News

Clarence Rashada holds up a sign expressing Pantexan support during the United Way campaign kickoff event last week as Kendra Garcia, from left, Kathy Felder and Charles Thomas look on. The four are loaned executives from Pantex, sent to support the United Way campaign, which has a theme this year of “Make it Personal.”

Each year, Pantex employees pledge hundreds of thousands of dollars to United Way of Amarillo and Canyon, making the plant a top giver to the campaign.

Plant and county work together to become ambassadors for preparedness

On the flat plains of the Texas Panhandle, clouds gather quickly and weather can rapidly turn dangerous. When storms threaten, the key to safety is being prepared to respond to any type of weather situation.

The Pantex Plant and Carson County are taking the next step in weather preparedness, establishing themselves with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) Ambassadors. WRN is a new initiative from NOAA to spread critical information to residents about how to respond in a weather emergency.

The WRN Ambassadors initiative identifies partners willing to help unify efforts across government, non-profits, academia and private industry to make the nation more ready, responsive and resilient against severe weather.

Pantex is the first Department of Energy (DOE) facility and Carson County is the first Panhandle local government to be recognized as WRN Ambassadors. In recognition of that fact, Carson County commissioners today passed a proclamation naming September as Carson County and Pantex Plant’s PrepareAthon! Month of Action.

“Pantex is fully committed to preparing for all types of emergencies, which allows us to help protect our employees, our neighbors and the critical work we do at the plant,” said Pantex Site Manager Michelle Reichert. “We are honored to be recognized and look forward to continue working with our longtime partner, Carson County.”

The PrepareAthon month will involve a variety of activities to help educate residents and Pantexans about the dangers of severe weather and what can be done to prepare for frequent Panhandle storms. As WRN Ambassadors, Pantex and Carson County will work with other agencies, municipalities and facilities to become weather ready and to increase preparedness in the area.

“Carson County and Pantex have a long history of working together to respond to all types of emergencies,” said Carson County Judge Lewis Powers. “Preparedness is the key to that effort, and in the Texas Panhandle, one of the most important things to prepare for is severe weather.”

Carson County was declared StormReady by the National Weather Service in 2006, while Pantex received the designation in December, 2012, becoming the first facility of its type to be recognized in that program for its weather preparedness.

Pantex will officially receive its designation as a WRN ambassador in a ceremony at the plant on September 2, and Carson County will receive its designation on Sept. 22.

More information on the WRN program and steps residents can take to prepare for severe weather are available from NOAA here: https://www.weather.gov/wrn/
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CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Pantexans recognized for stockpile stewardship work

AMARILLO, Texas – NNSA Assistant Deputy Administrator for Stockpile Management Steve Goodrum recently presented Defense Programs Awards of Excellence (DPAE) to 175 Pantexans who excelled at Stockpile Stewardship work during 2013.

The seven awards were presented to teams involved in a variety of efforts which include nuclear weapons work, environmental remediation, high explosives testing and production planning.

The DPAE program was established in 1982 to recognize individuals or teams for significant achievements in quality, productivity, cost savings, safety or creativity of work performed in support of the Stockpile Stewardship Program.

“It is a great honor for so many Pantexans to be recognized for their outstanding work in support of Stockpile Stewardship,” said Pantex Site Manager Michelle Reichert. “The number of awards and the diversity of work involved are truly indicative of the dedication and innovation of the entire team at Pantex.”

DP Awards were presented to Pantexans involved in the following efforts:

1. A team of 28 Pantexans was able to resolve an issue related to the W76-1 Life Extension Program (LEP).
2. A team of 51 people at Pantex reconfigured the plant’s Laser Gas Sampling System to perform work on the B83, completing 124 percent of the planned workload in FY13.
3. A trio of environmental experts at Pantex performed excellent work to complete the five-year review of the site’s legacy contamination cleanup remedies under the auspices of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act.
4. A team of 10 Pantexans was able to redesign and rebuild a device used to test high explosive response to electric shock.
5. A team of 20 Pantex workers provided excellent support to the Warhead Measurement Campaign (WMC), which is a program designed to obtain a standardized set of signature data from the enduring stockpile and historical U.S. weapons.
6. The NNSA Integrated Production Planning and Execution System (IPRO) Implementation Project Team achieved a major milestone with the deployment of IPRO at Pantex.
7. Another team of 40 Pantexans is being honored for outstanding support of the new IPRO system, utilizing existing technology to effectively answer end-user questions and share knowledge with other sites.

For more information on each site, visit www.pantex.energy.gov or www.y12.doe.gov. Follow Pantex on Facebook, X or LinkedIn. Follow Y-12 on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

Pantexans recognized for stockpile stewardship work

​Pantexan Dave Thomas, from right, receives a Defense Programs Awards of Excellence from NNSA Assistant Deputy Administrator for Stockpile Management Steve Goodrum, while NNSA Production Office Manager Steve Erhart and Pantex Site Manager Michelle Reichert wait to congratulate him.

NNSA Assistant Deputy Administrator for Stockpile Management Steve Goodrum recently presented Defense Programs Awards of Excellence (DPAE) to 175 Pantexans who excelled at Stockpile Stewardship work during 2013.

The seven awards were presented to teams involved in a variety of efforts which include nuclear weapons work, environmental remediation, high explosives testing and production planning.

The DPAE program was established in 1982 to recognize individuals or teams for significant achievements in quality, productivity, cost savings, safety or creativity of work performed in support of the Stockpile Stewardship Program.

“It is a great honor for so many Pantexans to be recognized for their outstanding work in support of Stockpile Stewardship,” said Pantex Site Manager Michelle Reichert. “The number of awards and the diversity of work involved are truly indicative of the dedication and innovation of the entire team at Pantex.”

DP Awards were presented to Pantexans involved in the following efforts:

1. A team of 28 Pantexans was able to resolve an issue related to the W76-1 Life Extension Program (LEP).
2. A team of 51 people at Pantex reconfigured the plant’s Laser Gas Sampling System to perform work on the B83, completing 124 percent of the planned workload in FY13.
3. A trio of environmental experts at Pantex performed excellent work to complete the five-year review of the site’s legacy contamination cleanup remedies under the auspices of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act.
4. A team of 10 Pantexans was able to redesign and rebuild a device used to test high explosive response to electric shock.
5. A team of 20 Pantex workers provided excellent support to the Warhead Measurement Campaign (WMC), which is a program designed to obtain a standardized set of signature data from the enduring stockpile and historical U.S. weapons.
6. The NNSA Integrated Production Planning and Execution System (IPRO) Implementation Project Team achieved a major milestone with the deployment of IPRO at Pantex.
7. Another team of 40 Pantexans is being honored for outstanding support of the new IPRO system, utilizing existing technology to effectively answer end-user questions and share knowledge with other sites.

Consolidated Nuclear Security CEO Jim Haynes, left, congratulates Lennon Mings, right, for winning a DPAE as Pantex Site Manager Michelle Reichert looks on.

Pantex Fire Department emergency response personnel work to extract a training mannequin from beneath an overturned car at the plant’s emergency exercise Wednesday. The exercise, which involved numerous offsite participants from local and state agencies, centered on a simulated tornado that struck the plant, leading to the overturned vehicle.

Drivers in some areas near plant may be affected

Residents in the area should be aware that the Pantex Plant will be conducting an emergency exercise Wednesday morning.

The exercise will involve participants from multiple agencies across the area, including local government officials and law enforcement. Some activity may be noticed in areas surrounding Pantex, including emergency vehicles and other officials on roads near the plant.

Law enforcement officers will be setting up traffic control points at County Road E and County Road 14 (near the Carson County Pump Station), as well as the intersection of County Road C and County Road 14. Drivers may experience travel delays at these two rural intersections.

No other off site impacts are expected during the exercise.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

“The Last of the Big Dogs” has a new home after Pantex workers Wednesday delivered one of the few remaining B53 nuclear weapons cases to the Freedom Museum USA in Pampa, Texas.

The final B53, which received its “Big Dog” nickname from dismantlement workers due to its massive size, was dismantled at Pantex on October 25, 2011 in an historic ceremony. The B53 was a Cold War icon, and was the oldest, the largest and the most destructive nuclear weapon in the U.S. arsenal at the time it was retired.

Monica Graham, Pantex historian, was looking for a way to preserve the legacy of the B53 and honor the workers who built, maintained and dismantled it. The Freedom Museum, which is located about 45 minutes from Pantex, volunteered to take the weapon on loan to add to its large collection of historical military artifacts.

“This was an important effort to publicly display this iconic weapon that served in secret for decades, helping to ensure the safety of America,” Graham said.

The B53 was first put into service in 1962, a year when Cold War tensions were at their highest during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It served a critical role in the nation’s nuclear deterrent through the end of the Cold War, retiring from the active stockpile in 1997.

The B53 weighed around 10,000 pounds and was about the size of a minivan. Many B53s were dismantled in the 1980s, but a significant number remained in the U.S. arsenal until they were retired in 1997.

The B53 which was delivered this week consisted only of the outer casing of the weapon and is empty on the inside. It is one of only three such museum artifacts in the country built from a stockpile weapon. The others were assembled from training units or spare parts.

New entry signs installed at Pantex as CNS takes over site

Workers put up a new entry sign at the Pantex Tuesday after Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC, began its tenure as management and operations contractor at the plant.

CNS begins management and operation of national security facilities

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) today assumed full responsibility for management and operation of the Pantex and Y-12 nuclear weapons facilities that perform missions vital to national security.

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration awarded CNS the contract to consolidate the two facilities under a single contract. During a four-month transition that began March 3, the CNS team prepared to integrate and operate both facilities to deliver their critical missions with safety, security, quality, and cost efficiency.

During the course of transition, CNS completed more than 3,000 scheduled actions; on-boarded 7,800 employees; inspected over 400 facilities; reviewed and approved more than 5,000 procedures; consulted with dozens of community leaders and elected officials; and established the structure and processes for managing the two sites as one enterprise. Transition activities were completed on schedule and under budget.

“The Pantex and Y-12 sites have proud traditions of contributing to national security and protecting the freedoms we enjoy in this country today,” said Jim Haynes, CNS President and CEO. “We are prepared and ready to build upon these traditions and improve the performance and sustainability of these sites with our NNSA customer and our employees.”

CNS member companies include Bechtel National, Inc., Lockheed Martin Services, Inc., ATK Launch Systems Inc., and SOC LLC, with Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., as a teaming subcontractor. Its five-year contract begins today, and includes options that could extend the contract another five years.

“We have been looking forward to joining the employees of Pantex and Y-12, and the communities of Amarillo and Oak Ridge, since this competition first began,” Haynes said. “Together with our customer, the talented workforces of our two sites, and the committed leaders of our two host communities, we are well positioned to deliver our national security mission.”

The Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, and Y‐12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, charged with maintaining the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile. Pantex is responsible for nuclear weapons life extension programs; weapons dismantlement; development, testing, and fabrication of high explosives components; and storage and surveillance of plutonium pits. Y‐12 is responsible for safe and secure uranium storage, processing, and manufacturing operations; supplying fuel for the U.S. Navy; and global non-proliferation.

About Bechtel:
Bechtel is among the most respected engineering, project management, and construction companies in the world. We stand apart for our ability to get the job done right—no matter how big, how complex or how remote. Bechtel operates through five global business units that specialize in civil infrastructure; power generation, communications and transmission; mining and metals; oil, gas and chemicals; and government services. Since its founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 22,000 projects in 140 countries on all seven continents. Today, our 53,000 employees team with customers, partners, and suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 50 countries.

About Lockheed Martin:
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 113,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2013 were $45.4 billion.

About ATK:
ATK Aerospace Group, which is representing ATK on the Bechtel team, is the world’s top producer of solid rocket propulsion systems and a leading supplier of military and commercial aircraft structures. It also specializes in small and micro‐satellites; satellite components and subsystems; lightweight space deployables and solar arrays; low‐cost, quick‐to‐market launch solutions; flares and decoys; and energetic materials and related technologies. The group has extensive experience supporting human and space payload missions. ATK is an aerospace, defense, and commercial products company with operations in 22 states, Puerto Rico, and internationally.

About SOC:
SOC LLC is a trusted and proven provider of integrated security and mission support carrying out and enabling national security missions globally in support of the U.S. Government, international organizations, and corporations. Founded as a security contractor supporting the U.S. Departments of Energy, Defense, and State, SOC has broadened its portfolio to include a wide array of critical mission support, base operations, and professional staffing services. SOC is a company of more than 5,000 highly trained and experienced personnel running some of the most sensitive and complex assignments around the world.

About Booz Allen Hamilton:
Booz Allen Hamilton is a leading provider of management consulting, technology, and engineering services to the US government in defense, intelligence, and civil markets, and to major corporations, institutions, and not‐for‐profit organizations. Booz Allen is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, employs approximately 23,000 people, and had revenue of $5.76 billion for the 12 months ended March 31, 2013. In 2014, Booz Allen celebrates its 100th anniversary year.

CONTACT
Jason Bohne
(240) 344-1616

NNSA administrator makes first Pantex visit to inaugurate PREP

The largest federally owned wind farm in the country will officially commence operations Tuesday when Gen. Frank G. Klotz, Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and National Nuclear Security Administrator makes his first official visit to Pantex to “throw the switch” on the Pantex Renewable Energy Project (PREP).

Klotz is scheduled to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the five-turbine, 11.5 megawatt wind farm, which will generate more than 60 percent of the electricity needed yearly by the Pantex Plant, the nation’s primary facility for the assembly, disassembly and maintenance of nuclear weapons.

“For 70 years, Pantex has played a vital security role by helping to create and maintain the nation’s nuclear deterrent. Now, Pantex is poised to help secure the future of America through utilization of renewable energy, as well,” said NNSA Production Office Manager Steve Erhart.

Construction on the one-of-a-kind wind farm began in August under a unique finance model, known as an Energy Savings Performance Contract, which allows contractor Siemens Government Technologies, Inc., to build PREP with no upfront cost to the taxpayers. Siemens will be paid directly from the value of guaranteed energy savings generated by the turbines, an amount expected to average $2.8 million annually.

The five turbines, each 400 feet tall, were built on 1,500 acres of federal land adjacent to the main Pantex Plant. Erection of the wind towers was completed early this year, and crews have since been working to connect the turbines into the plant’s electricity grid.

PREP will generate approximately 47 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, which is enough to power nearly 3,500 homes. The project will reduce CO2 emissions by over 35,000 metric tons per year, the equivalent of removing 7,200 cars from the road each year or planting 850,000 trees.

In addition to providing the majority of the electricity for Pantex operations, PREP will serve as the keystone for an ongoing collaboration with Texas Tech University (TTU) to make Pantex a leader in innovation within the wind energy sector. TTU and the NNSA Production Office (NPO) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding that would combine the resources of DOE/NNSA, Pantex and TTU’s National Wind Institute to study ways to create a world-class energy research center at Pantex.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560