The Department of Energy’s directives revision process is “too cumbersome” and creates confusion, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Chairman Peter Winokur said in a letter earlier this month to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. In his April 4 letter, which was made public only recently, Winokur urged Moniz to review the directives revision and updating process to “eliminate barriers to the timely correction of identified problems and to eliminate any misalignment between practice and written guidance.” Winokur noted that a revision to the DOE standard for preparing documented safety analyses was two years past former Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s commitment to revise the standard by March 31, 2012. “A cumbersome and untimely approach to document revision delays correction of identified problems,” Winokur said in the letter. “Further, delay fosters confusion when operational practice diverges from outdated written guidance.”
DNFSB WANTS TO UPDATE DOE DIRECTIVES REVIEW PROCESS
Winokur also noted that nuclear explosives safety study terms like “pre-start” and “post-start” don’t make sense for operations that have already begun, which the NNSA has tried to correct by issuing a “process deviation” directing the use of different names for ongoing operations. A second “process deviation” is in the works, he noted. “Process deviations, however, create an inconsistency between practice and the as yet unrevised DOE directives governing nuclear explosive safety. Rather than issuing process deviations, it would be more prudent to expeditiously revise the directives such that practice and written guidance are fully aligned.”
Fleischmann expects passage of 2027 E&W bill by Dec. 11, after midterms
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) told federal contractors and industry members here that he still expects the Energy and Water Development bill for fiscal 2027 to pass before Dec. 11. Fleischmann, who wrote the most recent energy and water appropriations bill, doubled down on his predicted passage of the bill Wednesday after he […]
