Acting National Nuclear Security Administration chief Bruce Held will meet with Y-12 National Security Complex officials today and hold an all-hands meeting at the plant to address a material accountability incident involving uranium oxide (U-308). NNSA spokeswoman Keri Fulton confirmed that an incident involving a small amount of U-308, triuranium octoxide, a common form of yellowcake uranium, occurred at Y-12 recently, but she declined to provide details. NW&M Monitor has learned that a scientist inadvertently left a sample of the material in his clothing, which was detected by a portal monitor at some point during the process of taking the clothing to be laundered. Fulton said there was never a threat to public health or safety. “Because safety and security are our highest priorities, the NNSA and other appropriate authorities continue to investigate,” Fulton said.
ACTING NNSA CHIEF HELD HEADING TO Y-12 TODAY TO ADDRESS URANIUM INCIDENT
Groups seek NEPA review of plan to issue surplus plutonium to private companies
The South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP) is demanding the Department of Energy and its National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) conduct a public environmental review of plans to provide 19.7 metric tons of surplus weapons-grade plutonium to private nuclear companies. SCELP published the letter of demand Sept. 8 on behalf of Nuclear Watch New Mexico, […]