OAK RIDGE, TN – Y-12 National Security Complex recently completed efforts to downgrade Building 9206 from the status of nuclear facility to radiologically contaminated, an improvement milestone that reflects significantly reduced risk and moves the building a step closer to eventual demolition.
Pink fixative covers much of the abandoned equipment in 9206. The fixative is put on the equipment to encapsulate any remaining contamination. image by DOE
Building 9206 was shut down in 1994 with a significant inventory of uranium-bearing materials and contaminated equipment left behind. Because the building contained nuclear materials, it had to be monitored and managed.
“Our goal was to deactivate and downgrade Building 9206 by the end of 2025 to reduce nuclear criticality safety risk, free up valuable resources, and apply lessons learned to efforts in other production buildings,” said Building Transition Strategy Program Manager Anita Hazelwood…