Oak Ridge Today

Learn about the construction of Oak Ridge through Westcott photos

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Ed Westcott and Ray Smith

Ed Westcott, right, was the only official photographer in Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project in World War II, a top-secret project to build the world’s first atomic bomb. Westcott is pictured above with D. Ray Smith, Y-12 National Security Complex historian and newspaper history columnist. (Photo courtesy D. Ray Smith)

 

A Tuesday program will focus on the construction of the city that is now Oak Ridge through Ed Westcott photographs.

The program is titled “The Building of the Atomic City—the Ed Wescott Photographs.” It will be presented by Emily Hunnicutt, Ed Westcott’s daughter, and Don Hunnicutt, Westcott’s son-in-law.

Westcott was the official photographer for the federal government in the city, which was once known as Clinton Engineer Works, during World War II. Oak Ridge was built as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project, a program to build the world’s first atomic bombs, before Germany could.

The Tuesday program is at noon at the University of Tennessee Resource Center at 1201 Oak Ridge Turnpike. It includes a lunch, and it’s sponsored by Friends of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, or FORNL. This meeting is open to the public. [Read more…]

UCOR, DOE cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge, earns 94 percent of award fee

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ucor-k-27-building-fall-2016

UCOR workers take down the final portion of Building K-27, achieving Vision 2016, a DOE goal to remove all of the former uranium enrichment buildings at the East Tennessee Technology Park by the end of 2016. K-27 was the fifth and final gaseous diffusion building to be demolished at the site. Successful demolitions of the four other buildings were completed from 2006 to 2015. (U.S. Department of Energy photo)

 

UCOR, the U.S. Department of Energy’s cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge, received about $3.4 million for its performance from April through September 2016, or 94 percent of the total award fee available, federal officials said.

The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, or OREM, recently issued the six-month fee determination scorecard for UCOR, or URS | CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, after completing its evaluation.

“Contractor award fee evaluations determine what will be paid based on performance against stated objectives in accordance with annual award fee plans,” the DOE Office of Environmental Management, or EM, said in the EM Update electronic newsletter on December 29. “EM releases information relating to contractor fee payments to further transparency.”

According to UCOR’s scorecard, the company received an overall rating of “very good” for project management and “high confidence” for cost and schedule based on cost and schedule indexes, the newsletter said. [Read more…]

Coors, the beer brewer, honored for Manhattan Project work on Y-12 ceramic insulators

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From left to right standing are Colin Colverson, Oak Ridge Site Representative and Office of General Counsel; Padraic Benson, historian, Office of Legacy Management; Tracy Atkins, Principal Representative Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Office of Legacy Management; and Thomas Pauling, Acting Director, Office of Legacy Management. Seated in front is Bill Coors. (Photo courtesy DOE Office of Legacy Management)

 

William Kistler “Bill” Coors is best known for the beer brewed in the Rocky Mountains, but he was honored by federal officials this month for his historic work building ceramic insulators that were used in Oak Ridge to help build the world’s first atomic bombs.

On December 2, Coors received the Energy Secretary’s Appreciation Award in Golden, Colorado, which is west of Denver and at the base of the Rocky Mountains.

The award was presented by U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Acting Director Thomas Pauling. It recognizes Coors’ historic role in providing critical insulators to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Manhattan Engineer District, also known as the Manhattan Project, during World War II, a press release said. The Manhattan Project was a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during the war—before Germany could.

The ceramic insulators were used in uranium enrichment operations at the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, which was built as part of the Manhattan Project. [Read more…]

CNS small business contracting makes big jump in FY 2016

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The sign at the Scarboro Road entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above on December 16, 2014. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC achieved a significant increase in contracting with small businesses during fiscal year 2016, eclipsing its small business contracting goals and awarding more than $276 million at the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, and Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

The small business dollars awarded represented an increase of more than $36 million over fiscal year 2015 figures, and were 67 percent of all funding awarded, exceeding CNS’ fiscal year 2016 goal of awarding 55 percent of all procurement dollars, a press release said.

CNS uses small businesses in a range of diverse roles, from staff augmentation services to construction support work, the press release said. [Read more…]

Maintenance, testing of Y-12 warning siren on Quincy Ave. scheduled for Wednesday

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Emergency management personnel from the Y-12 National Security Complex will perform maintenance on an emergency warning siren located on Quincy Avenue in Oak Ridge on Wednesday.

During the maintenance, the siren will sound for short periods to ensure it’s operating once repairs are completed, a press release said.

The Quincy Avenue warning siren is located in the Woodland neighborhood about one block west of Lafayette Drive and north of State Highway 62 (South Illinois Avenue). [Read more…]

CNS presents small business awards

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Dubose National Energy Services Inc. was recently recognized as a small business of the year by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC. Shown in the photo are CNS Supply Chain Manager Skip Skelton, CNS Vice President and Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal DNES Vice President and General Manager Richard Rogers, DNES Senior Sales Representative Garry Snyder, CNS Subcontract Administrator Tish Camp, CNS Vice President of Mission Assurance Linda Bauer, CNS Program Manager for Socioeconomic Programs Lisa Copeland, and CNS Vice President of Operations Support Darrell Graddy. (Photo by CNS Y-12)

Dubose National Energy Services Inc. was recently recognized as a small business of the year by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC. Shown in the photo are CNS Supply Chain Manager Skip Skelton, CNS Vice President and Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal DNES Vice President and General Manager Richard Rogers, DNES Senior Sales Representative Garry Snyder, CNS Subcontract Administrator Tish Camp, CNS Vice President of Mission Assurance Linda Bauer, CNS Program Manager for Socioeconomic Programs Lisa Copeland, and CNS Vice President of Operations Support Darrell Graddy. (Photo by CNS Y-12)

 

Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC presented small business awards on Friday, September 30, at the weekly meeting of the East Tennessee Economic Council. The companies recognized included DuBose National Energy Services Inc., GEM Technologies Inc., and Scientific Sales Inc. CNS employees Sam Easterling and Terry Lewis were also recognized as Small Business Advocates of the Year.

In his opening remarks, CNS Vice President and Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal stressed that company relies on small businesses as “part of a large tapestry that has to work together.” He summarized, “We’ve spent more than $160 million this year with more than 740 small businesses this fiscal year, including 250 Tennessee businesses, which includes 60 businesses in Anderson County.”

CNS Supply Chain Manager Skip Skelton explained that small businesses were evaluated based on their commitment to CNS’ four imperatives—safety, security, zero defects, and delivery as promised. He said, “The awards we’re giving out today reflect the four imperatives we expect our employees and our subcontractors to embrace as part of our focus on performance excellence.” [Read more…]

Roane State, AC Chamber, CNS Y-12 to host Manufacturing Day celebration, Dream It/Do It kickoff

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Area middle school students will learn about creative, high-tech careers in manufacturing as part of a Manufacturing Day celebration on Friday, October 21, at Roane State Community College’s training facility in Clinton.

The college is teaming up with the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce and CNS Y-12 to host the event, titled the Dream It/Do It Manufacturing Showcase: Think, Create, Build. The event begins at 9:30 a.m., and it will include tours and equipment demonstrations. The public is invited.

Roane State’s Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility is located at 214 Nave Street. [Read more…]

Photo: Concrete Batch Plant for UPF at Y-12

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uranium-processing-facility-concrete-batch-plant-september-2016

Construction is almost complete on a batch plant that will provide concrete for the Uranium Processing Facility, or UPF, at the Y-12 National Security Complex. The components for the batch plant arrived at Y-12 in 41 trucks and the plant was assembled onsite. The batch plant will provide concrete for the construction of UPF, a first-of-its-kind facility for enriched uranium operations in support of Y-12 missions. (Photo by Y-12 National Security Complex)

 

Construction is almost complete on a batch plant that will provide concrete for the Uranium Processing Facility, or UPF, at Y-12 National Security Complex.

The components for the concrete batch plant arrived at the Y-12 National Security Complex in 41 trucks, and the plant was assembled onsite. The batch plant will provide concrete for the construction of UPF, a first-of-its-kind facility for enriched uranium operations in support of Y-12 National Security Complex missions. [Read more…]

Brian Henry named portfolio federal project director for Y-12 cleanup

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Brian Henry (DOE photo by Lynn Freeny)

 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, or OREM, has named Brian Henry as its new portfolio federal project director for cleanup at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

Henry will replace Laura Wilkerson, who is now director of the Planning and Execution Division, where she oversees the portfolio cleanup directors at Y-12, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and East Tennessee Technology Park. Henry will report to Wilkerson.

As the portfolio federal project director, Henry oversees all of the planning and execution for Y-12’s current and upcoming cleanup projects, including all decontamination, demolition, and disposal operations, a press release said. In this role, he is also leading preparations for the Mercury Treatment Facility and the Environmental Management Disposal Facility, two of OREM’s largest and most vital near-term capital projects. [Read more…]

CNS, Knoxville Building and Construction Trades Council reach new labor agreement

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Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC and the 16 local unions that comprise the Knoxville Building and Construction Trades Council reached terms on a new five-year labor agreement on Tuesday, September 13. The new five-year labor agreement expires September 30, 2021.

The agreement also has an option for CNS to extend the new agreement without further negotiation for an additional five years through September 30, 2026. [Read more…]

Council wants to roughly triple proposed water rate at ORNL, Y-12

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The Oak Ridge Water Treatment Plant is pictured on Pine Ridge above the Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

 

Note: This story was updated at 6:50 p.m.

Some Oak Ridge City Council members have questioned whether the federal government is paying enough for municipal water at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex, and on Monday, four of them proposed roughly tripling a potential new high-volume water rate at the two federal sites in 2017.

The new water rate would apply to water consumption over 20 million gallons per month, which would limit it to ORNL and Y-12. The two sites use a total of more than 100 million gallons of water per month.

The new rate is expected to go into effect in April 2017 only if Oak Ridge and the U.S. Department of Energy aren’t able to agree on a contract for water at ORNL and Y-12 by the end of March. Those two federal sites now pay a flat annual rate but could default to what is known as a retail rate if the contract lapses.

The city staff had proposed a new default rate of $1.08 per thousand gallons for consumption over 20 million gallons starting January 1, 2017. The following year, in 2018, the staff had proposed a $1.35 rate.

But four City Council members—Rick Chinn, Charlie Hensley, Trina Baughn, and Chuck Hope—voted to raise the $1.08 rate in 2017 to $3 per 1,000 gallons. Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch, Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Smith, and Council member Kelly Callison voted against the increase. [Read more…]

East Tennessee charitable organizations can apply for grants from Y-12 Community Investment Fund

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CNS community investment fund enters second cycle; funds distributed through East Tennessee Foundation

Charitable organizations from across East Tennessee can apply for grants from the Y-12 Community Investment Fund that has been established by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC. Also known as CNS, that contractor operates the Y-12 Nuclear Security Complex in Oak Ridge for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

CNS established the fund through the East Tennessee Foundation last year as part of its commitment to Oak Ridge and the surrounding communities, a press release said. In May, CNS awarded grants totaling more than $180,000 to 30 local nonprofits.

Nonprofit organizations in Y-12’s 20-county service area with projects or programs that address community needs and economic development opportunities are encouraged to apply for one-year grants, the press release said. Eligible organizations must be tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations or other exempt entities, such as public schools and governments/municipalities. [Read more…]