AIKEN, S.C. – During a ceremony held October 6, Dave Beck, Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), recognized three Savannah River Site (SRS) project teams for their outstanding contributions to the nation’s nuclear security. The teams received Defense Program Awards of Excellence from the NNSA Office of Defense Programs for work completed during calendar year 2025 in support of maintaining the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile and its deterrence mission.
Beck commended the teams for their accomplishment, highlighting their sense of urgency in completing NNSA’s mission critical work and the need to continue working with that sense of urgency in support of securing the nation’s nuclear deterrent.
“Savannah River Site’s work is increasingly vital to our nation’s deterrence mission, and every member of this team is making a meaningful difference,” said Beck. “You are part of an enterprise that is deterring our adversaries in a major way. We must deliver results with greater speed and urgency, and you are helping us do exactly that. Thank you for your commitment to this mission and for the important work you are doing to strengthen our nation’s nuclear deterrent.”
Established in 1982, the Defense Program Awards of Excellence are presented annually to honor significant individual and team achievements in quality, productivity, cost savings, safety and innovation supporting the nation’s nuclear weapons and stockpile stewardship programs.
SRS teams recognized during the ceremony include:
Savannah River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE) Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Outage
SRTE completed the year-long CY25 Outage, replacing Cold War-era equipment critical to sustaining the nation’s tritium supply, which is essential to the nation’s nuclear deterrent. The team replaced chillers, compressors, hydride beds, and other major components, maneuvering large systems through restricted access points inside an operating nuclear facility. The outage delivered more than 560,000 work hours and modernized the H Area New Manufacturing facility, strengthening the nation’s nuclear deterrent.
SRTE Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF) 2025-2026 Extractions
The SRTE TEF Team achieved a record-breaking production of 13 tritium extractions in just nine months across fiscal years 2025–2026. This accomplishment included extracting more than 3,000 TPBARs, processing six Legal Weight Truck cask shipments and two waste containers, and refurbishing 10 cutterheads—each essential to sustaining and advancing tritium extraction capabilities. Together, these efforts are critical to maintaining the readiness of the U.S. nuclear deterrent and ensuring the long-term availability of the nation’s tritium supply.
High-Fidelity Training and Operations Center (HFTOC) Finalized Critical Decision (CD)-2/3 Package
The Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility (SRPPF) project team finalized the HFTOC CD-2/3 package in less than nine months, advancing the plutonium pit production mission through design completion of the specialized prototyping and training facility. By rapidly incorporating review recommendations, the team completed the design ahead of schedule while accelerating a portion of CD‑3X construction. Strategic glovebox conversions and supplier transitions reduced costs and improved long-term schedule performance for pit production, allowing for faster production in the future.
“These accomplishments demonstrate the exceptional expertise, teamwork and commitment of our SRS workforce. From modernizing critical infrastructure to advancing tritium extraction and supporting the nation’s plutonium pit production mission, these teams are delivering with urgency and purpose. Their achievements are a testament to the vital role we play in strengthening national security and deterrence during an increasingly complex global environment,” said SRNS President and CEO Jeff Griffin.
Following the ceremony, Beck toured key NNSA facilities and engaged in briefings with leaders from the NNSA Savannah River Field Office and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), the managing and operating contractor for SRS.
Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile; works to reduce the global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and militarily effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad.
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, a Fluor and HII partnership company, is responsible for the management and operations of the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, located near Aiken, South Carolina.
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