Nuclear criticality safety

The process by which fissionable materials are produced, processed, stored, transferred, disposed, or handled in such a manner that the probability of a release of energy as a result of accidentally producing a self-sustaining or divergent neutron chain reaction is acceptably low, and to the extent practical, Government and private personnel and public and private property are protected from damaging effects and undue hazards that may arise from such an incident. Fissionable materials on DOE facilities include nuclides capable of sustaining a neutron-induced fission chain reaction, including uranium-233, uranium-235, plutonium-239, plutonium-238, plutonium-241, neptunium-237, americium-241, and curium- 244)

Correspondence, reports, and recommendations related to the way facilities and sites processes, manage or store fissionable materials, including laboratories storage and processing facilities as well as reviews of DOE programs and safety related directives addressing nuclear criticality.

DOE Implementation of Recommendation 2004-1 (2nd)

This is the second in a series of public meetings to examine the Department of Energy's (DOE) implementation of Recommendation 2004-1, Oversight of Complex, High-Hazard Nuclear Operations. The Board is reviewing DOE's and the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) current oversight and safety management of the contracts and contractors they rely upon to accomplish the mission assigned to DOE and NNSA under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, at defense nuclear facilities.

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