Vol. 23, No. 16 
NNSA to Start Yearlong Environmental Review of Plutonium Disposal Plan
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Plutonium Pit Production
Congressionally Mandated Study Finds NNSA Pit Plan ‘Potentially Achievable’
The National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) plan to produce the fissile nuclear-weapon cores known as plutonium pits in two states is “potentially achievable,” according to a new study the agency publicized, but did not release, this week. Congress last year ordered the secretary of defense, in consultation with NNSA Administrator Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, to commission a […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
S.C. Says MOX Penalties Will Continue After Plutonium Removal
South Carolina says the U.S. Department of Energy owes another $100 million for failing to meet its commitment for disposal of plutonium from the Savannah River Site, and will owe more in 2020 even if the agency meets its federal court-mandated deadline to remove 1 metric ton of plutonium from the state by the end […]
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Transuranic Waste
Triad to Seek Bids for Pit-Waste Treatment Plant at LANL
The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) expects in October to solicit bids for design and construction of a facility to treat liquid transuranic waste generated by future production of fissile nuclear-weapon cores, called plutonium pits, according to a recent procurement note. Triad National Security, which since November has managed the New Mexico facility for the National Nuclear […]
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Contracts & Procurement
NNSA Kansas City on Track to Award Lease for Production Space in 2019, GAO Says
As the National Nuclear Security Administration ramps up spending on nuclear-weapon refurbishments, the Kansas City, Mo., plant that produces the non-nuclear components of these weapons is rushing to expand the footprint it right-sized in 2012, and preparing to lease more production space this summer. That is according to a report released last week by the Government Accountability […]
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Budget & Policy
With No Spending Caps Deal, DOE Budget Watchers Get Another Week of Uncertainty
Watchers of the Department of Energy’s defense nuclear waste and weapons budgets will endure another week of added uncertainty about those programs after Congress blew town for an extended spring break without making progress on a deal to avert automatic spending cuts that will kick in on Oct. 1. The House did make an opening […]
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Budget & Policy
House Panel to Unveil Nuke Parts of 2020 NDAA June 4
The House Armed Services panel that writes nuclear weapons law will reveal its plans for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s future plutonium-pit production complex, low-yield, submarine-launched ballistic-missile warhead and more on June 4, when it marks up part of the lower chamber’s 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. The annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sets policy […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
Honeywell 1Q Revenue Drops 15% on Spinoffs
Department of Energy contractor Honeywell on Thursday attributed a 15% drop in first-quarter revenue primarily to the spinoff of two business lines, saying organic growth was otherwise up by 8%. Company-wide sales dropped from $10.4 billion in the first quarter of 2018 to $8.9 billion in the same period of 2019. “The difference between reported […]
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Non-Proliferation
MOX Services Wants to Keep Keys to MFFF Information Vault, Court Doc Shows
The prime contractor for the canceled Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) sought and received a federal judge’s help Tuesday in ensuring that the rapidly downsizing company retains control of proprietary information at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. MOX Services has been shedding jobs since the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) in October […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
Energy Department IG Reportedly Looking at Los Alamos Communities Group
The Energy Department’s Office of Inspector General would not confirm or deny this week whether it is investigating a regional organization in New Mexico that advocates for local governments around the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The office does not comment on the existence of any “investigative matters,” the DOE IG’s Felicia Jones said by telephone […]
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Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad
Global Strike Command Leader Expects Cost of New ICBM to Increase in Short Term
The leader of Air Force Global Strike Command expects the cost of the service’s new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to increase in the short term, he said April 17. However, Gen. Timothy Ray is not concerned about the impact to the ongoing Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program, as the cost will likely then go down […]
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Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad
Air Force Awards Boeing $14 Billion Bomber Weapons Sustainment Contract
The Air Force last week awarded Boeing a $14.3 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to modernize the B-1 and B-52 bomber weapons systems through 2029, according to an April 12 announcement. The contract includes the modification, modernization, engineering, sustainment and test for the weapons systems on the B-1 Lancer and the B-52 Stratofortress. “This B-1/B-52 Flexible Acquisition and […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Bechtel Vice President Graham Retiring
Michael Graham, a principal vice president at Bechtel and general manager of its environmental, nuclear, security and environmental business line, is retiring this month. “After a distinguished, 40-year career, 23 of them with Bechtel, Michael Graham is retiring,” company spokesman Fred deSousa said by email Tuesday. “Michael has held senior environmental leadership roles at many […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
Senators File Bill to Strengthen Independence of Federal Advisory Committees
A bipartisan pair of senators last week introduced a bill to tighten ethics and transparency requirements for members of federal advisory committees: expert groups that advise federal agencies including the Department of Energy. The bill from Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) would require, among other things, that agencies creating and maintaining such committees openly nominate […]