Complex Transformation | National Nuclear Security Administration

Complex Transformation is NNSA's vision for a smaller, safer, more secure and less expensive nuclear weapons complex that leverages the scientific and technical capabilities of our workforce and meets national security requirements.

The current complex is too old with too many facilities, which were required for the Cold War security environment, but are no longer necessary to use or affordable to maintain. Costs are escalating, and special nuclear materials are stored across too many different sites, which also means the cost of securing this material is escalating as well. Because the trend in funding for NNSA has been flat, transformation is needed to ensure critical activities are maintained into the future.

The draft proposal for a future complex would:

• Consolidate special nuclear materials at five sites by the end of 2012, with reduced square footage within those sites by 2017;
• Close or transfer from weapons activities about 600 buildings or structures, many by 2010;
• Reduce NNSA footprint at two major testing sites supporting its laboratories by 2015;
• Reduce the square footage of buildings and structures supporting weapons missions by 9 million square feet, going from greater than 35 million to less than 26 million square feet;
• Employ 20-30% fewer workers directly supporting weapons missions consistent with a smaller, more efficient complex;
• Dismantle weapons at a significantly faster pace.

More information on Complex Transformation can be found at http://www.complextransformationspeis.com/ .

Public Comments

Thousands of citizens attended more than 80 hours of public hearings and provided more than 600 oral comments regarding NNSA’s proposed transformation plan.  There were a total of 20 public hearings  over a 36 day span at NNSA sites and other locations.

NNSA provided more than double the time required by law to comment and held more public hearings than it has held for this type of activity.  More than 100,000 comments have been received.

Learn More About the National Security Enterprise of the Future

• NNSA Announces Decisions to Transform National Security Enterprise
• NNSA Approves Final Analysis of Plan To Transform and Downsize Nuclear Weapons Complex
• Final Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (SPEIS) Fact Sheet 
• The Future of Science at NNSA's Labs (transcript)
• The Future of Science at NNSA's Labs (press release)
• NNSA Releases Draft Plan To Transform Nuclear Weapons Complex
• Frequently Asked Questions 
• Consolidating Missions at NNSA's Sites 

Site-Specific Fact Sheets

• Kansas City Plant 
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 
• Los Alamos National Laboratory 
• Nevada Test Site 
• Pantex Plant 
• Sandia National Laboratories 
• Savannah River Site 
• Y-12 National Security Complex 

Documents 

• Final SPEIS Executive Summary  (1.5 MB)
• Notice of Availability  (for draft SPEIS)
• Summary of the Draft Complex Transformation SPEIS 
• Full Draft Complex Transformation SPEIS and References 

Request For Information
NNSA is currently looking at potential contracting strategies to improve the performance and cost efficiency of the nuclear weapons complex.  Click here for more information.