UCOR’s deactivation and demolition crews officially start deactivation on the 360,000-square-feet Beta-4 facility, a former Manhattan Project-era uranium enrichment building.
The National Nuclear Security Administration transferred operational responsibility of the 360,000-square-foot Beta-4 to OREM for the characterization, deactivation, and pre-demolition work.
While preparation to begin deactivation on the facility was underway, UCOR’s Y-12 infrastructure crews completed a major project. They built several temporary structures to position craft professionals and support teams closer to the facility, reducing travel time across the site for equipment and resources. This infrastructure will also support other major cleanup projects nearby, making cleanup efforts toward revitalizing Y-12’s footprint more efficient.
Crews are currently performing characterization work at Beta-4—sampling equipment and materials to support safe waste removal, packaging, and disposal—while others are busy with “cold and dark” activities — isolating utilities, removing hazards, and verifying systems are safely shut down. Deactivation will continue until 2033 to properly ready the facility for safe demolition.
