With the new fiscal year set to begin on Wednesday, construction will continue for the time being at the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility rather than a move to “cold standby,” the National Nuclear Security Administration said Friday. “Under the current continuing resolution, the contractor will continue construction of the MOX facility,” NNSA spokesman Derrick Robinson said in a written response. “The Department is currently reviewing execution plans for FY2015 work submitted by the MOX contractor at various funding levels and will determine the best path forward taking into account direction from Congress when the current continuing resolution expires.”
This marks the latest clarification from NNSA on the status of MOX in the new fiscal year. The Obama Administration announced its decision to place the facility in cold standby in Fiscal Year 2015 as part of its budget request released earlier this year, citing the rising costs it would take to complete construction of the project and subsequently run the facility. While the Administration requested $221 million for the project in FY’15, Congress has passed a CR that funds the government through Dec. 11 which would allow the NNSA to spend at a level of $343.5 million while it works on a spending bill to cover the remainder of the fiscal year.