Press Releases

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
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NNSA NEWS

U.S. Department of Energy
National Nuclear Security Administration
Production Office News Release

AMARILLO, Texas -- Officials from the National Nuclear Security Administration Production Office (NPO) and Texas Tech University (TTU) signed an agreement today that could pave the way for the Pantex Plant to become a leading force in the drive to increase use of renewable wind energy.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed today in Lubbock by NNSA Production Office Manager Steven Erhart and TTU Chancellor Kent Hance and University President M. Duane Nellis. The MOU enables both parties to analyze the feasibility of creating a national research center at Pantex that would combine the resources of DOE/NNSA, Pantex and Tech’s National Wind Institute (NWI) to “create a world-class wind energy research center.”

“Pantex has clearly signaled its commitment to lead the way toward a more sustainable energy future for the federal government and the country as a whole,” said NPO Manager Steve Erhart. “The vision laid out in this MOU will build on that commitment and pay huge dividends for decades to come with our longstanding partner Texas Tech University.”

Pantex and Tech have a long historical connection. The property of the original Pantex Ordnance Plant was leased to the university for $1 after the plant closed following the conclusion of World War II. The federal government reacquired some of the land in 1951 to open the Pantex Plant. TTU now owns approximately 6,000 of the Plant’s 18,000 acres, which is farmed for research purposes and used as a security buffer for Pantex.

The core of the agreement signed Thursday is the new Pantex Renewable Energy Project (PREP), a five-turbine, 11.5 megawatt wind farm that is being built on federal land east of the main Pantex Plant. The project is expected to be completed this summer and will provide about 60 percent of the plant’s annual electrical energy needs. Through the MOU, TTU and NWI will receive access to information about PREP and the plant’s energy usage, including operational and output data, which will be used to study ways to make renewable wind energy more reliable and efficient.

“As the site of the largest federally owned wind farm, Pantex is well positioned to be a leader in the federal government’s emphasis for increased use of renewable wind energy,” Erhart said. “Given the historical connection between Tech and Pantex, it makes perfect sense to join our resources together to help secure the energy future for our country and our planet.”

The MOU describes a desire by the signatories to develop a TTU wind energy center that will be built on Tech’s portion of the Pantex land. The center would have access to much of the rest of the open land on the Pantex site to develop a utility-scale wind energy system to support the nation’s long-term energy goals by conducting wind research, contributing to local workforce development and developing wind energy technologies that help resolve the key scientific challenges facing the industry.

The mission of the NNSA Production Office is to ensure the safe, secure and cost-effective operation of the Pantex Plant, Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

-NNSA-

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Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science in the nation’s national security enterprise. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability, and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; reduces the global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad. Visit http://www.nnsa.energy.gov/ for more information.

Photos available upon request.

CONTACT
Brenda Finley
NNSA Production Office Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-3120

Steven Wyatt
NNSA Production Office Public Affairs
(865) 576-9918

Area middle schoolers work to build renewable energy vehicles

The next great innovator in modern automotive design might just be getting their start this weekend at the B&W Pantex Electric Battery Car Race.

Aspiring auto engineers from middle schools across the Panhandle will gather at Caprock High School to put their skills to the test in a 20-meter race to see whose design is the fastest and most stylish.

The car race, which is part of the National Science Bowl, will pit 24 teams of car builders against each other in a competition to build the fastest battery powered car. The event challenges students to use scientific knowledge, creative thinking, experimentation and teamwork to design and build a car powered by renewable energy.

Each year, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sponsors the car races, with different types of propulsion chosen for the cars. In prior years, the cars were powered by solar power or Hydrogen fuel cells. This year, DOE chose electric battery cars. Teams were given kits a month ago to assemble into the fastest, most stylish car they can create.

“This is an exciting way for these students to get hands-on experience applying the knowledge they learn in school,” said race coordinator Debra Halliday. “It’s a fun way for us to encourage a new generation of inventors and engineers.”

The races start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Caprock High School. Each race will feature four cars running down a 20-meter track, as well as a competition for car design and most attractive car.

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

Work with migratory birds nets U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service award nomination

For the third year in a row, the Pantex Plant has been nominated by the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration for a national award in recognition of its research on migratory birds.

Pantex will represent the DOE/NNSA in the competition for the 2014 Presidential Migratory Bird Federal Stewardship Award, which has been administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 2011. Each federal agency is eligible to nominate one project or action conducted by or in partnership with a federal agency that meets the intent and spirit of Executive Order 13186 by focusing on migratory bird conservation.

The Presidential order directs federal agencies to promote research on migratory birds through partnerships, outreach and information sharing. DOE/NNSA typically chooses the nominee each year from all facilities that have migratory bird programs.

“DOE and NNSA nominated Pantex three years in a row for this award, which indicates just how strong our migratory bird program is at Pantex,” said Teresa Robbins, acting assistant manager for Environment, Safety, Health & Quality with the NNSA Production Office (NPO). “We are proud to represent the DOE and NNSA in this competition and proud that our migratory bird conservation efforts have been recognized through this nomination.”

The site’s work to research and protect migratory birds began to evolve in 2002, and over the years has included efforts involving Western Burrowing Owls, Purple Martins and migratory birds that may be affected by wind energy development. Work is proposed and coordinated by James D. Ray, Pantex Plant wildlife biologist, with support from NPO.

Pantex pursued partnerships with multiple educational, governmental and private organizations, including Texas Tech University, the United States Geological Survey’s Texas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, West Texas A&M University (WTAMU), private landowners, banding site cooperators, York University and the Purple Martin Conservation Association.

This year’s application focused heavily on the research elements of the migratory birds program and the academic and professional output that has resulted from that research. Research on migratory birds at Pantex has contributed to five Master of Science degree theses and has been published in multiple technical journals. Presentations on the research have been made at more than 30 professional meetings, as well as local groups.

Currently, a multifaceted project is evaluating the effects of wind energy development on migratory birds. This program includes a contract with WTAMU and has resulted in the development of a comprehensive literature review on the impacts of wind energy on wildlife, and the initiation of pre- and post-turbine monitoring of migratory birds. This project also involves surveys of plots for wintering and migrating raptors, surveys of plots in different habitat types during the breeding season for birds and nests, along with radio and satellite tracking of Swainson’s hawks.

New research collaborations have provided insights into the migratory patterns of the Swainson’s hawks and the Purple Martins as they migrate from the Texas Panhandle to winter in South America.

Taken together, the different actions involved in the migratory bird program present a picture of a site that is dedicated to exceeding the minimum federal mandates for migratory birds.

“Pantex is really a unique site that provides many excellent opportunities for research into all areas of wildlife and the environment,” Ray said. “We are committed not only to taking care of the environment here at Pantex, but to contributing to wildlife conservation on a larger scale, beyond the borders of the plant.”

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

Teams from as far away as Lubbock, Higgins to compete for regional title

More than 30 teams of competitors will once again gather at West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) for the annual Pantex Science Bowl competition.

This weekend’s event will feature 35 high school teams from 20 schools across the Texas Panhandle and High Plains in a head-to-head competition that will thoroughly test their knowledge of math and science.

“This is the culmination of months of work for these dedicated students,” said Debra Halliday, B&W Pantex Science Bowl coordinator. “It’s amazing to see how much knowledge they bring to the competition every year.”

Around 200 Pantex employees and community volunteers will be on hand to help run the Science Bowl. The competition features teams of four students answering science and math questions in a game show style round-robin format, followed by a double elimination tournament after lunch. The winner of Saturday’s event will be eligible to travel to Washington in April to compete with scores of other teams from across the U.S. for the national title. Last year, Amarillo High School won the regional competition and tested their knowledge in Washington D.C.

In addition to bragging rights and a shot at the national title, the winning team will earn $1,000 for its school’s science program, with $500 and $250 going to the second and third place schools.

This year, the Education Credit Union has joined the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Pantex and WTAMU in sponsoring the event. Science Bowl is the DOE’s longest-running educational outreach program. Science Bowls have been held in this area for 24 years.

The high school round is the second phase of the Science Bowl competition. A team from Panhandle Junior High School won the middle school competition February 8.

Schools participating in this year’s Pantex High School Science Bowl are:

Amarillo High School
Booker High School
Canyon High School
Caprock High School
Dumas High School
Estacado High School
Fort Elliott High School
Friona High School
Hartley High School
Higgins ISD
Highland Park High School
Holy Cross Catholic Academy
Lazbuddie High School
Lubbock High School
New Home ISD
Palo Duro High School
Panhandle High School
Randall High School
Shallowater High School
Spur High School

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CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
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Pantexans to run/bike 65 miles to raise awareness

---- Note: Last week’s weather postponed the run. It has been rescheduled for Friday, Dec. 13 ----

Pantexans again will be hitting the road Friday in an effort to raise awareness about hunger in the Texas Panhandle in the third annual Pantex Run Against Hunger. This year the route will be even longer, running from White Deer to Amarillo for a 65-mile trip.

Byron Logan and Randy Stokes, officers in the Safeguards & Security Division at Pantex, will again embark on a long-distance trek through parts of the Panhandle, ending at the High Plains Food Bank, 815 Ross Street, Amarillo.

Starting in White Deer, the pair will bike on Highway 60 through Panhandle and over to Highland Park Schools, where they will begin an approximately 20-mile run to the Food Bank. Other Pantexans are expected to join them along the route, some during the bike ride and others during the run. They will be followed by a Bearcat, which is an armored vehicle used by Security Police Officers at Pantex.

“Randy and I wanted to do something to help people in our community who are struggling,” Logan said. “We run long distances, and we wanted to use that skill to raise awareness about hunger in our area.”

The runners’ progress will be posted on http://twitter.com/PantexPlant.

The Run Against Hunger began in 2011 with a 30-mile run from Pantex to the Food Bank’s food drive at United Market Street. Last year the pair added a 40-mile bike ride, visiting with students at Panhandle and Highland Park schools.

The food bank is continuing to accept donations of food and cash. The food bank can take a donation of $5 and stretch it into $50 of food. The top needs this year are green beans, canned soups, canned mixed vegetables, bagged rice and sweet peas.

Any media outlet wishing to cover this effort is welcome to film along the route of the run. They plan to begin the running portion at approximately noon running west on U.S. Highway 60, south on Lakeside Drive and west on the Interstate 40 access road into Amarillo and to the Food Bank. They expect to arrive at the Food Bank at approximately 3 p.m., where they will be available for interviews. For updates on where the run is along the route, please contact Laura Bailey at 223-8211.

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B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program Superior STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

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

Management system delivered early, under budget

B&W Pantex today announced the successful implementation of the National Nuclear Security Administration Integrated Production Planning and Execution System (IPRO) seven months ahead of schedule and approximately $8 million below projected cost.

As with most complex manufacturing processes, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool is utilized at Pantex to minimize required on-hand inventory while ensuring the right product with the right quality is delivered at the right time. B&W Pantex developed and deployed IPRO to modernize its ERP system and reduce cost while improving operational visibility and inventory accuracy. IPRO represents a major system (hardware/software) upgrade designed to integrate management of mission critical functions.

The program not only replaces software management systems dating back nearly 25 years, it provides a portable, customizable and flexible ERP solution to sustain the ever-evolving electronic workplace.

On November 1, the Pantex Plant successfully completed the first 100 days since implementation of IPRO, achieving a full production rate despite several challenges, including an NNSA-directed operations suspension in preparation for the government shutdown. The challenge of using the new system during the unprecedented shutdown proved a worthy test for IPRO.

“The dozens of men and women who worked diligently on implementing this program are an outstanding representation of the dedication of all Pantexans,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery. “At every turn, they were willing to put in the extra hours and effort to implement this critical program under some very difficult circumstances.”

The business and mission critical activities supported by IPRO are:

• Forecasting, planning and scheduling resource requirements
• Creation and management of inventory items, bill of materials/structures and routings
• Receipt, storage, distribution and final disposition of components
• Financial management of inventory
• Collection and reporting of specific assembly and disassembly information
• Production work in process management, reporting and tracking
• The identification, tracking and disposition of non-conforming materials
• Integrated authorization and control of movement for nuclear materials and explosives

IPRO enabled the modernization of warehouse and inventory operations, including the use of a mobile, dockable electronic scanner that increases accuracy and tracking of inventory.

Success of this project is attributed to the use of a tailored approach execution strategy which allowed the project team and the oversight community to adapt quickly and remain flexible as the project progressed through different phases. Using an iterative approach to the development of IPRO, 23 man-years of effort were expended in an eleven-month period. These iterative development cycles allowed team members to deliver pieces of IPRO early in the development phase, allowing testing and adjustments to progress promptly.

IPRO utilizes an Oracle PeopleSoft-based software solution, which creates the potential for integration across the Nuclear Security Enterprise, where 90 percent of the Enterprise Resource Planning tools are based on PeopleSoft.

“The Pantex Plant has once again demonstrated innovative thinking and a willingness to look at the big picture with IPRO,” said NNSA Production Office Manager Steve Erhart. “This system not only increases the reliability, accuracy and quality of operations at Pantex, it has the potential to do the same for facilities throughout NNSA.”

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-END-

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

Review shows Plant on track for legacy contamination cleanup

The Pantex Plant passed a significant milestone in November in its effort to clean up legacy contamination at the site, securing state and federal approval in a review of the decade-long remediation process.

The completion of the five-year review, with the concurrence of officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), confirms the effectiveness of ongoing efforts to clean up soil and perched groundwater contamination remaining from decades of weapons production at the Plant.

“Protection of the environment is a critical focus of all our efforts at Pantex. The results of this review show that we are taking the right steps to accomplish that mission,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery.

Pantex played a key role in the Cold War, helping to secure America through the creation of a safe and effective nuclear stockpile. Those efforts left contamination in soil and perched groundwater at the Plant. While the sources that generated the contamination have been eliminated, the contamination itself remains and must be remediated for long-term protection of human health and the environment.

Starting in the early 2000’s, Pantex worked with EPA and TCEQ to select the remedy under the auspices of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). The selected remedy includes innovative approaches to clean up contaminants on the plant site, primarily high explosives, solvents, perchlorate and chromium.

Groundwater contamination is limited to a shallow perched aquifer beneath the plant and Texas Tech University property to the south. Remediation is focused on removing the contamination, removing water from the perched aquifer to limit migration of contamination, protecting the regional drinking water aquifer known as the Ogallala Aquifer and working to restore the perched aquifer for drinking water purposes. This is accomplished primarily through two conventional pump and treat systems that beneficially reuse the treated water and two innovative bioremediation systems that pump a food source (emulsified soybean oil) into the aquifer to sustain bacteria that break down contaminants.

Much of the soil contamination is left over from legacy waste practices that included disposal of contaminated wastewater, solvents, or debris in unlined ditches, pits or landfills. Cleanup actions in these areas include a soil vapor extraction system, ditch liners and vegetative covers on landfills.

The CERCLA review confirmed that the remedial actions in place are functioning well to protect human health and the environment by containing and treating contamination as appropriate. The review concludes the remedial actions are effective and will continue to function well into the foreseeable future. Pantex is committed to continuing to operate the actions and make modifications to enhance effectiveness in the future.

“I’d like to congratulate the men and women who have worked so hard over the past 10 years to help clean up contamination at the Pantex Plant. Their dedication has allowed us to say with absolute assurance that Pantex is committed to protecting the people and the environment of the Texas Panhandle,” said NNSA Production Office Manager Steve Erhart.

The results of the CERCLA review and more information on environmental cleanup efforts at Pantex are available. The next Environmental Long Term Stewardship Public Meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m., December 2 at the Square House Museum in Panhandle.
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CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Plant caps off excellent year in safety with lowest-ever injury rate

The Pantex Plant continues to lead the way within the Nuclear Weapons Complex for safe operations, concluding fiscal year 2013 with the lowest recordable case rate in the Plant’s history.

The record for Total Recordable Case Rate (TRC) at 0.26 is a fitting end to an outstanding year in safety, which saw Pantexans set a record in January by working more than eight million man hours without a lost time injury while Pantex was once again honored as one of the outstanding sites in the complex with the Star of Excellence from the Department of Energy’s Voluntary Protection Program.

“We are very proud of the safety-conscious attitude our Pantexans display each and every day,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery. “This achievement is a reflection of their individual commitment to helping ensure a strong nuclear safety culture at Pantex.

The TRC measures the number of employee hours worked in a year relative to the number of reportable injuries. This is the standard OSHA formula used by all industries across the nation. B&W Pantex has made reducing the number of injuries a top priority when it took over operation of the Plant in 2001. The number of recordable injuries has decreased 92 percent during that time.

Pantex has continued to look for innovative ways to address safety concerns. This past year, Nuclear Safety Culture became a prime area of focus, with numerous initiatives enacted to establish a culture of safety commensurate with the critical work performed at Pantex.

“The many honors Pantex received this year are gratifying, but the TRC record is the safety achievement that really measures how safe our employees are at the Plant,” said Jim Stevens, manager of the Environmental, Safety, Health and Quality Division at Pantex. “Setting an all-time case rate record means that Pantexans are working more safely than they ever have, which is the standard we strive to achieve every day.”
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CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Applications for the Pantex Christmas Project are now available from school counselors at Amarillo and Canyon public schools, all Amarillo Public Libraries or by calling 477-5533 and requesting an application by mail. This year, the applications will also be available online. Applications are available in English and Spanish and must be postmarked by October 10, 2013.

Pantex employees have been supporting the Pantex Christmas Project for more than 57 years. The Project will serve approximately 165 children and 15 elderly individuals. Children of selected families receive clothing and toys. Notices will be sent to families informing them if their application has been accepted. Families will be assisted one time only and are asked to not submit an application if they have received assistance from the Project in the past.

The Pantex Christmas Project will host a party for selected families on December 20, where about 100 Pantex volunteers will gather to help spread holiday cheer to families that need assistance.

Please help us call attention to this important opportunity for families that may need assistance this Christmas.

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