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About 185 acres at Heritage Center transferred to CROET

Posted at 1:41 pm October 23, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The image above showing reindustrialization progress at East Tennessee Technology Park comes from a presentation on Oct. 11, 2017, by Dave Adler by the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management. The K-31/K-33 area is the blue area at the top right side of the ETTP site, and Duct Island is the purple/pink area just below it and slightly to the left. The former K-25 Building was in the yellow area at center. The proposed airport is at the bottom right in the blue and purple/pink area along State Route 58.

The image above showing reindustrialization progress at East Tennessee Technology Park comes from a presentation on Oct. 11, 2017, by Dave Adler by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management. The K-31/K-33 area is the blue area at the top right side of the ETTP site, and Duct Island is the purple/pink area just below it and slightly to the left. The former K-25 Building was in the yellow area at center. The proposed airport is at the bottom right in the blue and purple/pink area on the north side of State Route 58.

 

About 185 acres in the northwest corner of Heritage Center, the former K-25 site, have been transferred to the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee.

CROET is a nonprofit organization that helps find new uses for former U.S. Department of Energy property.

The 185 acres transferred to CROET at Heritage Center are where the K-31 and K-33 buildings used to be. The property transfer was recorded at the Roane County courthouse on October 10, said Lawrence Young, CROET president.

“We hope to be able to attract, over time, larger industrial clients,” Young said Monday.

The parcels are currently vacant, and they have been cleaned up by the U.S. Department of Energy and UCOR, DOE’s cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge. There should not be any impediments to using the parcels as industrial property from an environmental standpoint, Young said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, Front Page News, Oak Ridge Office, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: atomic bombs, Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee, CROET, Dave Adler, East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, gaseous diffusion, Horizon Center, K-25 site, K-31, K-33, Lawrence Young, Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Sue Cange, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR, World War II

You can see the future home of the K-25 History Center on Thursday

Posted at 11:10 pm October 18, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A rendering of the K-25 History Center at the Oak Ridge Fire Station Number 4 at East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge. (Image courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

A rendering of the K-25 History Center at the Oak Ridge Fire Station Number 4 at East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge. (Image courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

 

A celebratory event on Thursday will formally launch a project to commemorate the history of the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a uranium-enrichment site that was once known as K-25 and built to help make the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II.

Thursday’s celebration will be followed by a public tour from 2 to 4 p.m.

Co-sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge, the event is part of the city’s 75th Anniversary celebration. It will feature a walk-through of the future home of the K-25 History Center, which will be located in the city’s Fire Station Number 4 at the East Tennessee Technology Park. The U.S. Department of Energy and URS|CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, or UCOR, DOE’s lead cleanup contractor, will unveil plans and the layout for the History Center before construction starts, a press release said.

Large graphics placed throughout the building will provide the visitor a preview of the finished center, the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, Front Page News, Government, K-25, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Office, Slider, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: 75th anniversary, atomic weapons, Building K-25, City of Oak Ridge, DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, equipment building, Jay Mullis, K-25, K-25 History Center, K-25 virtual museum, Ken Rueter, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Secret City, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR, uranium enrichment, URS|CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, viewing tower, Warren Gooch, World War II

Demolition work on K-27, last of big 5 uranium-enrichment buildings, to be complete this month

Posted at 1:07 am August 4, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

K-27-Demolition-May-2-2016-3-Freeny

Demolition work should be complete this month on K-27, the last of the big five buildings once used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons and commercial nuclear power plants at the former K-25 site in west Oak Ridge, officials said in July 2016. (DOE photo/Lynn Freeny)

 

Demolition work should be complete this month on K-27, the last of the big five buildings once used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons and commercial nuclear power plants at the former K-25 site in west Oak Ridge, officials said last week.

Demolition work started on K-27 in February.

Like the other four buildings that have already been demolished, the four-story, 383,000-square-foot K-27 building once used a process known as gaseous diffusion to enrich uranium.

The demolition is part of Vision 2016. That’s the plan by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management, or EM, to remove all five gaseous diffusion buildings from the site by the end of the year.

Federal officials said it’s the first time in the world that a uranium enrichment complex has been cleaned and removed. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, Front Page News, Oak Ridge Office, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: atomic weapons, demolition, East Tennessee Technology Park, EM, EMWMF, enrich uranium, enriched uranium, Environmental Management Waste Management Facility, gaseous diffusion, Heritage Center, K-25, K-25 site, K-27, K-29, K-31, K-33, Manhattan Project, nuclear power plants, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Office of Environmental Management, U.S. Department of Energy, uranium enrichment, uranium enrichment complex

DOE: Oak Ridge’s Building K-27 being torn down quickly

Posted at 1:46 am June 7, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

K-27 Demolition

Crews are moving at an impressive pace on Building K-27, completing more than 65 percent of the demolition since February. (Photo by DOE)

 

In February 2016, demolition crews started tearing down the K-27 gaseous diffusion building.

Now, only months later, the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management and its contractor UCOR have already completed demolition on more than 65 percent of the four-story, 383,000-square-foot facility, the U.S. Department of Energy said.

K-27 is the last of five large gaseous diffusion facilities to be torn down at the East Tennessee Technology Park, or ETTP, which was formerly known as the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant and often referred to as the former K-25 site.

“Due to the heavy contamination and state of the 1940s facility, K-27 was one of the environmental management’s highest cleanup priorities,” the DOE Office of Environmental Management, or EM, said in a May 31 newsletter. “The progress taking down the facility moves EM closer to fulfilling its Vision 2016—the removal of all five gaseous diffusion buildings from the site by year’s end. It is not only a significant goal for EM and Oak Ridge, but it will also mark the first time in the world that a uranium enrichment complex has been cleaned and removed.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, Front Page News, Oak Ridge Office, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: atomic weapons, Building K-27, demolition, DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, Environmental Management Waste Management Facility, ETTP, gaseous diffusion, K-25, K-25 site, K-27 Building, K-29, K-31, K-33, Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, OREM, UCOR, URS | CH2M Oak Ridge, Vision 2016, Wendy Cain, World War II

Demolition starts on last of big five uranium-enriching buildings at K-25

Posted at 7:14 pm February 9, 2016
By John Huotari 1 Comment

K-27-Demolition-Start-Feb-8-2016

A high-reach machine is used to start demolishing the four-story, 10-acre K-27 Building on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. K-27 is the last of the big five uranium-enriching buildings at the former K-25 site, now known as East Tennessee Technology Park or Heritage Center. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Demolition started Monday on K-27, the last of the big five uranium-enriching buildings at the former K-25 site, and officials expect the work to be complete by the end of the year.

The five buildings—K-25, K-27, K-29, K-31, and K-33—once used a process called gaseous diffusion to enrich uranium for atomic weapons and commercial nuclear power plants. Officials credit them for helping to win World War II and end the Cold War, and for playing significant roles in technological developments and the nuclear industry.

The K-25 site, which is now known as East Tennessee Technology Park or Heritage Center, was built during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first nuclear weapons. The site is now slowly being converted into a large industrial park.

“The majority of the property will be reused,” said Ken Rueter, president and project manager for UCOR, or URS |CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, the U.S. Department of Energy’s cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Filed Under: DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge Office, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: DOE, DOE Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, East Tennessee Technology Park, EM, environmental management, Environmental Management Waste Management Facility, ETTP, gaseous diffusion, Heritage Center, high-reach machine, K-25, K-27, K-27 Building, K-29, K-31, K-33, Ken Rueter, Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Sue Cange, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR, URS|CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, Vision 2016

Demolition could start this year on K-27, last of five gaseous diffusion buildings

Posted at 2:52 pm January 2, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

K-27-Building-Interior-March-30-2015-2

The interior of the K-27 Building, which once enriched uranium through a process called gaseous diffusion, is pictured above on March 30, 2015. (DOE photo by Lynn Freeny)

 

Information from Oak Ridge Today and the January 2016 issue of “Advocate,” a publication of the Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board

Demolition work could start early this year on the K-27 Building, the last of five gaseous diffusion buildings at the former K-25 site, now known as East Tennessee Technology Park or Heritage Center. The giant buildings were once used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants, starting during World War II and continuing through the Cold War.

Deactivation work continues at the K-27 Building, preparing it for demolition. At the beginning of December, deactivation of the building was more than 96 percent complete. Workers continue to remove transite paneling on the building, but that job is 80 percent complete.

Sue Cange, manager of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, has previously said that demolition work could start on the building in early 2016 and be complete by the end of the year.

Demolition work on the former K-31 Building, the fourth of the five buildings to be demolished, was completed in June. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, Front Page News, Oak Ridge Office, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: atomic bombs, cleanup, Cold War, DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, Heritage Center, K-25, K-25 Building, K-25 site, K-27, K-27 Building, K-29, K-33, Lynn Freeny, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Sue Cange, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR, World War II

DOE awards contract to demolish electrical switchyard at ETTP

Posted at 2:52 pm January 2, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

K-27-ETTP-Switchyard-Oct-20-2015

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a $2.1 million fixed-price contract to a small business based in Michigan, CTI and Associates, to perform asset recovery and demolition work at the old electrical switchyard at ETTP. (DOE photo by Lynn Freeny)

 

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a $2.1 million fixed-price contract to a small business based in Michigan, CTI and Associates, to perform asset recovery and demolition work at the old electrical switchyard at East Tennessee Technology Park.

The scope of the work includes removal and recycling of electrical equipment. The switchyard is adjacent to the K-27 Building in west Oak Ridge.

Copper, aluminum, and steel from the yard can be recovered for recycling. CTI has engaged an Alabama subcontractor, TCI, that specializes in electrical recycling. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, Front Page News, Oak Ridge Office, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: CTI and Associates, DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, electrical switchyard, ETTP, gaseous diffusion, K-25, K-25 site, K-27, K-27 Building, Lynn Freeny, Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, TCI, U.S. Department of Energy, World War II

K-31 Demolition: 200 acres now available for development at ETTP

Posted at 1:09 pm July 2, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

K-31 Demolition

The last section of the K-31 Building at East Tennessee Technology Park was demolished on Friday, June 26. It’s the fourth of five buildings to be demolished where gaseous diffusion was once used to enrich uranium. (Photo by Lynn Freeny/DOE) 

 

Demolition now complete on four of five gaseous diffusion buildings

Demolition of the large K-31 Building in west Oak Ridge means that 200 acres of flat land are now available for industrial development at East Tennessee Technology Park, officials said.

“It’s the largest parcel of land available at ETTP,” said Sue Cange, manager of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management.

Infrastructure is already in place, including water, sewer, roads, and electricity, Cange said. Also, ETTP is close to Interstate 40, a short rail line, and possibly an airport. (There are plans to build an airport at the site, which is also known as Heritage Center.)

K-31 is the fourth of five gaseous diffusion buildings demolished at ETTP. The site, which has also been known as K-25 and Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, was built during the Manhattan Project in World War II as part of a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic bombs. Officials say it helped to win the Cold War, enriching uranium for commercial nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons.

But operations ended in 1985, and the site was permanently shut down in 1987. DOE then began cleanup operations and—with the help of contractors, a nonprofit organization, and others–is converting it into a large private industrial park. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: cleanup contractor, Cold War, demolition, DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, Environmental Management Waste Management Facility, ETTP, gaseous diffusion, Heritage Center, industrial development, industrial park, Jeff Tucker, K-25, K-25 Building, K-27, K-27 Building, K-29, K-31, K-31 Building, K-33, Ken Rueter, Manhattan Project, Mark Whitney, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge Office, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Oak Ridge Reservation, Sue Cange, U.S. Department of Energy, World War II

DOE, UCOR demolish last piece of K-25, once the world’s largest building

Posted at 12:55 pm December 19, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

K-25 Building Demolition Final

The last section of the former K-25 Building in west Oak Ridge was demolished on Thursday.

It was once the world’s largest building under one roof, built by the U.S. government in less than two years as part of a top-secret race to build the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II.

Officials say it also helped win the Cold War.

But five years after demolition started, the K-25 Building is gone. Officials, workers, and invited guests watched the last section of the giant building crash to the ground on Thursday.

The mile-long, U-shaped K-25 Building enriched uranium through a process called gaseous diffusion. It was the largest facility in the U.S. Department of Energy complex. Debris shipments are expected to be completed in the spring of 2014.

The $1.1 billion project is under budget and ahead of schedule. [Read more…]

Filed Under: DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Alexander Inn, Bechtel Jacobs Co. LLC, City of Oak Ridge, Daniel Poneman, demolition, DOE, East Tennessee Preservation Alliance, environmental cleanup, K-25 Building, K-25 History Center, Leo Sain, Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Office of Environmental Management, Tennessee State Historic Preservation, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR, uranium, URS-CH2M Oak Ridge LLC

ORAU names associate director of scientific, technical resource integration

Posted at 2:46 pm September 3, 2013
By Oak Ridge Associated Universities Leave a Comment

David Duncan

David Duncan

Oak Ridge Associated Universities has appointed David Duncan as associate director of its scientific and technical resource integration program.

In his new role, Duncan is responsible for managing research peer review activities that coordinate the use of independent, expert reviewers to evaluate proposals and scientific and technical information for a variety of federal and state funding agencies. Additionally, he is responsible for identifying viable options for new business development and for establishing and developing business networks and partnerships. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Uncategorized Tagged With: Andy Page, associate director, business development, David Duncan, industrial hygienist, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORAU, ORNL, peer review, PrSM Corp., scientific and technical resource integration, Strata-G, The ConneXions Group

Water tower at East Tennessee Technology Park demolished

Posted at 11:33 am August 4, 2013
By UCOR Leave a Comment

K-25 Water Tower Demolition

The K-1206-F Fire Water Tower at East Tennessee Technology Park—the former K-25 site—before it was demolished Saturday. (Submitted photo)

One of the most iconic structures at East Tennessee Technology Park—the checkerboard water tower that has dominated the site’s skyline for 55 years—has been demolished.

UCOR and its subcontracting partners brought down the 382-foot-tall tower on Saturday through a controlled explosive demolition that sent the structure toppling into an empty field.

Officially called the K-1206-F Fire Water Tower, the 400,000-gallon structure was designed and built by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company in 1958 to service the site’s fire protection system. It operated until June 3, when the valves were turned off. It was drained, disconnected, and permanently taken out of service on July 15. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge Office, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Bob Smith, CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, Controlled Demolition Inc., demolition, East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, Jim Kopotic, K-1206-F Fire Water Tower, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR, URS, Veterans Contracting Solutions LLC, water tower

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Classifieds

Public Notice: Comment period extended for Draft EA for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12

EXTENSION OF THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING … [Read More...]

Public Notice: Draft Environmental Assessment Available for Lithium Production Facility at Y-12

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING FACILITY AT THE Y-12 … [Read More...]

Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment for the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center (ORETTC) (DOE/EA-2144), Finding of No Significant Impact, and Wetland Statement of Findings

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

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