and scientists on how the lab is supporting developing energy technologies and commissioned new technology to advance the mission of the Department of Energy's Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research program. The Secretary explained how our National Labs are "crown jewels" of the scientific community and that PNNL is a world-class institution.

While at PNNL, Secretary Wright discussed President Trumps' recent Executive Order launching the Genesis Mission, a new national effort to use artificial intelligence to transform how scientific research is conducted and accelerate the speed of scientific discovery. U.S. National Labs will be a key piece of the mission.

The Secretary also spoke on the importance of the four Lower Snake River dams after visiting the Ice Harbor Dam. He discussed how important our dams are in keeping rates low and ensuring grid reliability, even during high demand.

Secretary Wright leads a press conference at PNNL on December 4, 2025. (Office of Rep. Dan Newhouse)

On December 5, Rep. Newhouse and Secretary Wright visited Hanford, where the Secretary saw for the first time the Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant.

In October, Bechtel announced the plant had successfully converted the first batch of radioactive and chemical waste into glass through the vitrification process.

The plant will process and stabilize much of the 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored in underground tanks at the Hanford site. When fully operational, the plant will process an average of 5,300 gallons of tank waste per day.

As a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water responsible for funding the U.S. Department of Energy, Rep. Newhouse will work closely with Secretary Wright to support PNNL, the Hanford mission, and protect the Lower Snake River dams.

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