The US Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and clean-up contractor UCOR have achieved made progress on the biggest demolition project to date at the Y-12 National Security Complex.
Y-12 began as an electromagnetic isotope separation plant. Y-12 separated the uranium-235 for the nuclear weapon that was dropped on Hiroshima. Its main functions since the end of the Cold War have been to support defence needs. Y-12 is also responsible for the maintenance and production of all uranium parts and “secondary” mechanisms for all US nuclear weapon. According to DOE, “Y‑12 helps ensure a safe and effective U.S. nuclear weapons deterrent. We also retrieve and store nuclear materials, fuel the nation’s naval reactors, and perform complementary work for other government and private-sector entities.”
Crews have now safely brought down the south side of the Alpha-2 building. The structure is approximately the length of a football field and spans 2.5 acres. With the latest progress, workers have removed 34,000 square feet of the 325,000-square-foot facility since beginning the teardown last year.
“Safely and successfully removing this portion of the building is a crucial first step as we work to accomplish the largest demolition project yet at Y-12,” said OREM Project Manager Morgan Carden. “Removal of the south side gives our crews more room to work with in a very tight footprint. These crews have made outstanding progress and preparations are underway to keep that momentum going.”
Alpha-2 constructed in 1944 was involved in the original enrichment operations. Today, the structure is categorised as a high-risk excess contaminated facility due to its contents and level of deterioration. DOE says its removal eliminates risks, modernises the site and clears land to support national security missions.
“Because Y-12 is an active production complex, being able to bring this section down gives us more breathing room as we prepare to continue demolition on the rest of the structure,” said UCOR Y-12 Cleanup Area Project Manager Larry Brede. “We’ve made great progress and look forward to embarking on the next phase of demolition.”
A major accomplishment that has supported this project, and others in the future, is the completion of a year-long utilities reroute project.
Workers rerouted all piping systems to isolate them from the Alpha-2 building. This separation of active systems is crucial for ensuring demolition efforts do not impact the facilities and piping systems supporting Y-12’s ongoing operations.
The northeast portion and high bay of Alpha-2 are the next areas scheduled for demolition. Due to the height of the structure, employees must assemble special high-reach equipment in coming weeks to conduct the next phases of the teardown. The Alpha-2 demolition is slated for completion in 2027.
