Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

Alissa Tabirian NS&D Monitor 9/4/2015 The Department of Energy issued this week a preliminary notice of violation (PNOV) to Los Alamos National Security, the company that manages the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), for nuclear criticality safety violations at its Plutonium Facility (PF-4) at Technical Area 55 (TA-55). LANS’ violations are of “high safety significance” […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 9/4/2015 Consolidated Nuclear Security is looking for an architecture and engineering services provider for a $1 million to $5 million project to evaluate and inspect “all types” of fire-rated barriers at the Pantex Plant, according to a FedBizOpps listing posted on Tuesday evening. The work scope would include approximately 450 facilities […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 09/04/2015 The Y-12 National Security Complex stayed on budget and on schedule in a $50 million project to replace an obsolete site security system with the more modern Argus system, according to an Aug. 28 Energy Department Inspector General’s Office report released on Wednesday. Completed in 2013, Y-12’s Security Improvements Project […]

New Uranium Canning Capabilities Could Save Millions at Y-12 Staff Reports NS&D Monitor 9/4/2015 Adding new capabilities for canning weapon-grade uranium could save as much as $30 million over the next five years at the Y-12 National Security Complex, according to the government’s managing contractor for the Tennessee facility. Consolidated Nuclear Security this week released […]

NS&D Monitor 09/04/2015 IN THE NAVY Navy Cmdr. Vinny Wood, was temporarily removed from his assignment as Executive Officer of the Trident Refit Facility (TRF) at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay (Ga.) after allegedly violating a Military Protective Order issued against him on Aug. 21 over claims of an “unduly familiar relationship” with an unnamed […]

An article in the Aug. 28 edition of the Nuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor should have said that Sandia Corp. did not admit to wrongdoing in accepting a Department of Justice settlement regarding alleged lobbying of members of Congress. NS&D Monitor regrets the error.

The Y-12 National Security Complex stayed on budget and on schedule in a $50 million project to replace an obsolete, aging site security system with the more modern Argus system, according to an Aug. 28 Energy Department Inspector General Office report released yesterday. Completed in 2013, Y-12’s Security Improvements Project (SIP) also met all baseline […]

CLARIFICATION: The first headline and first story in yesterday’s Morning Briefing inaccurately stated that Pantex managing contractor Consolidated Nuclear Security is preparing an upgraded ‘contract’ for the plant’s non-unionized workforce. CNS is preparing an upgraded benefits package for non-unionized Pantex employees.

The Department of Energy issued this week a preliminary notice of violation (PNOV) to Los Alamos National Security, the company that manages the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), for nuclear criticality safety violations at its Plutonium Facility (PF-4) at Technical Area 55 (TA-55). LANS’ violations are of “high safety significance” to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the Aug. 25 […]

The Department of Energy (DOE) issued this week a preliminary notice of violation (PNOV) to National Security Technologies (NSTec), the company that manages the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), for a June 2014 incident in which a chemical explosion injured two workers at the NNSS’ Nonproliferation Test and Evaluation Complex (NPTEC). “The drum explosion and […]

On the fourth day of a strike involving roughly one-third of the general workforce at the Pantex Plant, leadership of plant management contractor Consolidated Nuclear Security told non-unionized employees that they are preparing to distribute an "upgraded" contract package to them, in a message distributed yesterday by CNS President and CEO Jim Haynes and COO […]

As approximately one-third of the Pantex Plant’s general workforce continued their third day of striking yesterday, work at the plant moved ahead in an apparently limited, but “safe and stable” fashion, according to a statement provided to Weapons Complex Morning Briefing yesterday by site contractor Consolidated Nuclear Security. “Work continues to ensure that the safety […]

Building 9107, an office building at the Y-12 National Security Complex, was demolished in July as part of the site infrastructure and services subproject for the new Uranium Processing Facility, the National Nuclear Security Administration confirmed yesterday. Agency spokeswoman Shelley Laver told Weapons Complex Morning Briefing by email yesterday that the demolition was part of […]

With contract negotiations between Consolidated Nuclear Security and the Metal Trades Council (MTC) stalled, at least 1,100 of about 3,000 total workers at the Pantex Plant will almost certainly not report to work today after going on strike at midnight Saturday, according to officials. MTC President Clarence Rashada told Weapons Complex Morning Briefing yesterday he thinks it […]

Chris Schneidmiller WC Monitor 8/28/2015 The Savannah River Site (SRS) this month ended an extended “safety pause” in operations of a chemical processing system that produces feedstock for the planned Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility. The suspension of operations began early this year following a Jan. 7 power outage at the facility. While that incident […]

Congress was out and Washington was empty, but that didn’t stop news from breaking during our annual publication break. As chronicled in the Weapons Complex Morning Briefing, here are a few stories that we’ve been following. Red Team: MOX Plant Has Greater Cost Risk than Downblending The Red Team ordered in June by Energy Secretary […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 8/28/15 The Energy Department and Bechtel National Inc. (BNI), the contractor for the Y-12 National Security Complex’s Uranium Processing Facility (UPF), late Monday afternoon released an expression of interest (EOI) for development of a 120,000-square-foot Multipurpose Fabrication Facility and a 150,000-square-foot optional adjacent warehouse facility, which would both be part of […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 8/28/15 Consolidated Nuclear Security has resumed one weapon dismantlement program at the Pantex Plant after pausing the operation last month following an incident in which a production technician lost her footing on a slippery spot on the floor of a nuclear explosive cell and “went down to one knee and one […]

Staff Reports NS&D Monitor 8/28/15 Pantex Workers Vote to Strike Union workers at the Pantex nuclear warhead assembly/disassembly plant in Texas voted late Thursday to strike. If the walkout is authorized by the Metal Trades Department in Washington, about 1,200 workers will go on strike at midnight Friday – when their current agreement expires. Clarence […]

Staff Reports NS&D Monitor 8/28/15   DOE Takes Key Step Toward Y-12 Mercury Treatment Plant The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management has received headquarters approval for Critical Decision-1, establishing the preliminary baseline for a new mercury treatment facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex. “I’m very pleased with the progress that […]

NS&D Monitor 8/28/2015 IN INDUSTRY Longenecker & Associates announced yesterday the addition of Laurie Judd as director of technology and international programs. Judd previously served as vice president of government programs for NuVision Engineering and as manager of aerospace and defense technologies for UKAEA/AEA Technology, Culham. According Longenecker President John Longenecker, the company was impressed […]

The Savannah River Site (SRS) this month ended an extended “safety pause” in operations of a system that produces feedstock for the planned Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility. The suspension of operations began early this year following a Jan. 7 power outage at the facility. While operations resumed the next day, workers at the Department […]

The Energy Department and Bechtel National Inc. (BNI), the contractor for the Y-12 site’s Uranium Processing Facility (UPF), late Monday afternoon released an expression of interest (EOI) for development of a Multipurpose Fabrication Facility and a 150,000-square-foot optional adjacent warehouse facility, which would both be part of UPF, according to an announcement on FedBizOpps. DOE […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has called on its Los Alamos Field Office to create a working group that will solicit proposals for a “state-of-the-art seismic performance analysis” of the Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL) Plutonium Facility (PF-4), according to an Aug. 18 letter sent to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). The NNSA’s July 22 […]

Y-12/Pantex contractor Consolidated Nuclear Security has named Ken Guess the director of Nuclear Safety Oversight, according to an Aug. 20 CNS press release. Guess’ most recent position was serving as power ascension test director in the operational readiness department at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Watts Bar Nuclear Unit 2, and he served 25 years as […]

Consolidated Nuclear Security paused dismantlement work on “one weapon program” last month at Pantex after a production technician lost her footing on a slippery spot on the floor of a nuclear explosive cell and “went down to one knee and one hand,” states a Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board site representative report released Friday. It […]

Savannah River Site expects to save $606,000 per year through revising preventive maintenance work schedules within its Savannah River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE), a project the lab started in January 2015, according to SRS officials. The point of the revised schedules is to align with “actual requirements and needs,” according to an SRS press release. The […]

The Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site (SRS) on Monday was responding to a possible security threat after electronic and canine scans of a vendor delivery truck indicated a possibility of explosive residue on the truck. Law enforcement agencies from South Carolina and Georgia found no explosive residue or device on the truck after an […]

A federal lawsuit filed last week against Consolidated Nuclear Security, the government’s managing contractor at the Y-12 National Security Complex, claims the contractor violated “written and verbal” commitments made to retirees when it made significant changes that reduced their healthcare benefits. The complaint, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Knoxville, states, “The plaintiffs […]