UCOR’s Deactivation and Demolition (D&D) crews have accelerated the demolition of the Old Steam Plant, Building 9401-1, at the Y-12 National Security Complex a full year ahead of its original schedule. This summer marks the beginning of the end for the 1943-era, 13,454-square-foot facility, a critical step in UCOR’s mission to transform Y-12’s legacy footprint and enable future national security missions.
By completing the Alpha-2 demolition months ahead of schedule, this accomplishment created a “trickle-down effect,” clearing the way for earlier commencement of the Old Steam Plant’s removal. This expedited timeline reduces long-term risks associated with aging facilities and represents significant taxpayer savings by minimizing surveillance, maintenance, and infrastructure costs.
The journey to demolition included the successful transportation of materials out of the Old Steam Plant and extensive utility rerouting. That work could not be completed without multidisciplinary teams of pipefitters, welders, carpenters, laborers, riggers, engineers, and safety professionals who executed “air gapping” – a physical separation between the building and active utilities – ensuring complete isolation and readiness for demolition.
Y-12 D&D crews also achieved mission-critical success while upholding an impressive safety milestone, working over one year (more than 500,000 hours) without a recordable injury or illness.
