http://www.wopular.com/report-pantex-dire-need-upgrades

In national spotlight due to "crumbling infrastructure" in the 50's era plant

Same article from a web site that doesn't suck.

http://amarillo.com/news/latest-news/2016-09-08/report-pantex-dire-need-upgrades

Probably some truth to it, though many of the facilities are being upgraded. I didn't notice in the article anything about the new building. If I have it right, they are building a new outside-the-fence administration building. Except Pantex isn't building it, Texas Tech is, and Pantex will lease it from them.

Typical government, they won't spend a few million to build, but they'll pay 100s of millions over the lifetime of the lease.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3779538/Shocking-photographs-inside-America-s-nuclear-facilities-buildings-dangerously-falling-apart-3-7billion-repairs-needed.html

quote:

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Shocking photographs from inside America's WW2-era nuclear weapons factories reveal their perilous state as repairs are estimated at $3.7bn

• More than half of the buildings are over 70 years old
• Many were built in World War II as part of the Manhattan Project
• The labs and power plants are 'vital to national security missions'
• Pictures show collapsed walls, rotting floors and leaking ceilings

---

I'm wondering how these photos were acquired? Pantex used to be very difficult to get into and out of with security everywhere.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/07/politics/nuclear-facilities-bad-conditions-photos/index.html

Problem at pantex is the total waste of time/money/resources. The whole process to build out there is ridiculous. To deliver materials out there costs a company a truck and a driver the entire day for security. If they would set up the delivery area outside of the security and allow contractors to then carry where they need it, material cost would go way down. When I was in the construction materials business, we would routinely double the price for materials to make up for the lost time and production.

During WWII when my dad was overseas my mother worked at PANTEX assembling and inspecting bombs. We lived in barracks on the site.

Later in the mid 50's I lived North of the city in HS and worked for Bud Reynolds at Pleasant Valley Feed and Lumber. We provided a lot of materials during the buildup for nuke storage after the war. And yes, the trip out there with a big truckload and all the security took most if not all of a workday.

From the links above it appears PANTEX is in the same condition as their link facilities in NM and TN. I suspect when contractors like Silas Mason and Hanger renewed their contracts there was little or no provision for construction or facility upgrades. There is a lot more going on out there besides dirt covered quansets for storage of bombs...

I know of several acquaintances who were exposed to radiation for various reasons and died early even though their families were awarded monies as a result.

I like the picture with snow blowing in that says "some kind of white foam". haha.

I knew an AC contractor that did a bunch of work at Pantex years ago. He said that you pretty much had to multiply the time estimates for everything by 4 to 8 times in order to properly figure a job.

Not surprised by that one bit.