Office of Naval Reactors (2020 Presidential transition)
| Book 3 - Organization Overview
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| Entire 2020 DOE Transition book As of October 2020 |
Supporting the DOE Mission
Strategic Plan Goal 2: Nuclear Security
Strengthen national security by maintaining and modernizing the nuclear stockpile and nuclear security infrastructure; reducing global nuclear threats; providing for nuclear propulsion; improving physical and cybersecurity; and strengthening key science, technology, and engineering capabilities.
Strategic Objective 7
Provide safe and effective integrated nuclear propulsion systems for the U.S. Navy
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Mission Statement
Naval Reactors is a joint Department of Energy / Department of the Navy organization solely responsible for all naval nuclear propulsion work, beginning with reactor technology development, continuing through reactor operation, and ending with reactor plant disposal. Naval Reactors ensures the safe and reliable operation of reactor plants in nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers (constituting over 40 percent of the Navy’s major combatants) and fulfills the Navy’s requirements for new and affordable nuclear propulsion plants that meet current and future national defense requirements, delivered on schedule and within budget.
Budget
| Fiscal Year | Budget |
| FY 2019 enacted | $1,788,700,000 |
| FY 2020 enacted | $1,648,400,000 |
| FY 2021 requested | $1,684,000,000 |
History
In 1946, shortly after the end of World War II , Congress passed the Atomic Energy Act , which established the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to succeed the wartime Manhattan Project and gave it sole responsibility for developing atomic energy in the United States . At this time, Captain Hyman G. Rickover recognized the military implications of successfully harnessing atomic power for submarine propulsion and knew it would be necessary for the Navy to work with the AEC. By 1949, Captain Rickover had forged an agreement between the AEC and the Navy, and Rickover’s new organization contracted with Westinghouse to develop a facility— the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory —to develop a pressurized-water reactor design. In 1950, Rickover contracted with General Electric to determine whether a liquid-metal reactor design, which General Electric was developing at the AEC’s Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory , could be applied to naval propulsion.
The USS NAUTILUS , using the pressurized-water design, and the USS SEAWOLF , using the liquid- metal design, were built, tested, commissioned, and put to sea in 1955 and 1957, respectively. The USS SEAWOLF successfully operated at sea until the first refueling; experience demonstrated that pressurized-water technology was preferable for naval applications. The USS NAUTILUS became the basis for all subsequent U.S. nuclear-powered warship designs. In less than seven years, Captain Rickover obtained Congressional support to develop an industrial base in a new technology; pioneered new materials; designed, built, and operated a prototype reactor; established a training program; and took a nuclear-powered submarine to sea. The success and speed of development revolutionized naval warfare and has ensured America undersea and nuclear propulsion superiority ever since.
For more than 34 years, Admiral Rickover headed the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (the Program). Upon retirement in 1982, he left behind a tradition of technical excellence and an organization staffed by experienced professionals dedicated to designing, building, and operating naval nuclear propulsion plants safely, and in a manner that protects people and the environment. The result is a fleet of nuclear-powered warships unparalleled in capability, and a mature, highly disciplined infrastructure of Government and private organizations that continue to build on Admiral Rickover’s legacy.
In the 1970s, Government restructuring moved the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program from the AEC to what became the Department of Energy. In 2000, the Program became a part of the newly formed NNSA within DOE. During these transitions, the Program retained its dual DOE/Navy responsibility, and has maintained its basic organization, responsibilities, and technical discipline.
A strong Navy is crucial to the security of the United States, a nation with world-wide interests that receives the vast majority of its trade and energy via trans-oceanic shipment. Navy warships are deployed around the world every day to provide a credible “forward presence,” ready to respond wherever America’s interests are threatened. Nuclear propulsion plays an essential role in this, providing the mobility, flexibility, and endurance that today’s smaller Navy requires to meet a growing number of missions. Over 40 percent of the Navy’s major combatants are nuclear-powered, including 70 submarines and 11 aircraft carriers.
Presidential Executive Order 12344 and Public Law 98-525 and Public Law 106-65 set forth the total responsibility of Naval Reactors for all aspects of the Navy’s nuclear propulsion, including research, design, construction, testing, operation, maintenance, and ultimate disposition of Naval nuclear propulsion plants. Naval Reactors’ responsibility includes all related facilities, radiological controls, and environmental, safety, and health matters, as well as selection, training, and assignment of personnel. All of this work is accomplished by a lean network of dedicated research laboratories; nuclear-capable shipyards; equipment contractors and suppliers; and training facilities, which are centrally controlled by a small headquarters staff. The Director of Naval Reactors, Admiral James F. Caldwell, Jr. , also serves as a Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration .
Naval Reactors maintains an outstanding record of over 167 million miles safely steamed on nuclear power. The Program currently operates 97 reactors and has accumulated over 7,200 reactor-years of operations. A leader in environmental protection, the Program has published annual environmental reports since the 1960s, which show that the Program has not had an adverse effect on human health or the quality of the environment. Because of the Program’s demonstrated reliability, U.S. nuclear-powered warships are welcome in more than 150 ports of call in over 50 foreign countries and dependencies.
Since USS NAUTILUS (SSN 571) first signaled “Underway on nuclear power” in 1955, U.S. nuclear- powered ships have demonstrated their superiority in defending the country, from the start of the Cold War to today’s unconventional threats, and beyond to future advances that will ensure the dominance of American sea power well into the future.
Functions
By employing a small but high-performing technical base, the teams at Naval Reactors’ four Program sites—the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory in Pittsburgh; the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and Kesselring Site in upstate New York ; and spent nuclear fuel facilities in Idaho—can perform the research and development, analysis, engineering, and testing needed to support today’s fleet at sea and develop future nuclear-powered warships. Importantly, Naval Reactors’ labs perform the technical evaluations that enable thorough assessment of emergent issues and delivery of timely responses that ensure nuclear safety and maximize operational flexibility. This technical base supports the nuclear-trained Navy sailors, who safely maintain and operate the 97 nuclear propulsion plants in the fleet around the globe. Industry-specific business conditions, external technological developments, and Department of Navy decisions all impact the performance of naval nuclear propulsion work. Naval nuclear propulsion work is an integrated effort involving the DOE and the Navy, which are full partners in the Program. Functions include:
Emergent Needs and Challenges of our Nuclear Fleet
Naval Reactors’ first priority is support of today’s fleet. Naval Reactors labs perform the technical evaluations that enable thorough assessment of approximately 4,000 emergent issues annually and deliver timely responses that ensure nuclear safety and maximize operational flexibility.
Naval Reactors’ Government-owned, contractor- operated laboratories, the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory and the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory , are predominately involved with the design, development, and operational oversight of nuclear propulsion plants for naval vessels. Through these laboratories, and through testing conducted at the Advanced Test Reactor located on the Idaho National Laboratory , the Program performs the following:
- Design, analysis, and testing of reactor plant components and systems.
- Development, testing, examination, and evaluation of nuclear fuel systems, materials, and manufacturing; and inspection methods necessary to ensure the continued safety and reliability of reactor plants in Navy warships.
- Testing, maintenance, and servicing at land- based prototype nuclear propulsion plants.
- Execute planned inactivation of shut down, land-based reactor plants in support of environmental cleanup goals.
- Radiological, environmental, and safety monitoring and ongoing cleanup of facilities necessary to protect people, minimize release of hazardous effluents to the environment, and comply with all applicable regulations.
Decontaminating and Decommissioning
Naval Reactors continues efforts to decontaminate and decommission (D&D) older facilities that have been in existence since the start of the Program in the early 1950s in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner.
Internal and External Reviews and Audits
Naval Reactors evaluates the effectiveness, relevance, and progress towards achieving its goals, objectives, and targets by conducting various internal and external reviews and audits. Naval Reactors Headquarters provides continuous oversight and direction for all elements of Program work. A dedicated Government Headquarters professional staff, expert in nuclear technology, makes all major technical decisions regarding design, procurement, operations, maintenance, training, and logistics. Headquarters engineers set standards and specifications for all Program work, while on-site Headquarters representatives monitor the work at the laboratories, prototypes, shipyards, and prime contractors.
Recent Organization Accomplishments
The Office of Naval Reactors recent significant organization accomplishments include:
Columbia-Class Submarine
The COLUMBIA-Class ballistic missile submarine is the Navy’s number one acquisition priority. Naval Reactors is on track to support the start of ship construction in FY 2021 and is committed to delivering the 40+ year life-of-ship reactor core and the electric drive propulsion system necessary for the COLUMBIA-Class program. After extensive efforts, Naval Reactors witnessed completion of prototype manufacturing and integration of its electric drive system at Naval Surface Warfare Center - Philadelphia. Last year, the Navy began procuring long-lead material for the propulsion plant and manufacturing the life-of-ship reactor core. This year, Naval Reactors continues supporting oversight of the lead ship propulsion plant design, reactor component manufacturing, and safety analysis work required to support lead ship reactor testing.
Refueling Land-Based Prototype Reactor
The S8G Prototype, located at the Kesselring Site in West Milton, NY, was built in the late 1970s and serves as a critical operating nuclear reactor to train sailors and prototypically test reactor technologies. Its refueling overhaul began in September 2018 and will recapitalize the prototype for an additional 20 years of service to maintain vital research and testing capabilities and continue to train nuclear operators for the Navy’s nuclear-powered fleet. The new reactor core for the prototype contains fuel assemblies built with COLUMBIA-Class technology, proving out production scale manufacturing for the COLUMBIA-Class reactor core. Newport News Shipbuilding, working with teams from other naval shipyards and local on-site trades, is the lead organization for completing the refueling overhaul of the S8G Prototype. The refueling overhaul is scheduled to complete in 2022 in order to return to training nuclear operators in 2023.
Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization Project
The Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization Project is designing and constructing the Naval Spent Fuel Handling Facility that will be located at the Naval Reactors Facility in Idaho. The facility is critical to the Program’s mission to manage U.S. Navy spent nuclear fuel and support aircraft carrier and submarine fleet refueling and defueling requirements. This project will recapitalize the naval spent nuclear fuel handling capabilities (i.e., receipt, preparation, and packaging of naval spent nuclear fuel) of the more than 60-year-old Expended Core Facility (ECF) and its support facilities. To date, the facility site location has been fully excavated, concrete placement to support the facility foundations has begun, and preparations for structural steel fabrication is underway.
Leadership Challenges
None.
Critical Events and Action Items
None.
Organizational Chart
Links
Internal
Transitions 2020-organization overviews - NNSA Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation