The National Nuclear Security Administration has strengthened its infrastructure project review process, but should require more details on safety, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board said recently.
The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) staff attended three project reviews and had other interactions with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Office of Project Analysis, Oversight and Review. The review office is part of NNSA’s Office of Infrastructure.
While DNFSB found improvements in the process, it recommended requiring tracking or additional explanation regarding nuclear safety.
“NNSA project reviews have previously documented comments involving nuclear safety that did not have an associated recommendation and were not immediately addressed,” the board said in the report. “Their delayed resolution resulted in impacts to the project,” the report added, citing the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility and how nuclear safety issues related to facility worker protection caused delays.
As a result, the infrastructure review board at NNSA stated it “now plans to proactively track nuclear safety comments,” and it will start in its next two reviews this fiscal year concerning the Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12 National Security Complex and at the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility at Savannah River Site.
