Three major construction projects underway at the Savannah River Site were in the spotlight at a North Augusta Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Dave Olson, executive vice president at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, spoke at the Nov. 17 event.
The three projects, tritium production, preparing to remove more than 11 tons of surplus plutonium from South Carolina, and resumption of pit production are all handled by the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Olson said most of the tritium facilities have been changed out to a new facility or an enhanced facility. Just two of the original tritium facilities, which date back to the 1950s, still need to be replaced.
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Pits, which are bowling ball-sized shells of plutonium that play an integral part of nuclear weapons production, will be produced in the failed mixed oxide fuel facility.
Tritium, plutonium and uranium are two the components of nuclear weapons. Tritium and plutonium will be produced at SRS.
“It’s a priority to keep the national defense intact and working, nuclear-wise. For this room, that just means jobs and subcontracts, opportunities and chances to participate,” Olson said.
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He said all three projects have completed the first of five steps of what is called “Critical Decision.” That first step is to confirm a project is needed. Subsequent steps are design completion, beginning to purchase supplies and start construction. The final step is when a project is completed and turned over for operation.
The FY 2022 budget calls for $11 billion dollars to be allocated to SRS, nearly double the FY 2021 budget request.
About $475 million would be used to convert the failed MOX facility at SRS to pit production with $603 million for plutonium modernization.
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The Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility and the Los Alamos Plutonium Pit Production Project will be expected to produce 80 pits a year. Los Alamos is on track to deliver 30 pits a year starting in 2026. SRPPF will deliver 50 pits per year some time between 2030 and 2035.
The projects are expected to create about 6,000 jobs for electricians, pipefitters, machinists and welders over the next three to five years.
“The other thing we’ve done is work with the local universities, technical colleges and high schools to make sure we have the right number of qualified nuclear workers, whether they are operators or mechanics or laboratory technicians or engineers, to be able to staff that plant to run it for the long term,” said Olson.
He said they want to fill jobs locally as much as possible but realize there may not be sufficient people with some of the specialty skills locally, so they will target a 15-state area to fill positions.
Olsen said, “I’ll tell you, they’re 100% locked and loaded behind us to get that mission done. And to do it in the right way.”
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
