Weapons Complex Vol. 26 No. 35 Hanford Workers Face Continued Contamination Problems in Cleanup
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Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
DOE Cuts American Centrifuge Project Funding
Jeremy L. Dillon WC Monitor 9/18/2015 The Department of Energy will no longer provide funding for Centrus’ American Centrifuge project operations at its Piketon, Ohio facility, the company confirmed late last week. The announcement also noted a one-year extension funding for the American Centrifuge project’s research and development contract with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Concerns Raised on Hanford Solid Waste Milestone Changes
Staff Reports WC Monitor 9/18/2015 The Department of Energy and state of Washington’s proposed new Tri-Party Agreement milestones for cleanup of solid waste at the Hanford Site may not be realistic, say critics of the proposal. The state of Oregon has sent a letter to DOE and Washington saying deferring much of the work to […]
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Innovation & Infrastructure
DOE Focused on Tech Development to Boost EM Projects: Regalbuto
Staff Reports WC Monitor 9/18/2015 A renewed emphasis is being placed on technology development for Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management projects, Monica Regalbuto said during her first visit to Hanford after being confirmed as the new assistant DOE secretary for environmental management. The projects have reaped benefits from significant past investments in technology […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Savannah River Site Manager Halts Nonessential Operations
Chris Schneidmiller WC Monitor 9/18/2015 The contract operator of the Savannah River Site (SRS) has instituted a company-wide suspension of nonessential nuclear and non-nuclear operations following a breach of safety protocols in management of plutonium used in the facility’s HB Line. The HB Line is a unique chemical processing system that works with plutonium in […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
New LANL Field Office Progressing Toward Assuming Cleanup Oversight
Chris Schneidmiller WC Monitor 9/18/2015 The Department of Energy’s Environmental Management Field Office at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is staffing up and taking other steps to ultimately assume full oversight of legacy waste cleanup operations at the New Mexico Facility, a senior DOE official said last week. The EM office was established last […]
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Transuranic Waste
LANL Preparing Safety Basis Changes to Resume TRU Waste Operations
Alissa Tabirian WC Monitor 9/18/2015 The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is taking steps to address materials-at-risk (MAR) concerns to resume transuranic (TRU) waste receipts at its Area G nuclear waste disposal site, according to a Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) site representative report released last week. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management officials […]
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Interim Storage & Waste Disposal
NWTRB Plans Borehole Disposal Workshop
Jeremy L. Dillon WC Monitor 9/18/2015 The Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board announced this week that it will more closely examine the technical and scientific issues associated with the Department of Energy’s planned use of deep boreholes to dispose of some radioactive wastes. The NWTRB will hold a workshop on Oct. 20 and 21 that […]
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Non-Proliferation
Swiss Spent HEU Fuel Arrives in U.S.
Chris Schneidmiller WC Monitor 9/18/2015 Switzerland has sent 2.2 kilograms of weapon-grade uranium reactor fuel to the United States for storage, the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration said on Wednesday. The shipment makes Switzerland the 27th country, plus Taiwan, to divest itself of all highly enriched uranium, according to an NNSA press release. […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
At Paducah
WC Monitor 9/18/2015 DOE Extends Paducah Site Support Services Contract The Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) on Tuesday announced a 2.5-month extension of Swift & Staley’s (SSI) contract for infrastructure support services at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky. The contract had previously been due to lapse on Sept. 15. "Today’s contract […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
At Hanford
WC Monitor 9/18/2015 WRPS President Announces Retirement Dave Olson, the president of Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), announced his retirement Thursday and will be replaced by the Hanford Site contractor’s chief operating officer. Mark Lindholm will take over leadership Oct. 1, after having worked at WRPS, Hanford’s tank farm contractor, since January. As chief operating […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Wrap Up
WC Monitor 9/18/2015 IN THE INDUSTRY The Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management has scheduled its next business opportunity forum for 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Oct. 1., at the Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Ave. SW in Washington, D.C. “Topics will include a discussion on status of ongoing and upcoming procurement opportunities” with the […]