Oak Ridge Today

Gordon-Hagerty sworn in as first female NNSA administrator

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Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty is sworn in by Energy Secretary Rick Perry as the U.S. Department of Energy’s under secretary for nuclear security and administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2018. (Photo by NNSA)

Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty is sworn in by Energy Secretary Rick Perry as the U.S. Department of Energy’s under secretary for nuclear security and administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2018. (Photo by NNSA)

 

Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty was sworn in Thursday by Energy Secretary Rick Perry as the U.S. Department of Energy’s under secretary for nuclear security and administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Gordon-Hagerty is responsible for managing and operating the NNSA in support of the nuclear security agenda of Perry and President Donald Trump, a press release said. The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is an NNSA site.

“Lisa Gordon-Hagerty exemplifies the leadership and institutional knowledge required to oversee the National Nuclear Security Administration,” Perry said in the press release.  “I am especially proud of the fact that she is the first woman in history to lead the NNSA and look forward to working together to address the administration’s goal of modernizing our nuclear security enterprise.”

Gordon-Hagerty has more than 30 years of national security experience, the press release said. [Read more…]

Trump nominates ORNL national security leader to DOE nuclear nonproliferation job

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Brent Park

Brent Park

 

President Donald J. Trump on Thursday nominated a national security leader at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to a nuclear nonproliferation job in the U.S. Department of Energy.

Brent K. Park is currently an associate laboratory director at ORNL, where he is responsible for national security programs.

Trump nominated him to be deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation in the Department of Energy. [Read more…]

Congressmen praise consolidated contract at Y-12, Pantex

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U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry, left, a Texas Republican, and Representative Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican, are pictured above after an East Tennessee Economic Council meeting on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry, left, a Texas Republican, and Representative Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican, are pictured above after an East Tennessee Economic Council meeting on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Two congressmen, one from East Tennessee and other the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, praised the consolidated contract that has been used to manage and operate the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge for more than three years.

The two sites are managed by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC. Y-12 and Pantex are involved in nuclear weapons work and nuclear nonproliferation, and providing enriched uranium for naval, research, and isotope production reactors.

The transition to the consolidated contract, one of the most complex in the history of the U.S. Department of Energy, was completed on July 1, 2014. At that time, officials said the contract included a total annual operating budget of $1.5 billion and employment of about 8,000 in Tennessee and Texas. [Read more…]

NNSA, IAEA hosting international nuclear material course at ORNL

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

The National Nuclear Security Administration and the International Atomic Energy Agency are hosting 35 representatives from 30 countries at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from April 26 to May 8 for an international training course on how to account for and control nuclear material.

It’s the 20th International Training Course, or ITC, on State Systems of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material, or SSACs.

NNSA and the IAEA co-sponsor the ITC to educate and train technical experts from around the world on how to properly account for nuclear materials used in their home countries. The first SSAC ITC in the United States was held in Richland, Washington, in 1979.  Since then, approximately 500 participants from 50 countries have completed the training. The ITC supports U.S. obligations under the U.S. Nuclear Nonproliferation Act of 1978. [Read more…]

Creedon confirmed as NNSA principal deputy administrator

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Madelyn R. Creedon

Madelyn R. Creedon

WASHINGTON—Madelyn Creedon was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday as the U.S. Department of Energy’s principal deputy administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

“Madelyn Creedon’s confirmation comes at a critical point for the National Nuclear Security Administration,” said Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. “She is well-prepared for her new role at the department as it follows a long career of public service in national security, including at the Department of Defense, with the Senate Armed Services Committee, and, previously, at the Department of Energy. NNSA Administrator Klotz and I thank the Senate for their attention to Madelyn’s nomination, and look forward to working with her.”

As NNSA’s principal deputy administrator, Creedon will support NNSA Administrator Frank Klotz in the management and operation of the NNSA, as well as policy matters across the DOE and NNSA enterprise in support of President Obama’s nuclear security agenda, a press release said. [Read more…]

Y-12, Pantex complete transition to new contractor

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Y-12 Aerial Photo June 2012

The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is pictured above in June 2012. (Photo courtesy NNSA)

 

The National Nuclear Security Administration Production Office and Consolidated Nuclear Security have completed one of the largest and most complex contract transitions in the history of the U.S. Department of Energy.

On July 1, Consolidated Nuclear Security, or CNS, assumed the responsibility for managing and operating the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. CNS replaces B&W Y-12, which had operated Y-12 since 2000, and B&W Pantex, which also had operated Pantex since 2000. The contract includes a total annual operating budget of $1.5 billion and employment of about 8,000 in Tennessee and Texas.

Steve Erhart

Steve Erhart

“The new contract will allow NNSA to continue the safe and secure maintenance of the nuclear weapons stockpile; provide enriched uranium for naval, research, and isotope production reactors; and, support nonproliferation activities to reduce the global nuclear threat,” said Steve Erhart, NNSA Production Office manager. “The conclusion of this transition will bring much needed stability to the thousands of men and women who play an important role in our enduring national security mission. All contract transitions create some change and uncertainty. But, throughout this process, the highly skilled professionals at Pantex and Y-12 have remained focused and dedicated to the safe and secure completion of the mission.”

The consolidated contract will yield significant savings to the U.S. taxpayer over the life of the contract as NNSA and CNS develop more efficient ways of doing business, a press release said. A portion of the generated savings are to be reinvested into aging infrastructure at both sites to improve the working conditions for the Pantex and Y-12 workforce. [Read more…]

Y-12 fulfills major milestone in fuel conversion commitment for Jamaican research reactor

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Y-12 National Security Complex Aerial View

The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is pictured above. (Photo courtesy B&W Y-12)

The Y-12 National Security Complex recently fulfilled its commitment to provide low-enriched uranium, or LEU, as feedstock to fuel the “Safe LOW-POwer Kritical Experiment” (SLOWPOKE) research reactor in Kingston, Jamaica.

“Our role is to produce the uranium dioxide feedstock and to manage fabrication of LEU fuel pins for the reactor core to enable conversion from highly enriched uranium, or HEU, to LEU,” said John Creasy of Y‑12’s Nuclear Nonproliferation and Global Security Programs.

The new pins, made of low enriched uranium dioxide powder, will replace those made with weapons-useable HEU, thus making the reactor fuel less desirable to terrorists. Y-12 has a long history of supporting the U.S. Department of Energy’s nuclear nonproliferation activities throughout the world. This project is just one of several HEU-to-LEU conversion efforts in which Y-12 has participated in support of the Department’s Global Threat Reduction Initiative, or GTRI.

The last shipment of uranium dioxide feedstock was shipped last month to Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, where it will be fabricated into fuel pins. AECL was selected because it designed the original SLOWPOKE reactor. [Read more…]

NNSA awards $25 million nonproliferation grant to group that includes ORNL

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

Federal officials on Wednesday announced they had awarded a $25 million nonproliferation grant to a consortium that includes ORNL.

The National Nuclear Security Administration on Wednesday announced a $25 million nuclear nonproliferation grant to a consortium that is led by North Carolina State University and includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The grant from the NNSA’s Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development is for research and development that will enable nonproliferation capabilities, a press release said. The consortium will receive $5 million per year for five years. The grant is in response to a funding opportunity announcement issued in May 2013.

“This grant will provide the U.S. government with cutting-edge research and development to identify and address multi-disciplinary and cross-functional technology and research needs that are critical to detecting foreign nuclear weapon proliferation activities,” the press release said. “Specifically, the research projects pursued by the consortium will include technologies to enhance simulation capabilities, algorithms, and modeling; new test and evaluation models for detection sensors; new remote sensing capabilities; and applications of data analytics and data fusion to better characterize and detect special nuclear materials.” [Read more…]

Retired Air Force general confirmed as NNSA administrator

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Retired Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz of the U.S. Air Force is pictured above in a Sept. 16, 2009, speech. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

Retired Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz of the U.S. Air Force is pictured above in a Sept. 16, 2009, speech. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

Acting Administrator Bruce Held returns to associate deputy secretary position

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed a retired U.S. Air Force general as the administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees the nuclear weapons work at the Y-12 National Security Complex and other federal sites.

Retired Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz is also the Energy Department’s under secretary for nuclear security.

Acting NNSA Administrator Bruce Held will return to his position as associate deputy secretary, a press release said.

“Lt. Gen. Klotz’s confirmation comes at a critical point for the National Nuclear Security Administration,” Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said. “His breadth of military and national security leadership experience makes him uniquely suited to lead the NNSA, fulfilling its commitments to the management and security of the nation’s nuclear weapons, nuclear nonproliferation, naval reactor programs, and nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness efforts. [Read more…]

Nuclear arms consortium that includes ORNL receives $25 million grant from NNSA

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A research and development consortium led by the University of Michigan has received a $25 million grant for nuclear arms control verification technologies, including nuclear safeguards effectiveness.

The consortium includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The grant was announced on Monday by the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development. The consortium will receive $5 million per year for five years, a press release said. The award is in response to a funding opportunity announcement issued in May 2013.

“Nuclear arms control verification technologies provide tools to support and improve the ability of the U.S. government to monitor compliance with nuclear arms control commitments and treaty obligations,” the press release said. “Nuclear safeguards support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s mission to monitor the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and the commitments of signatory countries to refrain from developing new nuclear weapons. Other work under the consortium will include efforts in geophysical modeling for the detection of underground nuclear detonations to support test monitoring.” [Read more…]

Final milestone in U.S.-Russian partnership converting nuclear warheads into fuel

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Ernest Moniz

Ernest Moniz

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Russia has converted 500 metric tons of highly enriched uranium—the equivalent of 20,000 nuclear warheads—and the resulting low enriched uranium, or LEU, has been delivered to the United States, fabricated into nuclear fuel, and used in nuclear power plants to generate nearly 10 percent of all U.S. electricity for the past 15 years, federal officials said.

That’s roughly half of all commercial nuclear energy produced domestically during that period, a U.S. Department of Energy press release said.

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz announced the final LEU shipment on Thursday.

The LEU was derived from Russian weapons-origin highly enriched uranium, or HEU, under the 1993 U.S.-Russia HEU Purchase Agreement, commonly known as the Megatons to Megawatts Program, the press release said. [Read more…]

Y-12 neutron detector wins R&D 100 Award

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Y-12 Neutron Detector

Ashley Stowe, Y‑12 senior development chemist, working with Fisk University, developed a single-crystalline device that will be used in handheld nuclear nonproliferation and homeland security applications. (Submitted photo)

A Y-12 nuclear nonproliferation technology offering significant possibilities in the homeland security field was among those listed on the R&D Magazine 51st Annual R&D 100 Awards. The honor salutes the 100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace during the past year.

The LISeTM, a high-efficiency thermal neutron detector based on the 6LiInSe2 crystal, is the first large, single-crystal semiconductor of high resistivity that contains lithium and directly detects thermal neutrons with high efficiency. The single-crystalline device will be used in handheld nuclear nonproliferation and homeland security applications to find fissile materials. Its simpler, more compact design, and higher efficiency are key improvements that will appeal to users. [Read more…]