National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) pressed David Beck, deputy administrator for defense programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), on whether the agency’s fiscal 2027 budget reflects a shifting strategy on plutonium pit production. During a Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development hearing last week, the ranking member of both the subcommittee and full committee […]

The Y-12 National Security Complex said in a press release it exceeded its fiscal 2026 lithium metal production goal by a wide margin, achieving 177% of its target. The enriched lithium — used in nuclear weapons applications rather than commercial batteries — will be used in nuclear weapons components in the nation’s stockpile, managed by […]

National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator Brandon Williams said the agency plans to hire about 100 federal employees as it works to rebuild its workforce following prior staffing losses, telling lawmakers the effort will focus on targeted, high-quality hires. “We are looking to hire about 100 new personnel…across our enterprise,” Williams said during a Senate […]

National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator Brandon Williams said the agency plans to hire about 100 federal employees as it works to rebuild its workforce following prior staffing losses, telling lawmakers the effort will focus on targeted, high-quality hires. “We are looking to hire about 100 new personnel…across our enterprise,” Williams said during a Senate […]

The Y-12 National Security Complex said in a press release it exceeded its fiscal 2026 lithium metal production goal by a wide margin, achieving 177% of its target. The enriched lithium — used in nuclear weapons applications rather than commercial batteries — will be used in nuclear weapons components in the nation’s stockpile, managed by […]

The Pentagon is looking at competition in the software and support construction realms for the Northrop Grumman future LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a top official said last week. The Air Force has been restructuring the program since July 2024 and expects Pentagon acquisition chief Michael Duffey to re-certify Sentinel for engineering and manufacturing […]

The Senate Appropriations Energy and Water subcommittee will hear testimony from three of the top officials at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) on the agency’s fiscal 2027 budget request Wednesday, April 29. The three witnesses are Brandon Williams, administrator of NNSA; Matthew Napoli, deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation at NNSA; and David Beck, […]

Oklo, NVIDIA and the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) have entered into agreement on Thursday to explore artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled research and nuclear research and development at LANL. According to Oklo’s press release, the collaboration will use Oklo’s sodium fast-reactor design, NVIDIA AI infrastructure and LANL’s technical expertise in materials science and […]

A group of environmentalists, fresh off touring the Savannah River Site as part of an environmental review, told a press briefing that “the most expensive building ever in U.S. history” is the path to an arms race. The environmental review is a result of a court case settlement between these environmental groups and the federal […]

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee, said she has “faith” the models used at the national labs are good, but it’s “always good to be ready” to test weapons regardless. “I think we should listen to the scientists,” Fischer said in a panel with the Center for Strategic […]

David Beck, deputy administrator for defense programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), told Congress this week he would give them a plan for spending fiscal 2026 reconciliation funds “within the next 30 days.” Beck was responding to a question by Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) while testifying in front of the Senate Armed Services […]

In a letter to Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, lawmakers wrote this week that Congress is investigating “recent unconfirmed public reporting on the disappearance and death of individuals with access to sensitive U.S. scientific information.” As of April 17, 10 scientists were recently reported either dead or missing. All 10 were involved in researching and […]

Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) April 15 pressed Energy Secretary Chris Wright over funding instability affecting key projects at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), warning that continued uncertainty could delay work central to the nation’s nuclear stockpile stewardship mission. Lee, speaking at the House Appropriations Energy and Water subcommittee’s hearing on the White House’s Department […]

While the nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) was not in the White House fiscal 2027 budget request, Brandon Williams, head of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), said it has administration support. “The funding from the reconciliation process is carrying the project forward at pace,” Williams said. “We’re ahead of schedule, and we’re going to […]

Sen. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee, said it was “hard to see” a reason for the large spike in potential funding for the agency maintaining the nuclear weapons stockpile. “There’s a lot I can buy for $7 billion,” Moulton said, directing his question to Brandon Williams, head […]

Sen. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee, said it was “hard to see” a reason for the large spike in potential funding for the agency maintaining the nuclear weapons stockpile. “There’s a lot I can buy for $7 billion,” Moulton said, directing his question to Brandon Williams, head […]

Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) April 15 pressed Energy Secretary Chris Wright over funding instability affecting key projects at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), warning that continued uncertainty could delay work central to the nation’s nuclear stockpile stewardship mission. Lee, speaking at the House Appropriations Energy and Water subcommittee’s hearing on the White House’s Department […]

In a letter to Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, lawmakers wrote Monday that Congress is investigating “recent unconfirmed public reporting on the disappearance and death of individuals with access to sensitive U.S. scientific information.” As of April 17, 10 scientists were recently reported either dead or missing. All 10 were involved in researching and working […]

David Beck, deputy administrator for defense programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), told Congress Monday he would give them a plan for spending fiscal 2026 reconciliation funds “within the next 30 days.” Beck was responding to a question by Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) while testifying in front of the Senate Armed Services Strategic […]

Tim Walsh, who heads the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (EM), said Monday DOE’s Hanford Site in Washington state remains the program’s biggest nuclear cleanup challenge. But at the same time Hanford, which accounts for about 40% of EM’s budget, is primed for a “breakout year,” Walsh told a Senate Armed Forces panel […]

Sandia National Laboratories is advancing construction of its new Power Sources Capability (PSC) facility, a major infrastructure project supporting the nuclear security mission, the lab said last week. The lab in New Mexico held a ceremony April 14 for the installation of the final beam in the facility, according to a press release.  The roughly […]

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), whose district abuts Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, said this week he plans to resign from Congress and withdraw from the California governor’s race following a series of sexual misconduct allegations. At this point at least four women, including a former staffer, accused Swalwell, with one saying he drugged her before assaulting […]

The Department of Energy’s semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said last week it is preparing a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) for producing the fissile cores of the nation’s nuclear weapons, or plutonium pit production. As part of the environmental review, required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), NNSA must open the review […]

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright confirmed Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico has “just begun” pit production in testimony Wednesday to the House Appropriations Energy and Water subcommittee on the fiscal 2027 budget request for the Department of Energy. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), ranking member of the subcommittee, asked Wright about reforms to project […]

Charles Nakhleh became the new deputy director for weapons at the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico effective April 1, lab management announced recently. Nakhleh assumes the post following the March 31 retirement of Robert Webster, who finished up a 40-year career with the nuclear security enterprise, according to a recent […]

A South Carolina woman pleaded guilty last week to stealing money from her deceased relative’s pension benefits earned from working at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site. On April 9, the Department of Justice announced Effie Mae Youmans, 71, of Columbia, admitted to theft of public money by wrongly collecting someone else’s pension benefits. […]

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright confirmed Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico has “just begun” pit production in testimony Wednesday to the House Appropriations Energy and Water subcommittee on the fiscal 2027 budget request for the Department of Energy. Wright was responding to a question by Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), ranking member of the […]

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Wednesday North Korea has made a “very serious increase” to progress on its Yongbyon nuclear weapons complex, with expansions possibly including a new uranium enrichment facility. Grossi made his comments at a filmed press conference in Seoul, South Korea, where he met with South […]

Charles Nakhleh became the new deputy director for weapons at the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico effective April 1, lab management announced recently. Nakhleh assumes the post following the March 31 retirement of Robert Webster, who finished up a 40-year career with the nuclear security enterprise, according to a recent […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) removed all of the cesium-137 irradiators in South Carolina as part of the Cesium Irradiator Replacement Project, the agency said last week. This makes South Carolina the 13th U.S. state, or U.S. territory, to clear high-risk cesium-137 radioactive material from the region. The other states as of yet are: […]