Consolidated Nuclear Security’s operations, including operations at Y-12 National Security Complex, were overall “very good,” but with some problems, including chlorine spills.
That was the message the National Nuclear Security Administration stated in its performance evaluation summary for the period from Oct. 1, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2021
The recent report listed a total award fee connected to this evaluation of $34,342,380 to be given to CNS, which means $35,983,580 total when the fixed fee is added in.
“Overall, CNS earned a Very Good rating for FY 2021, exceeding many of the objectives and key outcomes” the draft summary stated, adding the contractor met “overall cost, schedule, and technical performance requirements with accomplishments that greatly outweigh issues.”
However, this overall positive evaluation comes after CNS lost its contract due to poorer evaluations in the past on operating Y-12.
NNSA chose not to extend CNS’ contract, citing problems with safety, overtime and security, including cybersecurity. NNSA announced this change in 2020.
And the new contractor is?
The four-month transition period began in December and a new five-year contract with a new contractor was scheduled to begin after that period. However, Katherine King, with Y-12 communications, an NNSA spokesperson who said he preferred to be anonymous, and U.S. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann have all told The Oak Ridger that now multiple companies are vying for the contract.
The NNSA spokesperson explained that NNSA originally chose the limited liability company Nuclear Production One. However, two other entities filed protests with that award, something the spokesman said was common. NNSA decided to put the award on hold and reassess the competing proposals and possible conflicts of interest. He said while the CNS contract expires March 31, NNSA hadn’t decided what to do immediately after that point with who will run Y-12 and the Pantex plant in Texas, which is under the same contract.
The federal evaluation announced Feb. 10 is for October 2020 through September 2021. It shows a picture of CNS’ management of Y-12 and Pantex in what might be its last year.
“CNS remains fully focused on delivering on our mission at Pantex and Y-12 through the end of our contract, and we look forward to continuing the mission of building the Uranium Processing Facility,” King told The Oak Ridger in an emailed response.
Chlorine spills, other problems
Even if the report overall ranked CNS as “very good,” there were some criticisms in the report.
It stated, “multiple instances of chlorinated water releases resulted in fish kills and a Notice of Violation.” Kate Hewitt, public affairs specialist for the NNSA, confirmed in an email that these spills occurred at Y-12.
Other criticisms of CNS included being behind schedule on warhead dismantlement and various other projects.
King responded to these criticisms in her email to the newspaper.
“Facility and technical issues in several program areas were noted by NNSA in the performance evaluation report for the sites. In each case, CNS communicated with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) about the issues, implemented corrective actions where appropriate, and is executing plans to recover and meet baseline deliverables in FY 2022.
“The chlorinated water spills, which occurred in January and March 2021, were caused by accidental releases of potable water. CNS and the Y-12 National Security Complex are committed to protecting the environment, and we take our environmental responsibilities seriously. We performed investigations after each event and identified corrective actions to prevent reoccurrence, and those corrective actions are in place to prevent chlorinated water from reaching waterways at the site,” she stated.
Positives
Even though security concerns were among the issues that caused NNSA to end the CNS contract, NNSA spoke positively of the contractor’s progress and achievements regarding security and safety during the final year of the contract.
“CNS continued to improve the Cybersecurity and IT program while addressing identified programmatic and technical issues,” the report stated. It also stated CNS “maintained a highly effective safeguards and security program,” citing a “series of limited-notice performance tests at Y-12.” It also stated the contractor responded well to “key equipment failures and weather-related events.” Specifically given the years in question, the report congratulated CNS for executing “work within COVID-19 protocols and impacts.”
It stated the ongoing Emergency Operations Center and Fire Station projects at Y-12 “executed work within their overall cost and schedule baselines.”
Safety and security measures weren’t the only area for complements. Overall, the complex ranked “very good” or “excellent’ in nearly all of the areas of evaluation. Specifically, the report stated CNS maintained strong support with highly enriched uranium storage and component manufacturing at Y-12. It also complimented Building 9212 transition system isolations and deactivations being completed on schedule.
Hewitt, when asked about the accomplishments of Y-12 listed the following:
- CNS successfully leveraged an innovative solution to demonstrating new technologies including installation and testing of the Electron Beam Cold Hearth Melter producing binary ingots.
- “Significant progress was also made maturing depleted uranium technologies. CNS continued to meet or exceed nuclear non-proliferation requirements and shipments to Naval Reactors,” she stated.
- Building 9212 Transition system isolations and deactivations was completed on schedule.
- Depleted Uranium legacy equipment restart and technology maturation progress met milestones.
- Special Material capability development met strategic plan goals.
- Completed low enriched uranium-molybdenum castings.
- Installed a microdot peen machine, resulting in significant cost savings.
- Exceeded shipping and staging requirements for ingot and samples.
- Exceeded shipping sub-sample milestones for analysis to DOE laboratories.
- Participated in and successfully completed the Mobile Uranium Facility’s Relentless Rook exercise.
- Exceeded milestone for low equity discards.
- Sample identification and nominations for the National Nuclear Material Archive are on schedule and met scope and cost expectations.
- Completed Naval Reactors deliverables and shipments on schedule.
- Completed HFIR fuel production and computed tomography scans on schedule.
- Completed all Fast Burst Reactor Upgrade Project deliverables.
- Completed shipments for NNSA supply contracts on schedule.
- Provided technical support and training to other government agencies.
King, likewise, spoke about Y-12’s accomplishments, a bit more in depth.
“CNS made significant progress on several fronts in transforming and modernizing Y-12 in FY 2021, including the Uranium Processing Facility, the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center, and West End Protected Area Reduction project.
“The Uranium Processing Facility achieved exterior construction completion milestones on the Main Process Building, the Salvage and Accountability Building, and the Process Support Facilities, while energizing Direct Current Power and Medium Voltage Power in the Mechanical Electrical Building’s first connection to the Pine Ridge substation. UPF also received and installed the first group of the Main Casting Glovebox Line and completed the delivery of all structural steel and all multi-commodity pipe rack modules for the Project.
“Site preparation work began on the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center, a unique federal- and state-funded concept to provide first responder training and technology demonstrations. Construction also started on a new Y-12 fire station and an Emergency Operations Center, two NNSA pilot projects designed to streamline efficiency and delivery of specific construction projects under $50 million.
“Work also began on the West End Protected Area Reduction project, which, when completed, will reduce the size of Y-12’s high-security protected area on the site by approximately 50% and will support efforts to modernize Y-12’s high-security boundary, including the installation of new sections on the perimeter intrusion, detection, and assessment system as well as a new entry control facility,” she said.
“Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) excelled on several priority weapons programs at Pantex and Y-12. The government’s assessment of CNS’s performance recognizes many areas of outstanding effort and it is a testament to the dedicated workers at both sites that CNS was able to continue to adapt and deliver its national security mission.
“CNS delivered for the nation by completing the W88 ALT 370 First Production Unit ahead of schedule and finishing the W80 ALT 369 on time. It also met or exceeded baselines for surveillance operations as well as work on the B61-12 life extension program (LEP), B61-12 canned subassembly (CSA), CSA dismantlement, and W88 disassembly,” she stated.
Ben Pounds is a staff reporter for The Oak Ridger. Call him at (865) 441-2317, email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @Bpoundsjournal.
