The Savannah River Site’s K Area Complex was expected to enter deliberate operations on Monday, after facility contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions on Sept. 11 halted all nonessential nuclear and non-nuclear operations, the Energy Department’s Savannah River Field Office stated in an Oct. 9 press release. SRNS last week started deliberate operations for non-nuclear, solid waste management, and tritium operations, after 400 grams of plutonium placed in a container not marked for transport forced the company to order the nearly one-month-long suspension. Restart dates for H Canyon and HB-Line, and timelines for when SRNS organizations will exit deliberate operationshave not been established, according to the release.
“SRNS organizations will not exit Deliberate Operations until all actions of the Deliberate Operations Plan have been completed and a plan to maintain sustainability of work practices is developed,” the release states. Only SRNS’ president or executive vice president, with the approval of DOE-SR senior management, can order an end to deliberate operations and a resumption of normal activities. “Deliberate operations” constitutes a time frame in which activities require specific, intentional, and well-thought-out actions “in the identification of critical activities, and all work is expected to progress in a slow, “very deliberate manner with more attention given to the critical steps,” SRNS spokeswoman Barbara Smoak said by email last week.
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