Todd Jacobson
NS&D Monitor
8/29/2014
Construction has been largely completed on the Pantex Plant’s new High Explosives Pressing Facility and Y-12/Pantex contractor Consolidated Nuclear Security is expected to take possession of the building next month, NS&D Monitor has learned. The facility isn’t expected to be immediately operational as it will have to go through rigorous testing and readiness reviews before it begins producing high explosives for use in the nation’s nuclear arsenal. Notably, the National Nuclear Security Administration did not respond to a request for comment this week about the project, which is believed to be a major project management win for the agency. CNS declined to comment when asked about the project this week.
Managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and built by Kiewit Building Group, the 45,000-square foot facility is expected to cost a total of $142 million and will provide Pantex with the ability to meet the demands of future and ongoing life extension programs and alleviate a pressed high explosive crunch facing the site because of the plant’s aging HE facilities, which are spread out across six buildings. The Corps is believed to be going through punch-list items before turning it over to CNS.
The current facility is able to produce up to 1,000 pounds of pressed high explosive or 300 hemispheres each year, but the new facility will give the plant the ability to produce up to 2,500 pounds and up to 500 hemispheres, according to NNSA planning documents. The existing facility, which was built about 20 years ago, is aging quickly, according to Pantex officials, and is not expected to be able to keep up with the demand for pressed high explosive for a series of life extension programs that will occur over the next decade.
