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ORNL isotope center estimated to cost $250 million

Posted at 12:17 am January 14, 2023
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge National Laboratory had a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 24, 2022, for the U.S. Stable Isotope Production and Research Center. A design image of the new center is pictured above.

Note: This story was last updated at 4 p.m.

A new center to research and produce isotopes at Oak Ridge National Laboratory could cost an estimated $250 million.

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Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Premium Content, Science, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Inflation Reduction Act, isotopes, Jennifer Granholm, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, SIPRC, stable isotopes, U.S. Stable Isotope Production and Research Center, Y-12 National Security Complex

With key isotopes depleted, DOE plans production center at ORNL

Posted at 2:44 pm March 6, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The U.S. Department of Energy has proposed an isotope production and research center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that could be important for medical, national security, and research projects.

In a budget request released in February, DOE said its supply of certain key enriched stable isotopes has been depleted, making the United States more dependent upon foreign imports for enriched stable isotopes. Isotopes are forms of an element that have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons in their nuclei.

DOE said the demand for enriched stable isotopes continues to grow substantially, including for the medical, national security, and fundamental research projects.

The new center at ORNL, the U.S. Stable Isotope Production and Research Center, would reduce the nation’s dependence upon foreign countries for those isotopes, DOE said.

DOE approved the mission need for the facility in January 2019. Although the cost range could change, the current project estimate is between $175 million and $298 million.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Science, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: budget request, DOE, Enriched Stable Isotope Prototype Plant, enriched stable isotopes, isotope production, isotopes, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Stable Isotope Production and Research Center, Y-12 National Security Complex

Reactor shutdown affects experiments, isotope production at HFIR

Posted at 9:34 am November 29, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The High Flux Isotope Reactor vessel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory resides in a pool of water illuminated by the blue glow of the Cherenkov radiation effect. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

The High Flux Isotope Reactor vessel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory resides in a pool of water illuminated by the blue glow of the Cherenkov radiation effect. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

Experiments and isotope production have been affected, but employees are still able to carry out their normal duties at the High Flux Isotope Reactor as the U.S. Department of Energy investigates a slightly elevated radiation level in HFIR’s primary cooling system.

The High Flux Isotope Reactor, which is used for research and isotope production, is at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

In a response to questions on Wednesday, ORNL Communications Director David Keim said the slightly elevated reading in the primary cooling system was well below alarm levels.

“The HFIR operators promptly responded to the reading and placed the reactor in a safe condition,” Keim said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: cooling system, David Keim, DOE, elevated radiation level, HFIR, High Flux Isotope Reactor, isotope production, isotopes, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, radiation level, research, U.S. Department of Energy

Alexander: Bill raises Office of Science funding to highest-ever, includes UPF, supercomputing, cleanup funding

Posted at 7:05 pm May 19, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander

A bill approved by a U.S. Senate subcommittee on Tuesday would give $5.144 billion to the federal agency that oversees work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It’s the highest level of funding ever for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which oversees 10 national labs, including ORNL, federal officials said.

The bill would also provide $430 million for the proposed Uranium Processing Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex, which will “continue to keep this project on time and on budget,” according to a press release from the office of U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican.

Alexander’s office also said the legislation would provide funding for:

  • a new mercury treatment plant in Oak Ridge,
  • cleanup of nuclear facilities that are no longer in service,
  • nuclear infrastructure at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and
  • advanced computing, which supports the new Summit supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The bill was unanimously approved on a voice vote by the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development on Tuesday afternoon. Alexander is chair of that subcommittee, and he said the approval shows that there is bipartisan support for energy research, waterways, and national security. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: advanced computing, Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, Appropriations Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, ARPA-E, Chickamauga Lock, cleanup, Dianne Feinstein, energy research, exascale computing, hot cells, International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, isotope production, isotopes, ITER, Lamar Alexander, mercury treatment, National Nuclear Security Administration, national security, nuclear facilities, nuclear power, nuclear waste, nuclear waste storage, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Office of Science, ORNL, physical sciences, science, small modular reactors, summit, Summit supercomputer, supercomputer, technology, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Senate, uranium processing facility, waterways, Y-12 National Security Complex

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Classifieds

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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