The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board said Pantex management and operating contractor PanTeXas Deterrence reported a loss of power in nuclear explosive bays the week of March 7.
The Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, is a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) site that services all U.S. nuclear weapons in assembly and disassembly, and also houses special nuclear materials and retired warheads and bombs. BWX Technologies-led joint venture PanTeXas Deterrence has managed the site since November.
According to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) report, electricians at the site determined the loss of power came from a ground fault at a substation electrical bus duct. Once the power supply was disconnected and electricians inspected the area, the electricians noted an adjacent duct had degraded similarly to the first one.
“PXD [PanTeXas Deterrence] is evaluating temporary and long-term repairs to return power to these facilities,” the report said.
