NNSA stalls again on PF-4 safety

Anonymously contributed: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NNSA stalls again on PF-4 safety ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Honorable Peter S. Winokur Chairman Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board 625 Indiana Avenue NW, Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20004 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- September 6, 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Mr. Chairman: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This letter is in reference to your June 18, 2012, letter concerning the Documented Safety Analysis for the Plutonium Facility. The Board requested a report and briefingwithin30daysaddressingtheirconcerns. OnJuly13,2012,Iresponded that an additional 45 days was needed to develop a response to address the Board's concerns. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) needs an additional 60 days for further development and management review ofthe responses. On a separate but related matter, Dr. Cook's January 30, 2012, letter to you committed NNSA to provide a revised project execution plan (PEP) for seismically-related upgrades to PF-4 in August 2012. However, due to the need to complete the final report for the current scope ofnon-linear static seismic analyses in September 2012 to support updating the PEP, NNSA will now send the revised PEP within 90 days following completion ofthis final report. If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact me at (202) 586-4379. Sincerely, ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James J. McConnell Acting Deputy Associate Administrator Infrastructure and Operations