National Laboratories
Coverage of DOE’s 17 national laboratories and their science, energy, and national security missions — from basic research to applied programs, including their expanding role in AI-driven initiatives.
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National Laboratories
New weapons executive officer at Los Alamos
Los Alamos National Laboratory appointed Evelyn Mullen executive officer for weapons, the New Mexico nuclear-weapons design laboratory announced Monday. In her new role, Mullen will be an “executive leader in the organization, with a focus on both tactical and strategic operational needs,” according to Los Alamos’ press release. She will report to Robert Webster, the lab’s […]
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National Laboratories
NNSA makes early call to lock in Honeywell subsidiary to manage Sandia for five more years
Honeywell’s wholly owned subsidiary National Engineering and Technology Solutions of Sandia will be the prime contractor for the Sandia National Laboratories for another five years, the National Nuclear Security Administration announced this week. The semi-autonomous Department of Energy nuclear weapons agency said in a press release that it exercised five options on National Engineering and […]
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National Laboratories
New weapons executive officer at Los Alamos
Los Alamos National Laboratory appointed Evelyn Mullen executive officer for weapons, the New Mexico nuclear-weapons design laboratory announced Monday. In her new role, Mullen will be an “executive leader in the organization, with a focus on both tactical and strategic operational needs,” according to Los Alamos’ press release. She will report to Robert Webster, the […]
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National Laboratories
NNSA locks in Sandia management and operations contractor for five more years
Honeywell’s wholly owned subsidiary National Engineering and Technology Solutions of Sandia will be the prime contractor for the Sandia National Laboratories for another five years, the National Nuclear Security Administration announced Monday. The semi-autonomous Department of Energy nuclear weapons agency said in a press release that it exercised five options on National Engineering and Technology […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
NM Gov. blasts DOE over lack of engagement on surplus plutonium disposition program
New Mexico’s governor blasted the Secretary of Energy this month for failing to provide “meaningful and transparent public engagement” about the agency’s plans to ship immobilized, surplus plutonium to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant from South Carolina. “Because the issues raised in the petition can only be addressed by DOE, I am passing this petition […]
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Transuranic Waste
Scientist says Sandia fired him in retaliation for questioning WIPP data
A scientist who claims his questioning of key safety data related to underground disposal of transuranic waste in New Mexico cost him a permanent job with a Sandia National Laboratories contractor will have his case heard by a federal magistrate. Plaintiff Charles Oakes agreed in an April 7 filing in U.S. District Court in New […]
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Transuranic Waste
Scientist says Sandia fired him in retaliation for questioning WIPP data
A scientist who claims his questioning of key safety data related to underground disposal of transuranic waste in New Mexico cost him a permanent job with a Sandia National Laboratories contractor will have his case heard by a federal magistrate. Plaintiff Charles Oakes agreed in an April 7 filing in U.S. District Court in New […]
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National Laboratories
Oak Ridge National Lab case placed on hold given settlement talks
A lawsuit against the Department of Energy’s prime contractor at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory over a COVID-19 vaccination mandate is on hold pending settlement talks, a federal judge in Tennessee said Monday. U.S. District Judge Charles Atchley Jr. stayed all further proceedings in the case, brought by a half-dozen vaccine holdouts against contractor UT-Battelle, […]
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National Laboratories
EM extends bid deadline for small-biz technical assistance contract one week
The Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management is extending the proposal deadline for a potential $120 million small business Technical Assistance Contract solicitation until April 25, the agency said this week. The prior deadline, from a request for proposals (RFP) issued last month, was April 18. But that conflicts with Easter, said one unidentified […]
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National Laboratories
Wrap Up: COVID cases still low at EM; More time granted in New Mexico talks
Cases of COVID-19 within the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management remained low during the past week, with 27 active confirmed cases of the virus reported, a spokesperson said in a Thursday email. That is up six from the prior week total of 21 but far below the hundreds being recorded weekly during the […]
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National Laboratories
Livermore, DOE EM attack demolition of old contaminated facilities
Thanks to more than a quarter-billion dollars of congressional funds since 2018, the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is tearing down some of the most contaminated facilities in the weapons complex and “making bad things go away,” a manager at the California nuclear-weapons design lab said recently. Much progress has happened since the […]
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National Laboratories
Livermore, EM attack demolition of old contaminated facilities
Thanks to more than a quarter-billion dollars of congressional funds since 2018, the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is tearing down some of the most contaminated facilities in the weapons complex and “making bad things go away,” a manager at the California nuclear-weapons design lab said recently. Much progress has happened since the […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
Los Alamos Study Group sues NNSA over plutonium pits FOIA requests
The New Mexico-based Los Alamos Study Group filed suit this week against the National Nuclear Security Administration in Washington, D.C., claiming the semi-autonomous Department of Energy agency is violating the Freedom of Information Act when it comes to plans for expanded plutonium pit production. The Albuquerque-based Los Alamos Study Group has made 65 requests under the […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
Los Alamos Study Group sues NNSA over plutonium pits FOIA requests
The New Mexico-based Los Alamos Study Group filed suit Wednesday against the National Nuclear Security Administration in Washington, D.C., claiming the semi-autonomous Department of Energy agency is violating the Freedom of Information Act when it comes to plans for expanded plutonium pit production. The Albuquerque-based Los Alamos Study Group has made 65 requests under the […]
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National Laboratories
EM extends bid deadline for small-biz technical assistance contract one week
The Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management is extending the proposal deadline for a potential $120 million small business Technical Assistance Contract solicitation until April 25, the agency said this week. The prior deadline, from a request for proposals (RFP) issued last month, was April 18. But that conflicts with Easter, said one unidentified […]
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Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad
Joint chiefs chairman boosts SLCM-N again in House Armed Services hearing
The top-ranked U.S. general again touted his support for the low-yield, nuclear-tipped sea-launched cruise missile the Joe Biden administration wants to cancel, this time at the invitation of House Republicans during Tuesday’s Armed Services Committee hearing. Gen. Mark Milley’s position on the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile, SLCM-N, “has not changed,” the chairman of the Joint […]
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National Laboratories
Cleanup spending at Los Alamos increases in DOE fiscal 2023 request
The Joe Biden administration is requesting nuclear legacy cleanup spending of $332 in fiscal 2023 for the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, a big jump from the $275 million in the final appropriation for fiscal 2022, passed only a few weeks ago. The $275 million in the current fiscal year […]
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National Laboratories
Federal court approves NukeWatch settlement with DOE over 2016 consent order
The U.S. District Court for New Mexico has approved the proposed settlement filed earlier this month between the Department of Energy and Nuclear Watch New Mexico, or NukeWatch, over a 2016 federal-state consent decree covering legacy cleanup at the Los Alamos National Laboratory complex. In a Wednesday press release, NukeWatch said the deal approved by […]
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National Laboratories
Raises for some at Los Alamos
Many full-timers working directly for the Los Alamos National Laboratory Laboratory received a modest raise earlier this month as part of broad retention efforts by the National Nuclear Security Administration, according to a letter from the lab’s director. “We are pleased that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has granted this increase,” Thomas Mason, director […]
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National Laboratories
Raises for some at Los Alamos
Many full-timers working directly for the Los Alamos National Laboratory Laboratory received a modest raise earlier this month as part of broad retention efforts by the National Nuclear Security Administration, according to a letter from the lab’s director. “We are pleased that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has granted this increase,” Thomas Mason, director […]
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Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
Oklo, Deep Isolation, DOE labs partner to advance microreactor concept
A public-private joint venture to use spent nuclear fuel to power micro reactors received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency — Energy, the agency announced recently. The venture consists of Oklo Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., Deep Isolation of Berkeley, Calif., and the national laboratories at Argonne […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
Fed review of RLUOB recategorization in May
Los Alamos National Laboratory appeared more or less on track to recategorize one part of its planned plutonium complex as a hazard category three facility, allowing for increased storage of the fissile material there, according to a recent report by the government’s independent nuclear watchdog. In February, Los Alamos prime Triad National Security wrapped up […]
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National Laboratories
Savannah River lab prime eyes minority institutions for EM research
The prime contractor for the Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina is inviting inquiries from “minority serving institutions” interested in helping carry out research for the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management. Battelle Savannah River Alliance said in a March 11 notice on the federal procurement website (sam.gov) expressions of interest for such […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
Fed review of RLUOB recategorization in May
Los Alamos National Laboratory appeared more or less on track to recategorize one part of its planned plutonium complex as a hazard category three facility, allowing for increased storage of the fissile material there, according to a recent report by the government’s independent nuclear watchdog. In February, Los Alamos prime Triad National Security wrapped up […]
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Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
Oklo, Deep Isolation, DOE labs partner to advance microreactor concept
A public-private joint venture to use spent nuclear fuel to power micro reactors received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency — Energy, the agency announced recently. The venture consists of Oklo Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., Deep Isolation of Berkeley, Calif., and the national laboratories at Argonne […]
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National Laboratories
Los Alamos considers hosting solar power project
The Department of Energy and its semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration are window shopping at this stage for a ground-mounted solar-electric system at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) posted a request for information Thursday on the SAM.gov federal procurement website for help “in determining the optimal […]
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National Laboratories
Los Alamos considers hosting solar power project
The Department of Energy and its semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration are window shopping at this stage for a ground-mounted solar-electric system at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) posted a request for information Thursday on the SAM.gov federal procurement website for help “in determining the optimal […]
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Stockpile Stewardship
Livermore’s Nimble Series of Subcritical Experiments on Deck at NNSS
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s Nimble series of subcritical experiments, the next in line at the test site after Los Alamos’ Nightshade Series, was scheduled to run at least through Sept. 30, a lab official said last week. “We’re targeting Nimble to be done by the end of FY22 or the beginning of FY23,” Bradley […]
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Stockpile Stewardship
Livermore’s Nimble Series of Subcritical Experiments on Deck at NNSS
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s Nimble series of subcritical experiments, the next in line at the test site after Los Alamos’ Nightshade Series, was scheduled to run at least through Sept. 30, a lab official said last week. “We’re targeting Nimble to be done by the end of FY22 or the beginning of FY23,” Bradley […]
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National Laboratories
COVID Caused Post-Vaccine Attrition at Sandia Procurement Shop; Materials Shortages Stretch Construction Schedules
ALEXANDRIA, VA. — COVID related supply chain disruptions and pandemic-driven changes in workforce behavior has stressed an already lean procurement staff at the Sandia National Laboratories, which like the rest of the civilian nuclear weapons complex is managing much more spending as National Nuclear Security Administration weapons modernization programs ramp up, a labs procurement official […]







