Gloveboxes are used by NNSA sites to protect employees from exposure to radioactive material as they conduct mission-critical work in support of national security.
According to NNSA, the plutonium pit production mission is an essential part of its strategy for nuclear stockpile sustainment. A plutonium pit is a critical component of the stockpile.
The site: SRPPF is being constructed at SRS through repurposing an unfinished facility with more than 400,000 square feet of available Hazard Category-2 space. This is allowing NNSA to make use of an existing, seismically-qualified structure to meet pit production requirements.
The SRPPF project requires a complex design involving building modifications and special facility equipment procurements.
“The SRPPF Project Execution team is working to accelerate procurements and fabrication of process equipment in parallel with design maturation and early site preparation activities,” said Brian Pool, SRPPF director of glovebox delivery. “More than half of the several hundred gloveboxes needed for the SRPPF project have begun fabrication. This forward momentum shows the teamwork happening between SRNS, our construction management subcontractor Fluor, and our NNSA counterparts to deliver on this critical mission.”
Readiness: In May, SRPPF received the first NNSA Demonstration Program glovebox, which will be used in the High-Fidelity Training and Operations Center (HFTOC). The HFTOC is a facility on site that will be used to train SRPPF personnel, develop operator proficiency, and provide hands-on experience with simulated radiological controls.
“The HFTOC is an integral piece to the success of SRPPF,” said Darlene Murdoch, SRNS senior vice president–NNSA pit production operations and programs. “We are working closely with the SRPPF project team to ensure we deliver on our commitment to achieve our modernization goals and enhance planning, training and operational readiness for the facility.”
Workforce: During the life of the SRPPF project, more than 4,000 craft and staff employees are expected to support construction. To support workforce needs, SRNS signed a project labor agreement with the Augusta Building and Construction Trades Council.
Once constructed and operational, SRPPF is expected to require approximately 2,100 employees, NNSA noted.
Under federal law and to meet national security requirements, NNSA must be able to produce no fewer than 80 pits per year to maintain and replenish the stockpile.
