DOE CONSIDERING COST SAVING OPTIONS FOR SRS H-CANYON

Experts Find Conservative Safety Approach Results in Higher Costs
(As reported in WC Monitor, June 1, 2009)

The Department of Energy is currently evaluating a set of expert recommendations that could result in hundreds of millions of dollars in cost savings through improved efficiency at the Savannah River Site’s H-Canyon Chemical Separations Facility and the site’s K Area, used to store nuclear materials. The recommendations were developed early this year by Knoxville, Tenn.-based Brandan Enterprises, Inc. and a redacted version was obtained by WC Monitor last month through a Freedom of Information Act request. If fully implemented, the recommendations could save more than $470 million over 10 years at K Area and more than $265 million over 10 years at H-Canyon, the firm said.