NNSA TOUTS BETTER, BUT NOT PERFECT,rnAPPROACH TO COMPLEX MODERNIZATION

摘要

After years of moving toward building massive facilities to modernize its uranium and plutonium capabilities, a scaled back approach to modernizing the weapons complex that is expected to be quicker and cheaper has been adopted by the National Nuclear Security Administration, acting Administrator Bruce Held told the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee this week. The strategy includes a new modular strategy to modernize plutonium capabilities at Los Alamos National Laboratory, which has replaced the deferred multi-billion-dollar Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement-Nuclear Facility. And NNSA officials are expected to scuttle plans to build a massive Uranium Processing Facility, with a Red Team likely to suggest constructing a smaller facility that replaces the most glaring need at the Y-12 National Security Complex, the enriched uranium production work in the aged 9212 complex. “If we take a common sense, better-sooner rather than perfect-later approach, we can do all of these within reasonable cost,” Held said. “But if, heaven forbid, we have a nuclear safety accident because we have not done so, then NNSA will truly have failed and we will forever forfeit the trust and confidence of the American people in all things nuclear.”