For Immediate Release
Contact: Wayne McKinney
wayne.mckinney@ettp.doe.gov
(865) 576-6284
Oak Ridge, Tenn., May 23, 2013 – URS | CH2M Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR) is removing the
exterior transite panels from the last portion of the K-25 Building that is left standing.
Most of the mile-long former gaseous diffusion building, located at East Tennessee Technology
Park, has been demolished (approximately 2 million square feet of building). A small portion of
the facility’s east wing remains. It contains a slow-decaying radioactive isotope called
technetium-99 and requires further deactivation, which involves removal of the higher-risk
contaminated items. The deactivation is taking place simultaneously with the transite removal.
Transite is a known asbestos-containing material and must be removed prior to demolition to
meet environmental regulatory requirements. More than 2,800 panels, measuring 8 ft. by 4 ft.,
will be safely removed from the 60-foot-tall structure by UCOR’s experienced Building Trades
personnel. UCOR officials expect to finish the transite removal work in August, and demolition
will begin this fall. The demolition will be completed next year.
“Removal of the transite panels is one of the final steps before demolition takes place,” said
Steve Dahlgren, UCOR Deactivation and Demolition Area Project Manager. “Our workforce has
a commitment to safety and this is reflected in their strong safety performance in all aspects of
their work. Safe completion of the transite removal will bring us one step closer to wrapping up
the largest ever demolition project in the Department of Energy complex.”
Demolition of the K-25 Building began in late 2008 with demolition of the U-shaped building’s
west wing. Demolition of most of the east wing followed, and earlier this year, workers brought
down the building’s north end, which formed the base of the facility’s U shape.
UCOR is the Department of Energy’s Environmental Management contractor at the Oak Ridge
Reservation. The UCOR team is responsible for deactivation and demolition of the K-25 facility,
as well as other environmental cleanup scopes of work at East Tennessee Technology Park (e.g.,
K-27 and K-31 facilities), the Y-12 National Security Complex, and the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory.