LANL Recommends Replacing Fire Alarm System

Los Alamos National Laboratory on June 1 submitted a recommendation to NNSA Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs Don Cook to pursue a fire alarm system replacement for the lab’s TA-55 (Phase 3) Reinvestment project, according to a recently released Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board site representative report, dated June 5. LANL considered the replacement along with upgrading the active confinement ventilation system to safety class and separating non-seismically qualified structures from the safety class fire water supply loop, the report states.

 

LANL recommended pursuing only the fire alarm system replacement because of “increased cost estimates,” completion of structural modifications, implementation of operational practices to reduce risk in recent years, and “the potential to transfer programmatic activities to future modular additions,” the report states. In its briefing to Cook, LANL noted that “repair/update of the ventilation system will be required independent of the active confinement decision,” the report states. NNSA management is expected to make an investment decision by July 5, according to the report. NNSA did not respond to Weapons Complex Morning Briefing questions about whether NNSA has made a decision.