A December 2022 status update of stockpile stewardship activities at the Nevada National Security Site. Based on oversight technical documentation, the author outlines obstacles since July '22 affecting the conduct of Subcritical Nuclear Experiments at the U1a complex.

1. Cold Shot / Cold Standby Status Updates*:
By Andrew Kishner, 209Days.com
December 14, 2022
In a Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
(DNFSB) Oct. NNSS report, a positive USQD was
determined after monsoon moisture and muck
issues put a U1h hoist (cable system) for SNEs
packages out of order, further delaying
subcritical test operations as, per the report,
facility personnel concluded the safety basis for
the U1a "will need to be revised." Citing a Jul.
2022 DNFSB report discussing an unreviewed
safety question relating to SNE vessels
("discrepancies between the code and the
fabrication of the [steel confinement] vessel"),
the Oct. report added "the U1a complex

2. continues to remain in cold standby
operations."
An update in a November edited report
described new surveillance requirements for
SNEs package moving that would be part of the
hoist/muck-related safety basis while
temporary restrictions were instituted for
vessel use as an approved ESS for that issue
indicated the vessel confinement system "will
be able to perform its nuclear safety function"
according to "a technical document from the
national laboratories." It concluded that "MSTS
plans to use this confinement vessel for the
next planned experiment once the safety basis
is revised and the operational restrictions are
removed."
Source:
https://www.dnfsb.gov/documents/reports?f%

3. 5B0%5D=field_doe_site%3A57
* 'Cold shot' is a synonym of 'subcritical nuclear
test' and is the preferred term -- translated in
English -- of French nuclear authorities.