Technology planned for the Uranium Processing Facility continues to remain a major question mark for the project, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Friday that reveals a handful of new technology concerns. The report is part of the GAO’s continuing work on UPF and technology planned for the facility. According to the report, a new insulation material that will be used as a key safety control for special uranium casting operations has failed performance tests and has emerged as the project’s most significant technological risk. Contractor officials told the GAO that a new material is being considered as a replacement. Questions also surround the use of microwave casting technology, which the report noted hasn’t been demonstrated in a relevant environment, and a decision to reconsider a uranium purification technology—from saltless direct oxide reduction to direct electrolytic reduction and electrolytic refining—which could force a redesign of processing area and equipment and delay the installation of the technology.
GAO REPORT HIGHLIGHTS UPF TECHNOLOGY CONCERNS
The report also outlined concerns about a key machining technology as well as funding issues while noting that the NNSA had made progress since its last report in 2010 to address technology concerns. “It is encouraging that NNSA has taken some steps to manage the development of these technologies,” the report said. “However, as we have detailed in this and other reports, we are concerned that, nearly a decade after the project started, the UPF project continues to face key technology-related risks, including the potential transition risks associated with NNSA’s recent decision to consider alternatives to a new uranium purification technology.”
Y-12 completes B61-13 canned subassembly production early
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said Thursday its Y-12 National Security Complex has completed production and acceptance testing of the B61-13’s canned subassemblies, finishing the work roughly seven months ahead of schedule. The milestone fulfills a timeline NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams projected in an August interview with Exchange Monitor, when he said the remaining […]