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But as temperatures approached 300 degrees, the heatup was halted as a problem was discovered with the power supply to the melter’s startup heaters.

Last October, the first of two melters used to actually vitrify the waste became active, with the second melter scheduled to launch this spring.

Bechtel National, the contractor building and commissioning the plant for DOE, attempted to heat up the plant’s first 300-ton melter Oct.

Then, two separate melter plants — human-made volcanoes that operate at the temperature of lava — would encase both in glass.

“When we finish heating up the first melter, that will be another significant step in commissioning the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant for future operations,” said Val McCain, project director for Bechtel National.