LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY
KEY FACILITIES
Plutonium Facility
The Plutonium Facility is located at TA-55 in the north central portion of LANL on a mesa between a branch of Mortandad Canyon on the north and Two Mile Canyon on the south. TA-55 is the principal DOE facility for plutonium research and weapons development. The main building is Building PF-4, often called TA-55. PF-4 became operational in April 1978 for plutonium processing. Facility activities include fabricating, testing, and disassembling solid components, and various aqueous processes involving uranium and plutonium. The principal facility capabilities and functions are plutonium recovery, plutonium metal production, plutonium metal fabrication, Pu-238 heat source production, and advanced fuels fabrication. The TA-55 complex also consists of the Administration Building (PF-1), the Support Office Building (PF-2), the Support Building (PF-3), Warehouse (PF-5) and various support buildings. TA-55 includes waste management units that include seven container storage units, a storage tank system, and a cementation unit. Hazardous and mixed waste container storage at TA-55 is conducted at seven CSUs: B40, B05, K13, B45, the Vault, the Container Storage Pad, and TA-55-185. The TA-55 storage tank system is located at TA-55, Building 4, in Room 401 and has a maximum capacity of 1,270 Liters 336 gallons. The storage tank system consists of 3 components, with 16 tanks.
In 1998, the first W88 plutonium pit was produced at TA-55. In late September 2007, plutonium operations at TA-55 were temporarily suspended for safety concerns with the plutonium storage vault. In May 2008, Merrick & Company, a non-reactor nuclear facility design and construction business, signed two 14-year contracts, with an estimated value of $105 million, with Los Alamos National Security, LLC to provide architecture, engineering, and construction services at TA-55. The work will modify systems and facility features.
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