Savannah River Site
News Release #1
Date: August 17, 2015Time: 3:42
Aiken, S.C.—A potential security event is in progress that has triggered emergency response activities at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site. This message is being sent to you as part of our emergency response organization information process.
Site barricades are currently closed to incoming traffic. There is no indication of a consequence beyond the Savannah River Site boundaries.
When more specific information is available, including further media contact information, it will be provided to you through the Site’s public information staff.
8/17/2015 NR#1
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Savannah River Site
News Release #2
AIKEN, S.C.—This is an update to the emergency declaration at the Savannah River Site.The event was declared after electronic and canine scans of a vendor delivery truck indicated a possibility of explosive residue on the truck. Law enforcement agencies from South Carolina and Georgia were called and are on the scene to assistCenterra, the site security contractor.More information will be provided as it becomes available.8/17/2015 NR#2
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Savannah River Site
News Release #3
AIKEN, S.C. — This is an update to the emergency declaration at the Savannah River Site.An offsite law enforcement investigation has found no explosive residue or device on the truck that was inspected this afternoon at the Savannah River Site. An all clear was given and the site returned to normal activities at 5:52 p.m.
8/17/2015 NR#3
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About the Savannah River Site
For 60 years, the federal reservation known as the
Savannah River Site has proudly served the nation
Born in the midst of Cold War secrecy, the Savannah River Site (SRS) has always operated safely and efficiently to execute its missions. During the Cold War, it produced one third of the nation’s weapons-grade plutonium and all of the nation’s tritium—both integral components of nuclear weapons.
When the Cold War ended, the United States no longer needed the amounts of new nuclear materials as before and a new focus began—on cleaning up the Cold War legacy and downsizing the nation’s nuclear complex. Other nuclear sites across the nation were closed down, and their materials were sent to South Carolina for safekeeping because of SRS’ security excellence and unparalleled history of safety performance. Now SRS, and a handful of other sites, have became the bedrock of the United States’ nuclear future.
Today, SRS is an interesting contrast. Of its 198,000 acres, about 90 percent is pine forest and teeming swampland. The property is a National Environmental Research Park and is home to several endangered species. Waterfowl and other wildlife are plentiful. Entire areas have been razed, as they were home to buildings and operations that were no longer needed. Nature has begun to take those areas back.
Processing R&D test cells in the Sample Assay Stationin one of the tritium facilities
Processing R&D test cells in the Sample Assay Station in one of the tritium facilities
On the other 10 percent, however, the business of serving the nation is still very real. In a reduced, centralized core, operations continue, some in refurbished, robust buildings that were part of the original construction in the early 1950s. Other work takes place in modern facilities that were designed and built to be an enduring part of the nation’s nuclear future. This work includes conducting research and development at one of the United States’ national laboratories; converting highly enriched uranium into materials suitable for use in commercial nuclear reactors; producing new tritium for national security; receiving and storing spent nuclear fuel from across the nation and around the world; consolidating the nation’s plutonium and uranium; managing wastes; cleaning up and removing excess buildings; and remediating soil and groundwater.
http://www.savannahrivernuclearsolutions.com/news/news01.htm
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