UNITED24 - Make a charitable donation in support of Ukraine!

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


Y-12 NATIONAL SECURITY COMPLEX

KEY FACILITIES

The Y-12 National Security Complex has been making nuclear components for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) since 1944. Facilities have become increasingly more expensive to maintain as the aging structures become outdated and require extensive repairs. In comparing the current method of repeated repair and maintenance with the option of constructing new, state-of-the-art facilities, it has been determined that the mission of National Security will be best supported through the development of new, technologically superior facilities.

In 1998, DOE Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) officials announced that a uranium storage building, called the Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Materials Facility, would be built as the first segment of a project to upgrade and modernize Y-12's aging equipment and structures. DOE-ORO's plans are to include money to begin construction on the HEU facility in the federal budget in fiscal year 2001. The plan is to build the rest of the new uranium process facilities in phases which could extend to the year 2015. After the initial facility is built, construction work would begin on a new uranium manufacturing center.

Y-12 is part of Complex Transformation, a NNSA program for a smaller, safer, more secure, and less expansive nuclear weapons complex to replace the standing complex that is believed to be too old with too many facilities. Y-12 is to be designated the Center of Excellence for Uranium and Canned Subassemblies. The goal is to reduce Y-12's building foot print by 50%, its nuclear operations by 60%, its staff by 20%-30%, and its high security area by 90%. As part of Y-12's infrastructure reduction effort, 179 buildings were demolished through FY 2003. The following year, 30 more were demolished. Since 2002, over 250 buildings have been demolished.

The consolidation and modernization process includes the construction of multiple new facilities. A new records storage facility has already been completed.

Completed facilities:

  • Jack Case Center
      • The center, along with the New Hope Center, consolidated the administrative and technical functions of Y-12.

  • New Hope Center
      • The center has 5 labs, including the 900-square-foot Compatibility and Surveillance Forensic Analysis Lab, the National Security Technology Center, and the Control and Sensor Systems Lab; 16 conference rooms; an auditorium; and the History Center, which will house the Y-12 History Library.

Facilities under construction:

  • Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility (HEUMF)
      • HEUMF will serve as an HEU storage facility to replace the aging structures currently used. Construction is scheduled for completion by the end of summer 2008.

  • Uranium Processing Facility (UPF)
      • UPF will replace the 9212 Complex, the current enriched uranium processing facility. Construction was originally planned for FY 2008 to be completed in FY 2013, but as of 2008 it is in the preliminary design stage.

Proposed Facilities:

  • Consolidated Manufacturing Complex
      • As part of the Complex Transformation initiative, the complex would serve as a manufacturing facility of non-HEU components and subassemblies. It would replace the current depleted uranium, lithium, and general manufacturing facilities.

Projects under consideration:

  • Complex Command Center
      • The center would replace fire station, the plant shift superintendent's office and the emergency operations center.

  • Purification Facility
  • Beryllium Capability Project

Existing Facilities




NEWSLETTER
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list