June 12, 2025
Review of Explosives Storage at the Savannah River Site
The Department of Energy manages a significant portfolio of explosives material across its complex of National Laboratories and other facilities. The Savannah River Site (SRS) processes and stores nuclear materials in support of national defense and U.S. nuclear nonproliferation efforts. The Savannah River National Laboratory is a key industrial complex that supports the disposition of nuclear materials, waste management, and environmental cleanup.
Given the importance of explosives safety to protect Department property and personnel, we initiated this inspection to determine whether the Department safely stored explosives at SRS in accordance with Federal and Department requirements.
We found that SRS contractors generally stored explosives material in accordance with Federal and Department requirements. During our onsite walkthroughs at SRS in July 2024 with contractor and Federal officials, SRS contractors safely and securely stored explosives in storage locations. Additionally, we did not identify any issues pertaining to vegetation surrounding the explosives storage locations. We did identify that the Department did not require Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC and Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC to implement the 2019 version of the Department Technical Standard on explosives safety because efforts to comply with the 2012 version were still in progress. We also determined that Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC should consider revising the SRS site procedure on explosives safety to clarify requirements about situations regarding explosives that do not require an explosives safety site plan.
The Department should take all steps possible for contractors to comply with current Federal and Department requirements and continue to ensure the safe storage of explosives material.
We have made two recommendations that, if fully implemented, should help ensure that SRS contractors comply with current explosives safety requirement.