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Crews preparing for first demolition of uranium enrichment building at Y-12

Posted at 3:15 pm July 4, 2024
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management crew member works to install one of three bridges to support the relocation of utilities away from the Alpha-2 facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex. Each bridge weighs over 2,000 pounds. (Photo courtesy DOE OREM)

From U.S. Department of Energy “EM Update” email newsletter

U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management crews at Oak Ridge are moving closer toward completing the first-ever demolition of a former uranium enrichment facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex as crews reroute utilities around the structure.

Workers are slated to begin demolition on the Alpha-2 building this fall. Initiating teardown of the facility is an EM priority for 2024.

The 325,000-square-foot Manhattan Project-era facility is one of nine uranium enrichment process buildings constructed at Y-12. Its removal by the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and contractor UCOR will eliminate a high-risk excess contaminated facility, enable modernization, and clear land to support national security missions.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Environment, Front Page News, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Slider, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Alpha-2 building, demolition, EM, Harrison Boyd, Manhattan Project, Morgan Carden, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Office of Environmental Management, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR, uranium enrichment, Y-12 National Security Complex

Man accused of crashing into Y-12 barrier, fleeing inside plant

Posted at 5:58 pm February 14, 2024
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Jonpaul Payne

A 27-year-old Lenoir City man allegedly drove a car without permission, did not stop at a Y-12 National Security Complex entrance, struck a barrier, and fled on foot inside the nuclear weapons plant before being detained, court records said.

The incident was reported at about 5 a.m. Saturday. At that time, the Oak Ridge Police Department sent a text message that entrance to Y-12 was closed on Bear Creek Road in response to the incident.

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Filed Under: Anderson County, Courts, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Premium Content, Slider, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: JonPaul Hunter Payne, Oak Ridge Police Department, Y-12 National Security Complex

Crews prepare Y-12 building for demolition by removing asbestos, water

Posted at 3:03 am January 31, 2024
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Built in 1944, Beta-1 is a former Manhattan Project era enrichment facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex. The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management expects to demolish the 210,000-square-foot facility in 2026. (Photo courtesy Y-12/UCOR)

Workers have finished major pre-demolition work on a wartime building at Y-12 National Security Complex.

The deactivation work at the Beta-1 building included removing asbestos; old, brittle thorium-contaminated piping; and more than two million gallons of water.

The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management and its contractor UCOR have been working toward the deactivation milestone since 2020, a press release said. Workers finished deactivating the above-ground floors of the Beta-1 facility in December. Now, only deactivation work in the basement remains before the teardown can begin. Demolition of Beta-1 is expected to begin in 2026.

Beta-1 was built in 1944 to enrich uranium for the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II. That federal project built the world’s first atomic bombs. Beta-1, a 210,000-square-foot, two-story building, was later converted to laboratory space for fusion-energy technology.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Slider, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: asbestos, Beta-1, Billy Lloyd, deactivation, demolition, Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, UCOR, Y-12 National Security Complex

Winter weather: Closings, cancellations, delays

Posted at 3:06 am January 22, 2024
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Photos courtesy Oak Ridge Schools/ Isaac Walton, transportation supervisor, and Allen Thacker, supervisor of maintenance and operations

Oak Ridge Schools will be closed again on Monday due to unsafe road conditions, and City of Oak Ridge offices will open three hours late.

The schools were closed four days after the holiday last week due to the winter weather, as were many other schools, offices, and businesses. Some roads were also briefly closed. The winter weather has included more than eight inches of snow, freezing temperatures, below-zero wind chills, and slippery roads and sidewalks.

On Sunday, the Oak Ridge Police Department and City of Oak Ridge said many roadways were still very icy despite being treated and plowed.

“Conditions are expected to worsen once the sun goes down,” they said. “Stay home, if possible.”

The schools said temperatures are projected to warm on Monday.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, Government, K-12, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Slider, U.S. Department of Energy, Weather, Weather, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Breakfast with the Legislators, City of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Schools, winter weather

City offices, Y-12, AC Courthouse closed Wednesday

Posted at 7:26 pm January 16, 2024
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

City of Oak Ridge offices and facilities, Y-12 National Security Complex, and the Anderson County Courthouse will be closed Wednesday due to winter weather.

Only essential personnel are to report in the City of Oak Ridge. The Oak Ridge City Council work session scheduled for Tuesday night was canceled.

In Anderson County, crews have been working around the clock, but side roads are still in bad condition as are parking areas.

“The temperatures are expected to be very low tonight, and the main roads that are currently passable will most likely be ice in the early morning hours,” a press release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Weather, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: uranium processing facility, Y-12 National Security Complex

Y-12 closed Tuesday

Posted at 9:28 am January 16, 2024
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The entrance sign at Y-12 National Security Complex at Bear Creek Road and Scarboro Road is pictured above on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Y-12 National Security Complex is closed Tuesday to everyone but essential personnel.

The Uranium Processing Facility project is also closed, Y-12 said.

“Teleworkers should continue to work remotely,” the plant said. “The Information Line will be updated with current information.”

Roads, schools, government offices, and businesses have closed due to the winter weather that started Sunday night, including snow, cold temperatures, and hazardous driving conditions.

Filed Under: U.S. Department of Energy, Weather, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: uranium processing facility, winter weather, Y-12 National Security Complex

NNSA Notice of Availability

Posted at 6:06 pm November 1, 2023
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF THE Y-12 NATIONAL SECURITY COMPLEX MATERIALS MANUFACTURING MISSION (DOE/EA-2218)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the availability of this Draft Environmental Assessment (EA), which analyzes the potential impacts associated with materials manufacturing at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. NNSA invites the public to review and submit comments on the Draft EA. Copies of the document are available for public review on the NNSA NEPA web page (https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room) and/or the DOE NEPA web page (https://www.energy.gov/nepa/public-comment-opportunities). Public comments on the Draft EA should be submitted no later than November 30, 2023. Comments may be submitted via regular mail to NNSA NEPA Document Manager, Attn: MM Draft EA, P.O. Box 2050, Oak Ridge, TN 37831; or by email: [email protected]. Comments will not be accepted over the telephone.

Filed Under: National Nuclear Security Administration, Public Notices, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: environmental assessment, materials manufacturing, National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex

CNS honors Master Machine as small business of year

Posted at 5:31 pm October 30, 2023
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Consolidated Nuclear Security presented its small business of the year award to Master Machine Inc. (MMI) of Chattanooga during a recent Partners in Excellence supplier outreach event. (Submitted photo)

Consolidated Nuclear Security presented the small business of the year award to Master Machine Incorporated during a recent Partners in Excellence supplier outreach event. The Chattanooga-based business focuses on machining, weld fabrication, and engineering services.

MMI has been a supplier to Consolidated Nuclear Security for more than five years, starting with Y-12 National Security Complex and adding the Pantex Plant in 2022.

“Master Machine consistently demonstrates the ability to identify and implement manufacturing methods needed to address complicated projects,” said Rick Hillert, senior director of Supply Chain Management. The company also made $1 million in plant and equipment improvements to address tool needs for CNS, a press release said.

The company, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, was nominated by Roger Aigner, subcontract technical representative for Packaging and Transportation Engineering at Y-12. In his nomination, Aigner noted: “They are professional, capable, and a pleasure to work with. They understand the CNS mission and are well deserving of this award.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Slider, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: CNS, Consolidated Nuclear Security, Joe Sanders, Master Machine, Rick Hillret, Roger Aigner, small business of the year, Y-12 National Security Complex

Y-12 honored with DOE sustainability partnership award

Posted at 11:48 am February 5, 2023
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Pictured above are Y-12 refrigerant cylinders to be sent for reclamation. (Photo by CNS Y-12)

The Y-12 National Security Complex recently received a U.S. Department of Energy Sustainability Award for Strategic Partnerships for Sustainability.

The Y-12 team was recognized for its efforts to improve efficiency, sustainability, and resiliency of the site through partnerships with other DOE contractors and private companies, a press release said.

Through its sustainability program, Y-12 said it is reducing greenhouse gases, minimizing waste, and improving waste treatment on a large scale.

The partnership efforts for which the team was recognized include Energy Savings Performance Contract implementation, including helping to reuse refrigerant, using additive manufacturing for unique part production, and implementing wastewater treatment process improvements.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Slider, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Jan Jackson, Johnson Controls, LATA Atkins Technical Services, refrigerant, Savannah River Site, Sustainability Award, U.S. Army, U.S. Department of Energy, wastewater processing, West End Treatment Facility, Y-12 National Security Complex

UPF construction could cost more, take longer

Posted at 8:18 pm January 26, 2023
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The entrance sign at Y-12 National Security Complex at Bear Creek Road and Scarboro Road is pictured above on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12 National Security Complex was supposed to be completed by 2025 for no more than $6.5 billion, but that might no longer be the case.

In the past week, federal officials said construction projects across the country, including UPF, have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain delays, inflation, labor shortages, and increased labor costs. Those factors have led to higher construction costs and longer project timelines, the federal officials said.

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Filed Under: Front Page News, National Nuclear Security Administration, Premium Content, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Building 9212, Chuck Fleischmann, Congress, construction project, Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, Lamar Alexander, Main Process Building, National Nuclear Security Administration, NNSA, Red Team Review, U.S. Department of Energy, UPF, uranium processing facility, Y-12 National Security Complex

Y-12 celebrates new fire station, emergency operations center

Posted at 3:26 pm January 26, 2023
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Y-12 Site Manager Gene Sievers talks about the plant’s new fire station and emergency operations center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A new fire station and emergency operations center at the Y-12 National Security Complex will replace “severely outdated” buildings that were constructed in the 1940s, about eight decades ago. The new buildings will improve working conditions, consolidate operations now conducted in separate places, and provide ample space for large equipment like fire trucks, federal officials and Y-12 leaders said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday.

Workers at the plant, which manufactures components for the nation’s nuclear weapons, among other activities, have been talking about the new facilities for at least 13 years. The start of construction was celebrated with a groundbreaking ceremony in April 2021. The new buildings, reported to have cost $68 million, are part of a “huge transformation,” an effort to modernize the site.

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Filed Under: Front Page News, National Nuclear Security Administration, Police and Fire, Premium Content, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: CNS, Consolidated Nuclear Security, Emergency Operations Center, fire station, Gene Sievers, Jill Hruby, Jim Blair, Manhattan Project, National Nuclear Security Admininstration, NNSA, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 Fire Department, Y-12 National Security Complex

You may hear Y-12 sirens when maintenance performed

Posted at 10:33 am January 20, 2023
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

There will be maintenance work on the public warning siren system in Oak Ridge during the week of January 23, and people in the area might occasionally hear audio from individual sirens around the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The sirens are strategically placed to notify the public in the unlikely event of an on-site emergency that has impacts beyond the site boundary.

In case of an actual emergency on the Oak Ridge Reservation, sirens will sound simultaneously with the standard tone.

For more information about what to do in the event of an emergency visit the Y-12 website at www.y12.doe.gov/about/emergency-public-information.

Filed Under: Police and Fire, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Oak Ridge Reservation, Public Warning Siren System, sirens, Y-12 National Security Complex

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