Over 100 Savannah River Site employees were recently recognized as members of teams receiving Secretary of Energy Achievement Awards, including many Department of Energy (DOE) and contractor employees, based on accomplishments in 2023.

These awards recognize DOE employees and contractors for their service and contributions to the Department’s mission and the benefit of the Nation. They represent some of the highest internal, non-monetary recognitions that DOE employees and contractors can receive. 

“We are proud to announce that many SRS employees were again recognized as contributors to several of the teams honored with Secretary of Energy Achievement Awards,” Savannah River Site Manager Mike Budney said. “Thank you to our employees who work tirelessly to contribute to our community, our nation, and the world.”

SRS employees were recognized as contributing members to the following teams:

• DOE Cross-Cutting Fleet Management Team: Ordered over 500 zero-emission vehicles and installed nearly 600 charging ports in FY23, working to meet an executive order requiring Federal Agencies to reach 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2035.

• Surplus Plutonium Disposition Program Team: Completed the first shipment of downblended plutonium from SRS to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Fiscal Year 2023. The team upgraded equipment, constructed an interim staging facility, certified the waste characterization process, and hired, trained and qualified over 100 staff in two years, expanding from one to four operational shifts ahead of schedule.

• Savannah River Site New Tritium Diffuser Design Team: Tritium Engineering, in collaboration with the Savannah River National Laboratory and Terminal Manufacturing Company, completed fabrication of and received the first new high pressure diffuser assembly, after working the design and fabrication for the last three years. The procurement of this and subsequent diffusers will prepare the Enterprise for upcoming system revitalization outages and Tritium sustainment capabilities.

• Joint Los Alamos National Laboratory/Savannah River Site Pit Manufacturing Classification Guide Team: This team developed and delivered the Pit Manufacturing Classification Guide. This single guide consolidates information and clarifies gaps and inconsistencies among the previous documents and streamlines the training for new derivative classifiers.

• German FRM-II Low Enriched Uranium Conversion Team: Negotiated and provided the technical analysis and support that led to the Bavarian and German governments’ commitment to convert the FRM II research reactor from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU). After over a decade of discussion, the teams overcame technical and political challenges to achieve the commitment to end the use of Russian HEU at the FRM II reactor.

• International Molybdenum-99 Conversion Team: Achieved the final conversion of the Belgian National Institute for Radioelements Molybdenum-99 Production Facility, marking the successful conversion of all major global Molybdenum-99 producers to only using LEU targets. This supports nonproliferation goals as well as the sustainable long-term production of a vital medical isotope that’s used to diagnose heart disease and cancer across the globe.