Savannah River Nuclear Solutions’ (SRNS) Project Delivery
Organization (PDO) has made significant strides in enhancing project efficiency and success rates at the
Savannah River Site (SRS) in fiscal year (FY) 2025. Established in 2024 to unify project execution and
optimize minor project management, the PDO not only met all 41 FY25 Minor Project Customer milestones
but also delivered two FY26 milestones ahead of schedule. On average, the team delivered each milestone
44 days ahead of schedule.
The PDO team, comprised of 57 personnel, integrates services to enhance efficiency, urgency and project success. The team
concluded FY25 meeting all 41 milestones and delivering two FY26 milestones ahead of schedule.
Overseeing 53 projects worth $649 million and managing over 85 planning scopes, the PDO epitomizes
centralized management as emphasized by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). This
approach aims to lower costs and increase successful delivery of minor projects, while enhancing
infrastructure to support the nation’s nuclear stockpile and global security. Additionally, SRNS is revitalizing
the nation’s pit production capability and modernizing the Site’s infrastructure and utility systems, with the
PDO serving as a key support organization for these missions.
“The PDO answers NNSA’s call for urgency in minor project delivery at SRS,” stated Lee Schifer, Senior
Vice President and Deputy Chief Operations Officer. “With its integrated structure, the PDO has
enhanced autonomy, enabling the team to govern trajectory and project outcomes effectively to ensure a
higher degree of certainty in meeting SRNS and NNSA objectives.”
Project Completions and Strategic Highlights
The PDO serves as a single point of accountability, supporting the Plutonium Operations and Programs
(POP), Savannah River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE), and Site Infrastructure. The PDO significantly
strengthens project teams by improving integration, oversight, accountability, and provides advanced
project metrics and tracking capabilities.
Calendar Year (CY25) Outage and Oxygen Monitor Replacement
In FY25, SRTE delivered 26 milestones on
or ahead of schedule, largely due to the
planning associated with the CY25 Outage.
This portfolio includes six discrete projects
set to complete by the end of 2025, replacing
critical tritium processing equipment.
During the one-year outage, the H Area New
Manufacturing (HANM) facility underwent
major equipment recapitalization to support
Tritium’s mission of producing high-quality
products for national defense. This included
installing 142 process valves, 3,600 feet of
pipe, 1,425 fittings, 10,200 feet of cable,
6,500 feet of conduit and 4,400 welds.
A notable achievement was the removal and
reinstallation of a 42,000-pound hatch using
a 165-ton crane, a task not undertaken in two decades. The building was brought to zero differential
pressure to safely remove the hatch, componentry was lowered through the hatch into the facility, and
the hatch was replaced, all within 48 hours.
“SRNS excelled in delivering the CY25 Outage, executing 100% of milestones on or ahead of schedule,”
said Charlene Hidlay, SRTE CY25 Project Manager. “The outage included six projects, one of which is the
Thermal Cycling Absorption Process restoration that produces tritium to support the
stockpile. Four mechanical complete milestone projects included replacement of two chillers, four
compressors and approximately 42 valves that supply the hot and cold nitrogen to the process.”
SRTE’s project success can also be attributed to the completion of a nine-year effort to replace glovebox
oxygen monitors in the HANM facility. This portfolio project, which involved the replacement of 33 oxygen
monitors, has met every milestone over the past four fiscal years and was completed under budget. This
accomplishment ensured uninterrupted facility operations and demonstrated efficient project management.
Criticality Control Overpack (CCO) Rack Installation
SRTE Carson Blake and Chadwich Mattox perform functional checks
on a newly installed Glovebox 0xygen Monitor.
SRNS achieved the Construction
Complete Milestone for CCO Rack
Installation Phase 1 ten days ahead
of schedule. This phase included
the proposed design layout of
horizontal storage racks, each
capable of storing 24 CCOs. Once
tested in building 741-2N and later
implemented on the CCO Pad, this
new configuration will increase
storage capacity and reduce worker
radiological dose.
“The new horizontal racks allow
operators to easily retrieve
individual drums, resulting in
optimized operations, reduced
worker dose, and enhanced
shipping capabilities,” said Jeff
Hasty, PDO Project Manager.
“These racks eliminate the need for banding palletized drums, reducing time, burden and waste. We are
maximizing the existing space strategically and streamlining drum handling.”
“The team achieved critical milestones by leveraging collective experiences, manpower and technology,”
said Rachel Faub, SRNS Deputy Vice President of Infrastructure Modernization and Sustainment and
Director of the PDO. “Weekly meetings provide direct access to SRNS executive leadership and enable
proactive identification and resolution of issues, ensuring efficiency and seamless communication.”
SRNS’ expanded project portfolio will present new challenges and opportunities, necessitating further
innovation and refinement of processes to meet mission demands in FY26 and beyond.
Faub continued, “I could not be prouder of what this team has accomplished this year, and I look forward
to what we can achieve together in the future.”