The scale of cooling towers can be difficult to appreciate until one stands in their shadow. Towering over the treetops, the cooling towers of the Washington Nuclear Projects 3 and 5, known as WNP-3 and WNP-5, have never fulfilled their original purpose. Located in Satsop Business Park, approximately an hour and a half from Seattle, the abandoned nuclear power plant has now been transformed into a facility for advanced acoustics testing.
During a visit on a rainy March day, I met with Ron Sauro, the owner and operator of NWAA Labs. His laboratory accommodates soundproofing materials and products ranging from washing machines to airplane crew cabins, all put through rigorous acoustic testing. Upon arrival, I passed a sign that warns entrants of the risks, before stepping into the auxiliary building that was originally intended to house WNP-3’s nuclear reactor.
The Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS) branded its initiative with an unfortunate acronym that some might interpret as “whoops!” Construction for WNP-3 and WNP-5 began in 1977, but escalating costs and the incident at Three Mile Island in 1979 dampened public interest in nuclear projects. By 1982, construction on both plants was halted, despite WNP-3 nearing completion.
Attempts to find a buyer in the 1990s proved fruitless, leading the land and buildings to be handed over to the Port of Grays Harbor, which now operates the site as Satsop Business Park. The park has hosted various ventures, including film shoots, an Overstock.com call center (which has since closed), and even recalled VW vehicles returned to dealers due to an emissions scandal.
The business space appears largely underutilized, suggesting the Port’s aspirations for the industrial park have not fully materialized. Many remain uncertain about how to integrate a former nuclear facility into a modern business environment, but Ron Sauro stands out from the crowd.
Together with his wife, Bonnie, Sauro established NWAA Labs in 2010. They managed to convince the facility’s owners of their vision, promising to create an acoustics lab within five months, and they have continued operations for over 15 years. Today, the lab is a unique asset in the field of acoustics testing.
Conducting sound measurements requires a meticulously controlled environment. Organizations like the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) impose strict criteria for acoustic tests, detailing the room’s characteristics, acceptable background noise levels, and the testing equipment. Acoustic labs must comply with these protocols to ensure consistent results across different facilities. If NWAA Labs evaluates a soundproof material, comparable testing elsewhere should yield similar outcomes, aiding clients in product development and compliance with noise regulations.
As I enter the reactor’s auxiliary building, Sauro highlights the massive exterior walls, which are five feet thick and constructed from reinforced concrete. We navigate a path around the dormant reactor housing, its dark, cave-like opening secured with a padlock. A sudden rustling near the entrance catches my attention, and I observe a large bird concealing itself above the door. Sauro recounts a tragic story of a tourist who lost their life after plunging 500 feet down an unfinished elevator shaft, prompting me to tread carefully between the designated yellow lines until we reach the completed elevator.
Sauro, a former NASA scientist, sought a new location for his acoustics lab after moving from California. Initially considering constructing a facility within a quarry, they pivoted towards the nuclear site’s reactor building once they learned of its numerous potentials. “If you can’t find a mountain, you make a mountain,” he remarked, referring to the creation of his lab within WNP-3.
The process of acoustics testing blends rigorous science with a touch of artistry. Sauro explains the essential principle: “You have to be better than the thing you’re testing.” Thus, a sound-controlled environment is vital to accurately gauge sound levels without external interruptions. The location’s isolation minimizes outside noise interference and the building’s structural integrity enhances its sound-controlling capabilities.
The thick walls also ensure stable temperatures and humidity, conditions which are crucial during sound studies. Inside the reactor building, temperatures consistently hover around 54 degrees, a benefit Sauro notes would have cost millions to replicate elsewhere.
Taking me to the former control room, Sauro shows how they have transformed adjoining spaces into reverberation chambers with a connecting opening that allows for soundproofing and transmission tests. Sounds generated in the source room are measured in the adjoining receive room, designed to isolate noise for accurate evaluations. The receive chamber is notably quiet, with a ceiling suspended on springs, making even the sound of breathing a significant change in levels.
Sauro shares a cautionary tale of a member of a tour group who tragically fell 500 feet down an unfinished elevator shaft and did not survive.
Utilizing their reverberation rooms and a separate booth next to their office, the lab assesses a variety of products from flooring materials to noise-canceling headphones specifically designed for outdoor enthusiasts. This capacity allows clients to assess noise levels and compliance with regulations designed to protect the hearing of workers exposed to machinery and equipment.
During my visit, a test panel was positioned between the reverberation chambers, featuring a wall meant for a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) designed to block sound and electromagnetic frequencies, utilized for secure government discussions.
Even with its many advantages, WNP-3 presented challenges. The reverberation rooms originally lacked interconnecting passageways; Sauro arranged for a professional team to cut the necessary openings, costing significantly more than expected due to the extensive reinforcing bars throughout the concrete.
In the adjacent turbine building, Sauro has constructed a free field speaker testing rig. This expansive structure, spanning over 600 feet and equipped with heavy-duty cranes, was initially designed to house turbines powered by reactor-generated steam. During my visit, the section was damp due to roof leaks, exacerbated by recent weather.
The unique free field testing rig resembles a piece of avant-garde art, featuring an arm curving over a pedestal, covered in white insulation and topped with 19 microphones arranged like spikes. The rig allows for detailed spatial analysis of speaker performance, yielding data beneficial for manufacturers.
The building previously hosted a diesel tank manufacturing tenant that operated around the clock, forcing Sauro to conduct tests in the early hours of the morning to avoid noise interference. Currently, with that tenant gone, the tranquility allows for unimpeded acoustic testing. However, Sauro expressed skepticism about whether another manufacturing operation would take up residence in such a challenging environment.
He noted the roof’s deterioration, which would require a costly repair, and views the need to adapt to the existing facilities as essential. Sound-absorbing foam spikes, positioned on wheeled carts, give him flexibility in managing the conducting tests despite puddles that form due to leaks.
For Sauro, the site became a metaphorical mountain — a steadfast structure that simply must be navigated. Tearing down a nuclear-grade facility is not a feasible option, and he believes that buildings like the reactor housing may endure for centuries. “This building is gonna be around a thousand years from now,” he asserts, pointing to its formidable design.
Back in their office, Sauro and his wife reflected on the labor-intensive journey that brought them to this point. They recounted how they had to salvage scrap rebar to fulfill their construction needs during tough financial periods.
This hands-on approach exemplifies Sauro’s scientific mindset. He often finds himself employing diverse skills beyond acoustics, from carpentry to plumbing, in the face of challenges. “I’m a carpenter, a plumber, a welder, I can fix a car,” he notes. “Anything that needs to be done, I can do. Because I have to.”
As I exit, I take one last glance at the imposing reactor structure. The bird I had spotted earlier is nowhere to be seen, but evidence of local wildlife remains, with signs suggesting rodent habitation. In a structure with so much unoccupied space, it is unsurprising that nature seeks refuge amid the remnants of human ambition. Ultimately, as mankind learns to coexist with these enduring structures, wildlife adapts to share the space as well.
Photography by Allison Johnson / Technology News
