MOX Termination Continues

 

The official contract termination notice from Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) was issued late last month for the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF), or MOX, at the Savannah River Site. 

 

The MFFF was the result of a US-Russian agreement signed in 2000. The Plutonium Management Disposition Agreement (PMDA) required each country to permanently dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons grade plutonium. The original agreement was for each country to re-process the plutonium to create fuel for light water reactors, while the United States was to immobilize a share of its 34 metric ton commitment.

 

In 2010, the agreement was amended to change the disposition methods. Russia changed their intentions to create fuel for fast breeder reactors, while the United States decided to drop the immobilization component of the agreement. Russia completed its fuel re-processing plant in September 2015. MFFF was placed on cold standby in 2016, with termination pending, in response to which Russia froze the PMDA.  

 

The current United States strategy for the 34 metric ton commitment is a process which involves mixing plutonium with inert material for long-term burial. This dilute-and-dispose process would send this material to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. South Carolina's senior senator, Lindsey Graham, has called dilute-and-dispose strategy "half-baked" and "not feasible."

 

He has gone on to described the termination of the MFFF as a "colossal mistake," one that is "shortsighted" and equates to the federal government "breaking its commitment" to the state.

 

NNSA has voiced a commitment to supporting the current workforce and to work with MOX Services contractor throughout the transition process to reduce short-term impacts to workers, the surrounding community, and the State of South Carolina. MOX Services is the prime contractor for the MOX project.

 

One organized effort between MOX Services and the other SRS employers is a job fair specifically for those facing layoffs at the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility. Other efforts include one-on-one counseling, resume collections, potential stress management and financial planning classes.

Good News on SRS Hiring Trends

In spite of the MOX contract ending, job opportunities at the Savannah River Site (SRS) continue on an upward swing. Since 2015, the SRSCRO's Nuclear Workforce Initiative (NWI ®) has tracked nuclear hiring trends annually. At SRS alone, about 1,000 workers have been hired each year. That trend is continuing through 2018 and looks likely for 2019. As expected, workers are transitioning to retirement or opting to work in other industries, making way for these new employees. Advances in technology and enhanced missions also create opportunities for new talent at SRS.

The nuclear workforce demand is strong for a wide variety of skillsets, according to multiple SRS employers and local nuclear power companies. Many types of engineers and technicians continue to be top on the list of desired expertise. But high demand career fields include procedure writers, project managers, cyber security analysts, contract specialists, human resource specialists, planners/schedulers and that list goes on.

 

Information about SRS careers is available at www.srs.gov.

US2020 Convening

Local representatives attended the national US2020 City Network Convening in Downey, CA, at the Columbia Memorial Space Center this month. This marked the first time representatives from all 22 communities were together since the Allendale Team was named a US2020 STEM Coalition Challenge finalist earlier this year. The convening gives Allendale STEM leaders a strong connection to similar communities across the nation working to spark moments of discovery for students in rural regions.

The event was filled with opportunities for networking, and was focused on helping each community develop a clear, actionable, roadmap for achieving the grand goals needed for success locally. Steven Brown and Shelby Broomfield, both of Dreams, Imagination & Gifts Development Program (DIG) participated in the workshop along with Kim Saxon, SRSCRO Assistant Coordinator.

Speakers included Mk Haley, head of Academic Research for Disney Imagineering, and the workshop segments were led by Christofer Nelson from the Association of Science-Technology Centers.

Already, the STEM Community Coalition is taking form in Allendale, SC to bring students greater opportunities for maker-centered learning that help students build proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).