National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
The NNSA is the semi-autonomous DOE agency responsible for the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, naval reactor propulsion, and nuclear nonproliferation programs. Reporting covers warhead life extension, plutonium pit production, site contracts, budget requests, and the agency’s laboratory and production plant complex.
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Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
Centrus reports uptick in profits for first quarter
Earnings rose for Centrus Energy in the first quarter of 2023, during which the uranium broker and enrichment-technology developer finished building its 16-machine high-assay low-enriched uranium enrichment cascade. The company reported $7.2 million in net income, or $0.49 a share, in the first quarter on $66.9 million in revenue, compared with a net loss of […]
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Naval Nuclear Propulsion
Naval reactor builder BWXT sees shipbuilding boom in its future, amid rising earnings
Earnings rose at BWX Technologies, Lynchburg, Va., in the first quarter, and the company sees fair winds ahead, driven by U.S. Navy and allied nuclear ship propulsion requirements. Net earnings for the first quarter ended March 31 were $61 million or $0.67 per share up from $59.1 million, or $0.64 a share, in the year-ago […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
Employees suing CNS seek to dodge judge’s ultimatum, keep paycheck lawsuit alive
Employees suing Consolidated Nuclear Security over allegedly withheld wages got new lawyers this week and want more time to answer the company’s motion to dismiss their case, court documents show. The plaintiffs want an extension to the May 9 deadline the court set to proceed with the case or have it thrown out. Consolidated Nuclear […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
Los Alamos plutonium-handling gloveboxes breached several times in March, April
At least five glove-box breaches occurred at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in late March through mid-April, though none of the incidents resulted in worker skin contamination or otherwise compromised their health, according to two reports from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. Two of the breaches at the lab’s PF-4 Plutonium Facility occurred in […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
Los Alamos plutonium-handling gloveboxes breached several times in March, April
At least five glove-box breaches occurred at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in late March through mid-April, though none of the incidents resulted in worker skin contamination or otherwise compromised their health, according to two reports from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. Two of the breaches at the lab’s PF-4 Plutonium Facility occurred in […]
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Naval Nuclear Propulsion
Accomplice in nuclear-submarine espionage case contests 22-year sentence
The wife of a former Navy civil engineer who attempted to sell nuclear-submarine secrets to a foreign nation is contesting the 22-year sentence she got for her part in the attempted espionage. Diana Toebbe was convicted of conspiracy to communicate restricted data for being an accomplice to her husband, Jonathan Toebbe, who over several months […]
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Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
Centrus reports uptick in profits for first quarter
Earnings rose for Centrus Energy in the first quarter of 2023, during which the uranium broker and enrichment-technology developer finished building its 16-machine high-assay low-enriched uranium enrichment cascade. The company reported $7.2 million in net income, or $0.49 a share, in the first quarter on $66.9 million in revenue, compared with a net loss of […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
CNS employees alleging lost pay face Tuesday deadline to get a new lawyer
Employees of Consolidated Nuclear Security could see their years-long attempt to organize a class-action suit over lost wages dismissed on a technicality by Tuesday. The employees of the manager of the Y-12 site in Oak Ridge Tenn., have until midnight Tuesday to identify their new lawyers after the attorneys who organized the suit dropped the […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
SRS K Area gets new security access booths to ease construction access
New security access facilities have arrived at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site in South Carolina as the complex prepares for increased construction activity in K Area including installation of new Surplus Plutonium Disposition project gloveboxes. A new four-lane facility, with glass panels used across the DOE complex, will replace a much smaller, single-lane […]
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Life Extension Programs
Wrap Up: W80-4 delays; warhead meets development milestone; Korean nuke deterrence pact; CNS Pantex awards school grants
Development of several non-nuclear components is holding up fielding of the warhead that will eventually ride on the Air Force’s new air-launched cruise missile, according to Jill Hruby, administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration. Speaking with the Exchange Monitor following testimony before Senate lawmakers this week, Hruby said “we have a full list in […]
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Non-Proliferation
NNSA seeking tech for global system to flush out nuclear material smuggling
The National Nuclear Security Administration, in cooperation with U.S. partner nations, plans to establish an integrated global system to detect smuggled nuclear material before it can be used in acts of terrorism. The NNSA’s Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence (NSDD) announced deployment of a Counter Nuclear Smuggling System on the federal government’s contracting […]
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Budget & Policy
In New Mexico, NNSA stems tide of employee attrition, administrator says
The flood of employees leaving National Nuclear Security Administration sites that peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic has ebbed and the workforce needed to modernize the U.S. nuclear weapons complex is short-staffed but holding, the head of the agency said Wednesday. “The overall attrition is close to normal now at both Los Alamos and Sandia and […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
EM Field Ops boss Nelson-Jean taking NNSA infrastructure post
Nicole Nelson-Jean is leaving the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management for the semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration, the cleanup office said Monday. Nelson-Jean, currently associate principal deputy assistant secretary for field operations, has been chosen as the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) associate administrator for infrastructure, said Jeff Avery, the No. 2 boss […]
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Contracts & Procurement
DOE must sign off on potential Pantex contract extensions, NNSA administrator says
WASHINGTON — The secretary of energy must approve the National Nuclear Security Administration’s plan to let one company manage the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, for up to 20 years, the head of the nuclear-weapons agency said here Wednesday. Details of the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract were published on April 28. The draft solicitation included a five-year […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Widespread leadership changes at Strategic Management Solutions
David O’Flynn is taking over as chief executive officer of Strategic Management Solutions Inc. as part of a broader leadership shuffle at the Albuquerque, N.M.-based Department of Energy subcontractor. The changes were part of a letter to employees dated May 1. The letter was shared with the Exchange Monitor. As CEO, O’Flynn, most recently president […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
NNSA failed to audit millions paid to medical isotope producer, IG says
The National Nuclear Security Administration did not audit more than $10 million paid to one of four companies manufacturing Molybdenum-99 for use in medical procedures, the Department of Energy Inspector General said last week. In an effort to spur domestic production of Molybdenum-99 the NNSA awarded four 50-50 cost-share, cooperative agreements in 2019 for $30 […]
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Budget & Policy
DOE must sign off on potential Pantex contract extensions, NNSA administrator says
WASHINGTON — The secretary of energy must approve the National Nuclear Security Administration’s plan to let one company manage the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, for up to 20 years, the head of the nuclear-weapons agency said here Wednesday. Details of the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract were published on April 28. The draft solicitation included a five-year […]
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Budget & Policy
In New Mexico, NNSA stems tide of employee attrition, administrator says
The flood of employees leaving National Nuclear Security Administration sites that peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic has ebbed and the workforce needed to modernize the U.S. nuclear weapons complex is short-staffed but holding, the head of the agency said Wednesday. “The overall attrition is close to normal now at both Los Alamos and Sandia and […]
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Budget & Policy
NNSA seeking tech for global system to flush out nuclear material smuggling
The National Nuclear Security Administration, in cooperation with U.S. partner nations, plans to establish an integrated global system to detect smuggled nuclear material before it can be used in acts of terrorism. The NNSA’s Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence (NSDD) announced deployment of a Counter Nuclear Smuggling System on the federal government’s contracting […]
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Budget & Policy
DOE, NNSA officials to testify before Senate appropriators on Wednesday
Senior Department of Energy officials will defend their fiscal year 2024 budget requests before Senate appropriators on Wednesday. Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk will be joined by National Nuclear Security Administration head Jill Hruby to testify before the Senate Appropriations energy and water development subcommittee. The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. in Dirksen […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
EM Field Ops boss Nelson-Jean taking NNSA infrastructure post
Nicole Nelson-Jean is leaving the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management for the semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration, the cleanup office said Monday. Nelson-Jean, currently associate principal deputy assistant secretary for field operations, has been chosen as the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) associate administrator for infrastructure, said Jeff Avery, the No. 2 boss […]
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Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
NNSA failed to audit millions paid to medical isotope producer, IG says
The National Nuclear Security Administration did not audit more than $10 million paid to one of four companies manufacturing Molybdenum-99 for use in medical procedures, the Department of Energy Inspector General said last week. In an effort to spur domestic production of Molybdenum-99 the NNSA awarded four 50-50 cost-share, cooperative agreements in 2019 for $30 […]
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Life Extension Programs
Delivery dates for next round of nukes get hazier in latest annual NNSA progress report
The National Nuclear Security Administration’s latest Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan, released Monday, fuzzed up delivery dates for distant, future nuclear weapons that, as recently as a year ago, had at least placeholder dates. Specially, three weapons, ground-, sea- and air-based warheads, now have “To Be Determined” first-production-unit delivery dates instead of the mid- to […]
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Defense & Military
NNSA scrutinizing problem components behind W80-4 warhead delay
Problems with components are mostly responsible for the two-year delay to the warhead for the next nuclear-tipped air-launched cruise missile, the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration told lawmakers Wednesday. There are “few components that are pacing the schedule” for the W80-4, Jill Hruby, administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) told the […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
NNSA government affairs man jumps to industry
The director of government affairs and community engagement at the National Nuclear Security Administration left the agency this month for a career in industry, according to his LinkedIn profile. Harris Walker now lists himself as director of government affairs and a “lithium policy change agent” for Livent Corp., Philadelphia. That ended a Department of Energy […]
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Contracts & Procurement
Next Pantex prime could be on the job for 20 years, according to draft NNSA solicitation
The National Nuclear Security Administration on Thursday released its draft solicitation for bids on a potentially 20-year standalone contract to manage the Pantex Plant nuclear-weapons service hub in Amarillo, Texas. The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract will have at least a five-year base with one five-year option period and perhaps as many as two more five-year options after […]
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National Laboratories
NNSA opens public comment period on environmental review of Sandia’s future
The National Nuclear Security Administration on Friday kicked off a big environmental review of the agency’s plan for expanding the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M. over the next 15 years. Among the activities the nuclear-weapons agency plans to review are: Upgrading the lab’s capability to test nuclear weapons and components in radiation-rich environments by […]
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National Laboratories
Honeywell reports rising earnings in Q1, though commercial aviation takes the honors
Earnings rose for Honeywell in the 1st quarter of 2023, which the aerospace and defense contractor, leading trans at five Department of Energy nuclear sites attributed mostly to a growth in commercial aviation. The company generated $1.4 billion in net income in the first quarter, about $300 million better than the first quarter of 2022, […]
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Budget & Policy
NNSA scrutinizing problem components behind W80-4 warhead delay
Problems with components are mostly responsible for the two-year delay to the warhead for the next nuclear-tipped air-launched cruise missile, the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration told lawmakers Wednesday. There are “few components that are pacing the schedule” for the W80-4, Jill Hruby, administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) told the […]
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International
Manchin wants U.S. to help Saudis with nuclear power; says NNSA rebuffed kingdom
The National Nuclear Security Administration cold-shouldered Saudi Arabia recently when the Kingdom sought U.S. help establishing a civilian nuclear power industry, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said in a hearing Wednesday. “I believe it’s imperative that we have that relationship with Saudi,” Manchin told the heads of the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security […]












