National Nuclear Security Administration Support
SRNS carries out SRS’ work supporting two of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA’s) core missions: Stockpile Support and Nonproliferation
Stockpile Support
The purpose for establishing SRS in the 1950s was to support the nation’s nuclear defense. Today, the Site continues to fulfill that purpose by maintaining the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile through application of unparalleled science, technology, engineering and manufacturing
Savannah River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE)
As it has since its earliest years, SRS carries out crucial missions related to tritium, the radioactive isotope of hydrogen necessary to the modern nuclear stockpile. SRTE is the nation’s only facility for extracting, recycling, purifying and reloading tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is a key element of modern nuclear weapons.
Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility (SRPPF)
A plutonium pit is a critical component of every nuclear weapon. The United States’ current capability to produce them is very limited. In 2018, the Nuclear Weapons Council endorsed the National Nuclear Security Administration’s approach for supplying plutonium pits to meet stockpile requirements: a two-site strategy with Savannah River Site’s SRPPF, along with Los Alamos National Laboratory, producing no fewer than 80 pits per year.
Nonproliferation
SRNS’ nuclear materials expertise and capabilities make SRS a valued contributor to NNSA’s mission to prevent nuclear weapon proliferation and reduce the threat of nuclear and radiological terrorism around the world
Plutonium Disposition
SRS missions include the use of its unique facilities, capabilities and expertise for legacy
material disposition. Pu and other nuclear material management missions have long been
conducted at SRS, using facilities in various areas. The current Surplus Pu Disposition mission
is to dispose of and manage excess weapon-useable Pu from both domestic stockpiles and
Pu returned from abroad.
SRS uses downblending (also referred to as dilution) in the K Area Complex as part of
the Dilute & Dispose strategy for disposition of surplus Plutonium. |
