Vol. 5, No. 26 Eleventh COVID-19 Case Confirmed at Savannah River Site
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Life Extension Programs
Nuclear Cruise Missile Might Be Early, Air Force Says
The Air Force might deploy its Long-Range Standoff Weapon cruise missile earlier than anticipated, while the new Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent intercontinental ballistic missile should be ready on time, the head of the service’s Global Strike Command said Wednesday. Raytheon will build the Long-Range Standoff missile (LRSO), while Northrop Grumman looks all but certain to win […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
NNSA Will Let DNFSB Attend Nuclear Explosive Safety Meetings on Trial Basis
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is willing to let Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) personnel attend meetings of the secretive Nuclear Explosives Safety Study Group at the Pantex Plant in Texas on a “trial” basis, according to a letter published this week. The two federal agencies have fought since 2018 over whether DNFSB […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Energy Department Still Has Unfinished Business on GAO Recommendations
While it has made progress, the Department of Energy still needs to more fully address priority recommendations to improve performance in its nuclear security and cleanup missions, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said Wednesday. In an annual update, the congressional auditor said it has 20 priority recommendations across the Energy Department, including eight recommendations new […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Bechtel VPs Taking Temporary Pay Cuts During Pandemic
Vice presidents at Department of Energy contractor Bechtel are taking pay cuts of up to 25% over 90 days during the COVID-19 crisis The one-quarter reduction applies to senior vice presidents, while principal vice presidents at the Reston, Va.-based company are receiving a 10% reduction, management told employees on April 6. The measure is a […]
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Non-Proliferation
Former NNSA Head Says New START Lapse Could Sap Congressional Support for Agency
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) might lose political support in Congress if the U.S.-Russia New START nuclear arms control treaty lapses, the immediate past head of the semiautonomous Department of Energy agency said Wednesday. About 80% of lawmakers on Capitol Hill support both nuclear arms modernization and international nuclear arms control, retired Lt. Air Force […]
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Interim Storage & Waste Disposal
SONGS Used-Fuel Offload Gets Strong Marks in NRC Inspections
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said this week it identified no safety violations during three unannounced inspections earlier this year of used fuel operations at the retired San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) in California. The findings were presented in an April 28 letter from Greg Warnick chief of the agency’s Reactor Inspection Branch, to Doug […]
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Budget & Policy
NRC Spends $713 From Nuclear Waste Fund
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March spent $713 of its remaining balance from the federal fund for disposal of the nation’s nuclear waste. As it has for more than a year, the agency spent the money on unspecified program planning and support, according to the latest Nuclear Waste Fund update to Congress. That left with […]
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Budget & Policy
Correction
An article in the April 29 issue of Weapons Complex Morning Briefing incorrectly reported the operational status of the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas. Pantex has been limited to mission-critical operations since April 16, but external communication from the plant mistakenly reported this month the facility was in a different operational posture during the COVID-19 crisis. Pantex […]