Federal officials on Wednesday afternoon announced a security “stand down” at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.
It’s a result of the the ongoing internal review of Y-12 security operations, according to a press release from the National Nuclear Security Administration.
During the “stand down,” all special nuclear materials will be moved to vault-type facilities on site, all nuclear operations will be halted, and contractor security personnel will undergo training and refresher instruction, the release said.
The temporary stand down goes into effect Wednesday, Aug. 1, and is expected to end by next week.
“This is being done to address additional security training and execution deficiencies identified by the contractor after Saturday’s incident,” the NNSA release said. “However, all nuclear materials at Y-12 are in safe, secure storage and we remain entirely confident in the security of Y-12’s facilities.”
In that incident, three anti-nuclear weapons activists allegedly sneaked through four fences at the Y-12 National Security Complex and into a high-security area before dawn Saturday and spray-painted messages and splashed human blood on the walls of a uranium storage building before they were detained by security guards.
The press release said the stand down was ordered by B&W Y-12, the plant’s management and operating contractor.
“The National Nuclear Security Administration fully supports this step, which is necessary to ensure continued confidence in safe and secure operations at Y-12,” the release said.
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