DOE’s 2037 Deadlines for SRS: Realistic or Illusory?
by Don Moniak, The Aiken Chronicles, November 11, 2024
“The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) has two major milestones to achieve by 2037.
“The sad legacy of the Savannah River plutonium plant”
Atlanta Journal-Constituion, November 6, 2024
Op-ed by Allie Maloney, a native Georgian and graduate of the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia,
Update on pit production environmental victory: “Delays, negotiations ongoing in environmental lawsuit over pit production,” Santa Fe New Mexican, Nov. 4, 2024 – Filing Due November 12
Photo: Cover of document obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by SRS Watch and other groups with so many pages blacked out so as to coverup need for research on pit aging.
SRS Watch Celebrates 10 Years of Public-Interest Advocacy for the Environment, Nuclear Nonproliferation
Savannah River Site Watch Celebrates 10 Years of Public-Interest Advocacy for the Environment, Nuclear Nonproliferation
News release linked here: https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/757512140/savannah-river-site-watch-celebrates-10-years-of-public-interest-advocacy-for-the-environment-nuclear-nonproliferation
COLUMBIA, SC, November 4,
“NNSA Loses Environmental Regulation Lawsuit,” on Proposed SRS Plutonium Bomb Plant (SRSPBP), Arms Control Today, Nov. 2024
“NNSA Loses Environmental Regulation Lawsuit”
A U.S. District Court judge ruled on Sept. 30 that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to conduct a proper analysis of alternatives that takes into consideration environmental impacts after significantly modifying plans for plutonium pit production in 2018.
Westinghouse Official to be Sentenced for Role in South Carolina Nuclear Reactor Construction Debacle at V.C. Summer Site., Nov. 20, 2024 in Federal Court in Columbia, SC
Westinghouse Official to be Sentenced on November 20 for Role in South Carolina Nuclear Reactor Construction Debacle at V.C. Summer Site
Columbia, SC – After various delays,
Drones Over US Nuclear Reactors in 2022, 2023 & 2024: US NRC FOIA Response
Drones spotted over US nuclear reactors in 2022, 2023 and 2024 – US Nuclear Regulatory Commission lists in response to Freedom of Information Act request
These lists are interesting but don’t reveal if the drones flights were by hobbyists or something else.
“Plutonium just had a bad day in court” – re Violations of US Environmental Law in Costly Pursuit of a New Nuclear Arms Race
“Plutonium just had a bad day in court”
“In a major decision whose consequences are still being assessed, a federal judge declared that plutonium pit production — one ingredient in the U.S.
Flawed “Report” Promotes Dead-End Idea: Restart of VC Summer Nuclear Reactor Construction Debacle
A faulty idea that must be rejected: Restart of the VC Summer nuclear reactor construction boondoggle
A cursory “report” by the South Carolina Nuclear Advisory Council (NAC) –
Major Victory on Plutonium Pit Production! “Court Rules U.S. Nuclear Weapons Production Plan Violates Federal Law”
South Carolina Environmental Law Project
Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition
Nuclear Watch New Mexico
Savannah River Site Watch
Tri-Valley CAREs
For Immediate Release –
SRS Citizens Advisory Board to Meet Sept. 16-17 at Univ. South Carolina, Columbia
The Department of Energy’s SRS Citizens Advisory Board (SRS CAB) is to meet on September 16 & 17 at the Hipp-Close Building, 8th Floor at the University of South Carolina in Columbia,
University of Georgia Houses Nuclear Archives of SRS Watch Director – Thanks, Academic Dawgs!
Photo: SRS Watch director Clements at Underground “bunker” at the University of Georgia – special collections
SRS Watch director Tom Clements is honored that the University of Georgia houses the archives of over a 40-year career.
SRS Watch Official Comment: DOE Backing of Sodium-Cooled Reactor a Risky & Costly Venture in Wyoming
The U.S. Department of Energy is throwing a huge amount of tax payer money at so-called “advanced reactors,” hoping something will stick. Nothing so far looks promising but one project,
Excellent article raising doubts about unneeded plutonium “pit” production at SRS (for new nuclear warheads): “Another reason to cancel the Sentinel missile: the rising cost of its nuclear warhead”
“Another reason to cancel the Sentinel missile: the rising cost of its nuclear warhead” – at Savannah River Site & Los Alamos National Lab
Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, by Stephen Young (Union of Concerned Scientists),
SRS Watch to present on “Failure of the Westinghouse AP1000 Projects in the USA” at conference in Europe
This is what failure looks like. Photo by High Flyer – of canceled, in 2017 , VC Summer nuclear reactor units 2 & 3 in foreground and unit 1 (operating) by lake in background.
“Nuclear Weapons at Any Price? Congress Should Say No,” May 13, 2024 op-ed, Scientific American
Nuclear Weapons at Any Price? Congress Should Say No
Scientific American, May 13, 2024, By Sharon K. Weiner
Costs are skyrocketing to modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Instead of turning a blind eye,
SRS Watch Brings “No New Plutonium Bomb Plant” Message to Bonnie Raitt Concert, with her Support, May 9, 2024
SRS Watch had a wonderful experience interacting with the public at a stupendous Bonnie Raitt concert on May 9 in North Charleston, SC.
We didn’t get back stage this time but we got a virtual hug and Bonnie gave us a shout from the stage.
SRS Watch in Ploughshares Podcast: “Atomic Assembly: Savannah River Site, South Carolina,” May 1, 2024
SRS Watch in Ploughshares Nuke Talk podcast, posted on May 1, 2024
“Atomic Assembly: Savannah River Site, South Carolina”
If you’re interested in the history of the Savannah River Site,
SRS Watch Comment to South Carolina Nuclear Advisory Council about their Role, Pit Production
At the South Carolin Nuclear Advisory Council (NAC) meeting in Columbia, SC on April 29, 2024, SRS Watch made a hard-hitting comment questioning the role of the NAC in an energy bill now before the South Carolina legislature.
Obscure part of the new nuclear arms race: NRC approves increase in production of tritium gas used in all nuclear warheads, with resultant increase in processing at SRS
DOE image on front page: tritium canister (of classified size) & above: diagram of Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rod (TPBAR)
TVA gains NRC approval to increase production of radioactive tritium gas for nuclear weapons –
NNSA Delays Urgent Research on Plutonium “Pit” Aging, Heavily Redacted Plutonium Pit Aging Plan to Congress Obtained via Tardy DOE FOIA Response
U.S. DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Delays Urgent Research on Plutonium “Pit” Aging While Spending Tens of Billions on Nuclear Weapons Bomb Core Production; Heavily Redacted Document Obtained via Tardy Response to FOIA Request
Nearly three years after filing a Freedom of Information Act request,
Energy Legislation in South Carolina Radioactive, Must be Rejected; Document Reveals Dominion Customers Paying 5.6% of Bill for Failed V.C. Summer Reactor Construction Project
Energy Legislation before South Carolina General Assembly Includes Unjustified Giveaways to Nuclear Industry; in Ill-Advised Move, Elevates Role of Nuclear Advisory Council (Industry Promotional Body)
Unlearned Lesson: Current Dominion Energy Electricity Bill Includes Hidden Charge of 5.6% for Failed V.C.
Proposed SRS Plutonium Bomb Plant Cost Estimate Surges to $25 Billion, DOE Admits Design Challenges
U.S. Department of Energy Admits Design Problems with Controversial New Plutonium Bomb Plant at Savannah River Site as Cost Surges to a Stunning $25 Billion, Likely Most Expensive Building in U.S.
Absurd, Illogical Scheme to Reprocess Spent Fuel (to Remove Weapon-Usable Plutonium) will Fail but Backers may Grab Taxpayer Money
The Barnwell reprocessing plant in South Carolina, adjacent to the Savannah River Site, thankfully never operated, thus sparing South Carolina huge volumes of highly radioactive nuclear waste and separated weapon-usable plutonium.
Congress aiming to weaken nuclear power regulation of US Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Legislation merits opposition
Photo: Unit 3 at Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle, Georgia, started operation in August 2023; cover photo: units 3 and 4 (unit 4 is due to start operation in the 2nd quarter 2024,
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Paves Way for Increase in Production of Tritium for Nuclear Weapons, Further Undermining Nuclear Non-Proliferation Norms; Tritium Processing at SRS to Increase
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Paves Way for Increase in Production of Tritium for Nuclear Weapons, Further Undermining Nuclear Non-Proliferation Norms and Keeping U.S. on Nuclear War Footing
SRS Watch news,
BOOM goes South Carolina in Nuclear Blast?!
Was the confused orange candidate raising the specter of South Carolina being hit by a massive nuclear weapon – from whom? – due to the DOE’s Savannah River Site being located here?
Nuclear Reactor Construction Debacle: SRS Watch Views New Nuclear Reactors at Vogtle Site in Georgia
Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle: new Westinghouse AP1000 reactors – unit 4 on left (under criticality testing) and unit 3 on right (operating), reactor buildings are white, at the base of the cooling towers –
Nuclear Waste from Japan, Bearing Weapon-Grade Plutonium and Highly Enriched Uranium, Soon to be Processed at SRS, Dumped into Waste Tanks
Materials from Japan containing significant amounts of weapon-grade plutonium and bomb-grade uranium – so-called Fast Critical Assemblies (FCAs) – were shipped by sea to the Savannah River Site,
GAO Report Raises Possibility of More Plutonium-Contaminated Waste from 1996 Nuclear Bomber Accident in Palomares, Spain to US/SRS
Plutonium waste from Palomares, Spain to US? GAO report, Jan. 31, 2024 – “Nuclear Waste: Changing Conditions May Affect Future Management of Contamination Deposited Abroad During U.S. Cold War Activities”