DNFSB RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT PANTEX FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM

The Pantex Plant’s fire protection system is drawing concerns from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. In a recent letter to the National Nuclear Security Administration, DNFSB Chairman Peter Winokur said a recent review conducted by the Board had revealed several issues, highlighted by a “lack of urgency” in fixing problems with the plant’s High Pressure Fire Loop, which is designed to provide continuous water supply to nuclear explosive operations facilities. The Board requested a report and briefing from the NNSA in 90 days. “More can be done to assess known deficiencies, place greater emphasis on timely correction of the problems, and ensure proper operability and reliability of fire protection systems at the Pantex Plant,” Winokur wrote.

 

According to the Board, it also found “less than adequate operability” of the plant’s fire suppression systems as well as “poor practices relative to inspection, testing and maintenance” of the system. The Board also said that plant officials erred during the Unreviewed Safety Question process during the fire loop replacement project and that some areas of the plant lacked automatic sprinkler protection. “Continued failures, if not addressed, could lead to non-availability of the fire protection systems during normal operations and accident conditions involving nuclear explosives and special nuclear material,” Winokur wrote. The NNSA was unable to provide a response to the DNFSB letter by press time.